I’ve hung around enough East Coast winemakers to know they’re passionate about turning raw materials (grapes) into works of art (wine). But something else impresses me about them. They’re so willing to help each other.
Now it’s true most of these wineries need alliances and wine trails to keep their small businesses afloat. But need alone doesn’t explain their sense of camaraderie. These winemakers have a special empathy for one another. Each knows the vagaries of weather, pests, and vine diseases that can plague wine producers, especially in the East, and how a promising vintage can suddenly go south. They’re farmers, for heaven sakes! Wine drinkers (some of them, anyway) may be snobby, but these folks are just the opposite. They’re down to earth and great fun to be around! That’s why I thoroughly enjoyed spending time this week at the Eastern Wine Exposition in Lancaster, Pa. – that and the wine tasting, of course.
Thought I would share some notes and takeaways:
- Traveling north of New York City? A cluster of wineries flank the Hudson River less than an hour from New York City. The Hudson Valley touts itself as America’s oldest winemaking and grape-growing region. Carlo DeVito, author, blogger, and Hudson Chatham Wines co-owner was the sole proprietor holding down the fort for Hudson Valley wineries and pouring as fast as he could open bottles. His 2014 Baco Noir is a hybrid grape vinified in a style reminiscent of Pinot Noir.
- Long live Cabernet Franc! Cabernet Franc plays only a supporting role in Bordeaux, but it stars in Chinon and other wines of the Loire in France. In recent years, it’s been making a splash on the East Coast. “We can get it ripe,” explained a representative from Working Dog, a Central New Jersey winery. “That’s a good thing.” Of the four Cab Francs I tasted from my home state of Pennsylvania, Presque Isle Wine Cellars, in the Lake Erie region, gets my vote. But my hands-down favorite? The 2013 Millbrook Winery Cab Franc from the Hudson Valley.
- Flights from Niagara, Ontario – Bachelder Wines was the sole representative from the robust Niagara, Ontario, wine region. Thomas Bachelder said the expo naturally draws more Canadian winemakers when it’s held in Syracuse, NY. Actually, Bachelder owns vineyards in Oregon and Burgundy in addition to Niagara. He was pouring flights of three flinty, but distinctly different Chardonnays, one a blend from the three vineyards and two isolated to specific locales. “I’m looking for character,” he explained.
- New Hampshire and even Maine wineries – Good to see wineries from as far north as New Hampshire and Maine. Cold-tolerant hybrids pioneered by researchers at the University of Minnesota make it possible to grow winegrapes this far north. These northern winemakers also produce wine from fruit other than grapes.
- Look out! California is heading east – As you can imagine, competition is stiff among growers and producers in wine-laden California. The solution? Go east! This is Michael Baldinelli’s second year selling grapes outside of California. A family-owned business, Baldinelli Vineyards is located in Amador County in the Sierra Mountains east of Sacramento. This winemaking region is known for its granitic soils. Baldinelli teamed up with North Coast Winegrape Brokers, a firm that ships grapes, bulk wines, and finished wines across the country. He knows growing grapes in East Coast climates can be challenging. “You can do a lot with the same grape and not be a California wine,” he said.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to attend at least part of the expo this year. Thank you, Carlo, for helping me to get an insider’s view. Hope to see you all again soon.