What California Thinks About the Finger Lakes: The Good and the Worrisome

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Photograph shows a vineyard atop Mount Veeder, Napa Valley

 I recently spent four days in various parts of northern California wine country, including Napa Valley and the Russian River Valley. During public tastings and private appointments, in wine shops and food markets, I asked people what they heard or knew about Finger Lakes wines. 

I expected some out-of-date responses, perhaps including:

"The Finger Lakes makes wine? Real wine?"

"The Finger Lakes makes whites, I hear, but the reds suck."

"The Finger Lakes, yes, I've heard of it. Bully Hill."

But in all of our conversations, none of the above surfaced. In fact, there were two main responses that came up over and over. The most common response from Californians when asked about the Finger Lakes? 

"We hear the white wines in particular are just outstanding. Can't wait to try them."

Finger Lakes winemakers and marketing directors should be pleased to hear that. The message wasn't cloaked in snark or sarcasm. There is momentum for Finger Lakes wine producers to build upon. Future success will mean finding new channels of distribution and new, creative ways to deliver bottles to consumers eager to try them. Even all the way out in California. The local model won't work for everyone, and it doesn't raise up the region as a whole.

Now, the second most common response was the following - and I mean we heard this maybe a dozen times:

"You're from the Finger Lakes? Have you met so-and-so? Pretty crazy."

I'm not going to write in detail about the person in question. You can figure out what we're talking about. That's been done, and this blog no longer deals with that issue publicly. However, given the amount of times it came up, I believe it's an issue that must be addressed.

Here's what I mean when I say it must be addressed: This region must become more active in all forms of media. If you're wondering how so many people in California are aware of certain people, it's because certain people have gotten involved in every possible form of media. Online discussion groups like eBob, Wine Berserkers, and many more. Social media like Twitter. In fact, in most of these forms of media, there is only one voice coming from the Finger Lakes at all. 

Think about that for a moment.

Most Californians followed up by telling me, "No one takes it seriously, anyway." But consider that this is the first thing that comes to mind when these people think of the Finger Lakes. That means that the Finger Lakes isn't taken seriously as a result. 

We're thrilled that so many people in the Finger Lakes wine industry are actively engaged on this blog. It gets your message out, it allows you to interact with customers and writers, and it's free. Yes, there is opportunity cost when it comes to time. But this blog is just one virtual hangout and discussion. I realize that the changing media world can seem overwhelming, but this region needs to understand that at least one person has figured it out. As a result, that's the regional brand for more potential customers than you realize.

Some might think it's risky for the Finger Lakes Editor of the New York Cork Report to write about the need for readers to visit other sites and experiment with other forms of media. I'd disagree. That's because we're building the NYCR to be the go-to source for news, reviews, trends, features, and more. I'm not advertising when I say that. It's the truth. This site is going to continue to dominate.

But there are so many new channels that allow wineries to tell their story now.

And of course everyone has a right to tell their story, coherently or not. The free market tends to sort itself out. But imagine if a movie studio produced, in one year, the following films: Shawshank Redemption, Cirizen Kane, A Man For All Seasons, Forrest Gump, The Godfather, and Cabin Boy. Now imagine that the only film they advertised was Cabin Boy.

It's pretty easy to guess what movie fanatics would think about that film studio. 

Comments

[Joe Herrig]

All good points, Evan. However, I take offense at your opinion of "Cabin Boy". This was- perhaps- Chris Elliot's most tour-de-force performance on the silver screen.

[Evan Dawson]

Joe - Blasphemy! Chris Elliot was actually useful in Groundhog Day, one of my favorites. Cabin Boy was a classic, all right.

[R. Olsen-Harbich]

Evan, I understand your concern. However with all due respect to our friends on the left coast, if we ever had a contest for exhibiting insufferably maniacal and crazy behavior in the wine industry, we wouldn't stand a chance against California.

There are plenty of opportunities for an educated person to learn a great deal about the wines of New York - that is if they care to seek them out. The loud and bombastic will always get more attention than the subtle no matter what the media. Can we do more? No question. But it does say something that the wines are doing most of the talking right now and many people are listening.

[Tom Mansell]

Cabin Boy was awesome... when I was 12.
And the maturity level in question pretty much agrees with that statement.

[1WineDude]

I must be the only person on Earth who genuinely doesn't know who you folks are talking about...

[wine of the month club]

California suffers from the great delight of having fantastic wines come from several great growing regions in its state.

NY wines as quality continues to rise will make their way to the left coast and gain the recognition they deserve.

[Joe Herrig]

Evan- well played on "Groundhog Day". And, I have a guess on who the "Cabin Boy" winery is, but I don't think they are terrible. I must be thinking of the wrong producer (which suggests that maybe things are better than they seem?)

[Rowland]

I dont know what they are talking about either, all I know is "THESE PIPES ARE CLEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAN!"

[Michael Gorton, Jr.]

@Evan,
Great piece. Excellent thought provoking points, as always. I love how you are pushing the envelope, bringing NYS wine and this blog to the next level. It's a shame about the second question, but maybe we need ignore the issue and challenge every other vineyard to strive to quiet the empty barrel. I think that is maybe what you are trying to do.

@Rich,
Your second sentence is amazing and well put, perfectly well put. And the rest of the comment is so true and something I never thought of, being subtle is a good thing, eventually people get a headache from the loud ones, and turn to the softer, more rounded person for advice and conversation.

Lastly, sad to see that there are so many references to Cabin Boy, but I guess it could be worse.

[MichiganByTheBottle]

As a blogger about wines from a region other than CA, WA, and OR, I can really appreciate your sentiments. All of these under-represented wine regions need to do a better job of reaching out and promoting themselves. There is only so much that you and I can do.

[Justin]

Evan,
I was lucky enough to spend a couple of weeks tasting in several areas of California. Almost universally I found a great deal of interest in the fingerlakes. The individuals I spoke with were very impressed with how much press we have been getting in the all the major publications. Thankfully I did not encounter any one that seemed to be familiar with you know who.

[Evan Dawson]

Justin -

Good to hear, and clearly there are many open minds that need to be reached. Regarding Voldemort, certainly I could have experienced a small sample size. Let's hope. But regardless, great opportunities abound. So much to gain in reaching new people and new markets.

Mich -

To some extent, writers like yourself are doing that for the wineries. So are we. That's all well and good, but eventually the winners of the future will be the ones who know how to do it themselves.

[Dan Updike]

I enjoy hearing the banter and the generalizations; "I hear reds suck there" or "whites are great here". The bottom line is that California and New York both produce varietal wines that they shouldn't. Period.