Transforming the Winemaking Tradition
The Hudson River Valley AVA is changing in many ways. Its wines historically had been cloyingly sweet simple fortified or sparkling wines. Although wineries these wines still exist, they are on very much on the wane. Some of the pressure for change has been due to an increasing level of sophistication of American tastes in wines, but this demand can be satisfied from wines from other places. The Hudson Valley winemaking is changing because of the courage and vision of new pioneers demonstrating what the region can be, the challenges implicit in the 1976 Farm Winery Act, and from opportunities presented by the region's proximity to New York City. The regions modern pioneers have had a significant impact on inculcating the idea that a Hudson Valley vineyard can produce something other than low quality product. Their vision was that the Hudson River Valley, with hard work and experience, could become an emerging wine producing region, taking its place alongside its sister appellations of Long Island and the Finger Lakes.
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