S1 EP0019: In the Vineyard
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In the vineyards, veraison is everywhere. Early ripening red hybrids are purple, and grapes like Marquette are inching closer to building their sugar ripeness. Vinifera grapes, for the most part, have exited or are exiting rapid cell division, and moving towards sugar accumulation. The skins grow supply, and grapes like Riesling make their freckles identifiable as the berry grow more supple. Harvest dates are set to reflect a fairly consistent mean this year. I’m expecting Chardonnay to begin harvesting for sparkling wine around the middle of September, and Riesling the first part of October, and Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc to see its harvest begin later in October. Although I put most of my emphasis on vinifera, the grape vines with a genetic lineage to Europe, harvest is set to begin as early as next week for some of the hybrid varietals grown in the Finger Lakes.
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The production of these sparkling wines relied on Aurora for providing a strong acid base for the various non-varietal based wines, especially sparkling wines. Consequently, it became practice to harvest them very early, and use them as a blending component to provide an inexpensive base for building inexpensive sparkling wines. One of the wines from this production that had grown in popularity once again, was a wine called J Roget. J Roget was produced by Constellation Brands at their Canandaigua facility, and as mimosa brunch culture blossomed in America’s big cities throughout the 2010’s, J Roget grew with it as the staple for restaurants seeking to use inexpensive sparkling wines for their bottomless mimosa brunch specials. As Constellation shifted market focus, and sold off a number of brands to Gallo, this particular sku created some issues for the pending Gallo/Constellation deal. The Federal Trade Commission, concerned that J Roget would solidify a monopoly for Gallo in the inexpensive sparkling wine category, was a brand that the FTC refused to be included in sale of the portfolio of brands. Consequently, its future seemed doomed, and the varietal, Aurora, began to be removed from many vineyards.
It remains to be seen whether Gallo, who along with the purchase of the brands from Constellation acquired the largest production facility in the Finger Lakes, will be producing a sparkling wine to fill the gap that the absence of J Roget has left behind. I’m certainly not one to question the business model of Gallo, they’ve proven to be exceptionally successful. The corporate maneuvering of these industry giants, has put many small growers of grapes like Aurora in a bind, and part of this story will unfold as we see the future of Finger Lakes grape growing and wines unfold. As most small Finger Lakes wineries don’t make wine from Aurora, it really is dependent upon the products they have been used for for generations to continue production. If they don’t find a market for those grapes, those vineyards will disappear and either be converted to other hybrid or vinifera varietals, or converted into some other agricultural use.
This background merely sheds some light on the fact that some Aurora is set to begin harvest next week. The harvest of Aurora, like the light in the sky, is another cue that harvest is approaching. It is also a cue this year, that the Finger Lakes wine industry is evolving. Much of that evolution has been pioneered by small family producers, but as with varietals like Aurora and the giant brands that fed the growth of those wines, big players are set to become an increasingly dominant role once again in the region. The status quo that was shattered in 2020 continues to change with other forces at play. The story isn’t written, but all of us in the Finger Lakes are a character, whether large or small, in a book that is yet to be written.
