Hudson Valley Focus

Wines & Vines, Dec, 2000

* The Hudson River Valley may bean the verge of a winemaking renaissance, according to Cornell Cooperative Extension's Steven McKay. This year, the number of grape program subscribers has grown from 20 to 150, with most of the newcomers being New York City businesspeople looking for a lifestyle change or investment.

While the New York wine industry technically dates back 170 years, two-thirds of all wineries have been created during the past 15, according to Jim Trezise of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation.

Long Island and the Finger Lakes (especially Seneca Lake) have shown the strongest growth, while the Hudson River and Lake Erie regions have remained relatively stable. A renaissance in the Valley would be fitting, given the region's historical importance to the development of the New York wine industry.