New York Lake Erie Wine

The Lake Erie wine region along New York's southwestern shore is one of America's oldest and most productive grape-growing areas. Concord grapes have dominated the landscape since the 1850s, supplying the juice and jam industry that made Welch's a household name. But a new generation of producers is also growing cold-hardy wine grapes, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and hybrid varieties, that take advantage of Lake Erie's moderating influence on the continental climate. The lake extends the growing season by several weeks and softens winter cold enough for a surprising range of varieties to survive. Johnson Estate Winery (New York's oldest estate winery, founded in 1961) and several other producers along the Lake Erie Wine Trail offer tastings that range from heritage Concord wines to serious dry Riesling and ice wine.