Cuomo tours area wineries; Keuka Spring Vineyards wins Governor’s Cup

YATES, SCHUYLER COUNTIES―Gov. Andrew Cuomo visited three area wineries Tuesday, Aug. 13, to promote state wines and tourism in the Finger Lakes during the annual New York Wine and Food Classic professional wine competition. The governor’s tour included stops at Penn Yan’s Anthony Road Wine Company, Dundee’s Glenora Wine Cellars and Watkins Glen’s Lakewood Vineyards.

The wine competition culminated with the presentation of the Governor’s Cup, which recognizes the top wine in the state. The award was presented Tuesday, Aug. 13 at the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel with Keuka Spring Vineyards’ 2012 Riesling taking the top honors.
Cuomo was joined by several industry professionals, restauranteurs and tourism officials to promote New York wines. The purpose of this trip was to promote the many wineries in the region and draw attention to the tourism opportunities offered in the area.


“The Finger Lakes are one of the great wine producing areas in the state,” Cuomo said. “The Finger Lakes was one of the first areas where experiments were done to bring wines that could be commercially marketed, and it was because of the lakes, actually, that was most attractive. (...) It is one of the reasons this region is so attractive and has done so extraordinarily well.”


Cuomo said the more attention the area gets, the better businesses will do, and the better the state will do as a whole. As part of the tour, Cuomo was taken through the production and storage facilities and had the winemaking process explained to him.


“One of the roles of state governor is to promote New York, promote New York businesses,” Cuomo said. “The state does have a new energy about it. You feel it all across the board, in the business community, and you feel it all across upstate New York.”


Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, said “we very much appreciate (Cuomo’s) highlighting the Governor’s Cup and the state’s magnificent wines, and know that with his support, the industry will grow and continue to create vital jobs for the state.”


Awards announced included:
McCall Wines from Long Island won the “Winery of the Year” award
"Best of Category" awards, all eligible for the Governor's Cup, went to:
Best Sparkling Wine


Sparkling Pointe 2008 Blanc de Noirs
Best White Wine


Keuka Spring Vineyards 2012 Riesling
Best Rose Wine


McGregor Vineyard Winery 2012 Rosé D’Cabernet Franc, Estate Grown
Best Red Wine


Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Franc
Best Dessert Wine


21 Brix 2011 Vidal Ice Wine
Best Specialty Wine


Earle Estates Meadery Raspberry Reflections
Best Spirit


Finger Lakes Distilling McKenzie Rye

"Best of Class" awards:
Best Oaked Chardonnay


Billsboro Winery 2012 Chardonnay
Best Unoaked Chardonnay


Harbes Family Farm & Vineyard 2012 Steel Fermented Chardonnay
Best Overall Chardonnay


Harbes Family Farm & Vineyard 2012 Steel Fermented Chardonnay
Best Gewürztraminer


Keuka Spring Vineyards 2012 Gewürztraminer
Best Dry Riesling


Paumanok Vineyards 2012 Dry Riesling
Best Medium Dry Riesling


Keuka Spring Vineyards 2012 Riesling
Best Medium Sweet Riesling


Swedish Hill Winery 2012 Riesling
Best Overall Riesling


Keuka Spring Vineyards 2012 Riesling
Best Pinot Grigio


Damiani Wine Cellars 2012 Pinot Grigio
Best Vinifera White Blend


Bedell Cellars 2010 Taste White
Best Cayuga


McGregor Vineyard Winery 2012 Cayuga White
Best Seyval


Raymor Estate Cellars Seyval Blanc
Best Hybrid White Blend


Tug Hill Vineyards 43 Degrees Lat White
Best Niagara


Lakewood Vineyards 2012 Niagara
Best Vinifera Rose


McGregor Vineyard Winery 2012 Rosé D’Cabernet Franc, Estate Grown
Best Native Rose


Arbor Hill Grapery & Winery Coriesa Hill-Iona Rosé
Best Catawba


Torrey Ridge Winery Catawba
Best Cabernet Sauvignon


Wölffer Estate Vineyard 2010 Cassango Cabernet Sauvignon
Best Merlot


Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Merlot
Best Cabernet Franc


Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Franc
Best Pinot Noir


McCall Wines 2010 Pinot Noir Reserve, Corchang Estate
Best Lemberger


Hosmer Winery 2010 Lemberger
Best Vinifera Red Blend


Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 76 West
Best Hybrid Red Blend


Swedish Hill Winery Viking Red
Best Fruit


Baldwin Vineyards Strawberry Wine
Best Cider


Earle Estates Meadery Wort Hog
Best Late Harvest Wine


Paumanok Vineyards 2012 Late Harvest Riesling
Best Ice Wine


21 Brix 2011 Vidal Ice Wine
Best Vinifera Sparkling White


Chateau Frank 2007 Blanc de Noirs