Harvest 2015 News Article Features Silver Thread

September 8, 2015–  A reporter from the Elmira Star-Gazette stopped at our tasting room on Labor Day weekend to interview owner Shannon Brock about the upcoming grape harvest.  The article also ran in the Ithaca Journal and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle (all Gannett-owned papers).  It includes several photos of the vineyard and winery on a gorgeous late-summer day.

Grape Harvest Starts; Wineries Hope for Sun
by Bob Jamieson

In the drought-stricken West, a rain dance is in order. Not so in New York. The state’s 400-plus wineries are just fine with an overdose of sun and heat this time of year.

Labor Day week kicks off the grape harvest for many of the state’s wineries, an annual rite that runs through mid- to late October for most varieties of wine grapes. A small number of grapes are left on the vine and picked into December for sweet late harvest wines and ice wines.

“We only know the quantity and quality of each harvest in retrospect, as in November, because everything now depends on weather patterns during the fall harvest season. At this point, things are generally looking good,” Trezise said. “Ideally, the harvest weather will be warm, dry, and sunny during the days for ripening, with cool nights for flavor development. Too much rain can be a problem both in terms of the logistics of harvesting the grapes and the quality of the fruit.”

View the full article here.