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Forget Italy, France and Spain . and you don't have to go to Napa Valley either. Finger Lakes wineries, once the secret haunts of locals and alums, are becoming renowned worldwide. And their influence has become part of the academic landscape for Hobart and William Smith Colleges' faculty and students. While there aren't many courses that require students to bring two wine glasses to class or purchase the "textbook" Wine for Dummies, the non-credit "An Introduction to Wine" class for students over 21 is really more serious than it sounds. Under the direction of economics professor Bill Waller, the class explores the making and meaning of wine by combining the expertise of faculty from the Colleges and Cornell University's State Agricultural Experiment Station, as well as Finger Lakes wine producers. Students learn how to detect properties and individual differences in wines, and become familiar with the production of wine, its cultural role and health benefits. They tour vineyards and wineries, engage in serious wine tasting and learn about working with wine and food. "The wine-tasting class is a great tradition among seniors, and culminates many memorable times during our years at Hobart," said Mike Ferraguto '06. "It allows us to appreciate wine not only as a social drink, but as an interesting component of culture seen in many civilizations through history." As much as it sounds like a fun way to spend a Wednesday evening, the reality is that growing grapes and making wine is serious business in the Finger Lakes - adding an estimated $6 billion to New York's economy, according to FingerLakesWine.com. New York's 219 wineries provide 25,000 jobs, produce more than 200 million bottles of wine annually and have $1 billion-plus in sales, making New York the second- or third-largest wine producing state, depending on who's measuring. Winery growth statewide has skyrocketed recently. In the last fi ve years, nearly 100 wineries have opened - half of them in the Finger Lakes. Established wineries saw 54 percent more visitors in 2003 than in 2000, according to the state's Agricultural Statistics Service, and also doubled tasting-room sales. Sigrid A. Carle '84, associate professor of biology, has made this growing industry an academic focus. She researches grapes with Tom Burr of Cornell University's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station Plant Pathology Department in Geneva. More than 42 types of grapes from European and American vines are grown locally and new varieties are developed at the station.
Carle and Burr currently collaborate on researching the interactions between a pathogenic bacterium, Agrobacterium vitis, and grape plants. Agrobacterium vitis causes two diseases: crown gall disease, which reduces vine productivity; and necrosis, which creates localized lesions on roots. "We are interested in learning as much as possible about the infection process, and the possibility that genetic engineering could be used to induce a defense response in grapes, thus protecting from infection," says Carle. "This is a worldwide problem. And there is definitely interest in what we're doing because there's money available for grant- funded grape research." USDA interest, however, is nothing compared to that among local grape growers. "The winter before last [in the Finger Lakes] caused lots of damage, especially crown gall damage, to local vines, which is a big expense because it requires the vineyards to remove all the affected vines and plant new ones," notes Carle. In 1999, Carle became interested in this research when a student needed an independent study to gain microbiology experience for graduate school. "Through working with this student, I realized the work being done was very interesting and asked if I could collaborate," she said. Since then, Carle has mentored seven honors or independent study students, all of whom continued on to graduate school. This semester, Kumara Govardhan '06 is assisting Carle as part of an independent study, researching the problematic relationship between grapes and bacteria. "In working with Professor Carle and researchers at the NYSAES, I realize that the work we are doing is helping to increase New York's presence in the multi-million dollar wine industry ... For our local farmers, the research can help make their crops more self-sufficient ... and more wholesome in growth," he said. Finger Lakes wineries are not only a fertile area for science research, but provide economic lessons as well. New York wineries have for years shipped their products to in-state customers, but not to those out of state. A new law took effect in August allowing wine shipments to several other states (those with reciprocal shipping rules), increasing national sales growth potential. Now many more winery visitors can have their favorites shipped home, to enjoy when they complete their trips. Many hope the new law will bring increased exposure and demand for New York wines, as well as bring more people and opportunity to the region. Wine and grape production has been a part of the Finger Lakes since the 1830s, with hybrid and European varieties introduced in the 1900s. Since 1976, when the Farm Winery Act was adopted, the number of wineries in the state has increased from 19 to more than 210. Some argue that these small farm wineries emphasize quality rather than quantity, and encourage more independent experimentation and risk-taking in winemaking - a factor that's now drawing winemakers from around the world to work and study as they produce both red and white wines here.
Greater awareness of the area's wines leads to greater demand, which takes time and creates other problems. For starters, it takes as long as five years for vines to bear fruit; and the industry, like so much of agriculture, is at the mercy of Mother Nature's harsh winters and dry summers. The early, warm summer of 2005 helped the grapes mature, and the harvest was just a little below average, experts say. While other Finger Lakes industries have declined, the burgeoning wine industry is having a spin-off effect. The growth is encouraging an influx of bed-and-breakfasts, restaurants, stores, markets, events and festivals, as well as an expanding manufacturing industry that distributes wines, grape juices, jellies and more. Many existing wineries are adding lodging facilities, gourmet shops or restaurants to complement their businesses. A year ago, Belhurst Castle in Geneva spent $8 million on a 33,000-square-foot addition with hotel rooms, a second restaurant, a winery and a gift shop. In 1999, Glenora Wine Cellars spent more than $5 million to add The Inn at Glenora and Veraison's Restaurant. Ground was broken in August for the New York Wine and Culinary Center, a 19,000-square-foot non-profit facility on South Main Street in Canandaigua, which is expected to draw 100,000 visitors annually. From Reunion wine tours to student employment to curriculum and research, the expanding Finger Lakes wine industry is having a growing influence on the Colleges. People are paying attention to HWS studies and projects, and the Colleges are keeping students involved in the biology, ecology and economics of this booming business trend.
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