Where the Little Grape Grows

Ever notice when you visit wineries in Virginia, or anywhere else in the U.S. for that matter, there is generally a theme to what grapes are grown in that region? On a recent trip I was able to explore the Finger Lakes region in New York and see that firsthand. There are grapes in that region that aren’t seen as often here and visa versa. But why? Well, there is a reason for that. In this blog post I’m going to go a little extra nerdy and share more on how climate has an effect as to what grapes grow best where and why.

Did you know that most grape growing regions are grown between the 30°-50° latitude both north and south? Anything outside of those latitudes are usually too extreme for grapes to survive. Virginia is roughly 37° N latitude, whereas the Finger Lakes is at about 42° N latitude. That may not seem like a big difference, but it is. The cooler climate regions don’t have nearly the growing season like we do here in Virginia. Just as Virginia doesn’t have the growing season that California does. For this blog though we will stick to the comparison of Virginia and New York, specifically the Finger Lakes region.

​When my husband and I were in the Finger Lakes in late August, they were just starting to see verasion, which is about a month behind the vineyards in Virginia. If you recall, I did a blog post when we were seeing verasion in late July/early August. I follow a few vineyards on social media that are in the Finger Lakes and have seen how some are just now starting to harvest their Chardonnay, which we also harvested about a month earlier. Since the Finger Lakes region has a shorter growing season, the acidity is typically higher in the grapes and the sugars (brix) are generally lower, which gives less alcohol potential during fermentation.

Below is a chart to put into perspective how as sugars in the grapes increase after verasion, acidity then starts to decrease (specifically the bottom half of the chart).

Now, onto what types of grapes are grown in the Finger Lakes. You will see some reds, some really good reds as a matter of fact, but not many of the ones you find commonly here in Virginia. Mostly varietals like Pinot Noir and Blaufränkisch (Lemberger) thrive since they don’t require a long and warm growing season like Cabernet Sauvignon or Petit Verdot. To flip the coin, so to speak, grapes like Pinot Noir are uncommon here in Virginia because the grape is very thin skinned and does not like hot weather. It does best in climates that have long, cooler growing seasons. One red grape you will see commonly both in Virginia and Finger Lakes is Cabernet Franc and although both regions produce beautiful wines, the styles are quite different.

​Their white varietals also differ from the ones seen here in Virginia. Some of the most common whites in the Finger Lakes are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris. Those wines are usually more acidic and are lighter bodied. You will also see both Vidal Blanc and Chardonnay like you do here in Virginia, but those tend to be lighter and Vidal Blanc is also used to make Ice Wine.

This blog post has definitely been a little nerdier than previous posts, but it was a topic I get asked on a lot in the tasting room and felt it would be a good one to cover. Thanks for tuning into this week's edition of Out of the Barrel. Cheers!