EXCURSIONS OFF THE RIESLING TRAIL Jamal Rayyis · Tara Thomas · Lisa Granick MW Sunday 3:15–5:00 PM · Dr. Konstantin Frank
With a challenging climate, the Finger Lakes have long been a region of experimentation – whether through research on hybrids at Cornell’s Geneva Station, or relentless trials with vinifera dating back to Konstantin Frank’s work in the 1950s until the present day. While Riesling has emerged as the Finger Lake’s hallmark grape, other, less-known varieties have become unique references for the region. Georgian-origin Rkatsiteli and Saperavi are prominent among these, but others from Austria, Germany and northern Italy are showing their worth, too. And, in an ironic twist, there is revived appreciation for hybrid and labrusca grapes. We will explore some of the varieties and wine styles representing this current trend alongside their European inspirations and discuss how taking the road less-travelled can help Finger Lakes winemakers manage these uncertain times.
Flight 1 1.Konstantin Frank Rkatsiteli, 2025Finger Lakes, NY 2.Casreli Marani “Amidasturi”, NVKakheti, Georgia 3.Standing Stone Saperavi, 2024Finger Lakes, NY 4.Mukado Saperavi, NVKartli, Georgia Flight 2 5.Fox Run Grüner Veltliner, 2025Finger Lakes, NY 6.Fritsch Ried Steinberg Grüner Veltliner, 2023Wagram, Austria 7.Heart & Hands Esoterra, 2023Finger Lakes, NY 8.Ambrositsch Gemischter Satz “Ringelspiel”, 2021Wien, Austria Flight 39.Keuka Lake Vineyards Skin-Fermented Vignoles, 2021Finger Lakes, NY 10.Fio Wines Mosel Glou Glou, 2024Mosel, Germany 11.Usonia Good Spirit, 2024Finger Lakes, NY 12.Vignoble du Rêveur “Rien ne Bouge”, 2023Vin de France Flight 4 13.Ravines Agricolae Keuka Red, 2022Finger Lakes, NY 14.Marcus Sara Schioppettino Friuli Colli Orientali, 2023Friuli Colli Orientali, Italy
A MASTERCLASS IN IGNORANCE: REGIONAL PROMINENCE TO GLOBAL RELEVANCE Clive Pursehouse · Jade Palmer DipWSET · Anna Katherine Mansfield · Erin McMurrough · Nova Cadamatre MW Sunday 1:00–2:45 PM · Heron Hill The Finger Lakes has spent a generation making the case for Riesling. Join moderator Clive Pursehouse and panelists Dr. Anna Katherine Mansfield (Cornell), Jade Palmer DipWSET, Erin McMurrough (Little Clover Wine Company), and Nova Cadamatre MW (Trestle 31) for a structured, unsentimental look at a region that has earned its place on the global wine map. Through fourteen wines placed in direct conversation with benchmarks from around the world, we'll examine what the Finger Lakes has actually built and hold it, without apology, against the best the world has to offer.
Flight 1 1.Little Clover Cayuga White Brut, 2023Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, NY 2.Peter Lauer Riesling Sekt Brut Nature, 2023Saar, Germany 3.Ravines Argetsinger Vineyard Riesling, 2021Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, NY 4.Knewitz Hundertgulden Riesling Grosses Gewächs, 2024Rheinhessen, Germany Flight 2 5.Trestle 31 Chardonnay, 2021Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, NY 6.Domaine Balland-Curtet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Sous Le Puits, 2024Burgundy, France Flight 3 7.Ryan Williams Pinot Noir, 2017Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, NY 8.J. Hofstätter Pinot Nero Barthenau, 2021Alto Adige, Italy 9.Hosmer Cabernet Franc, 2024Cayuga Lake, Finger Lakes, NY 10.Philippe Alliet Chinon Vieilles Vignes, 2022Loire, France
Obsessed with sparkling wine! Also love spreading the good word about Wineries Without Walls, a loose collective of micro-producers in the Finger Lakes.
THE NEW WINE WORD: COMMS FOR AN EVOLVING AUDIENCE Maiah Johnson Dunn · Clive Pursehouse · Christina Pickard · Tyler Balliet · Maryam Ahmed Sunday 3:15–5:00 PM · Heron Hill
Consider this: The wine world doesn’t have an audience problem—it has a communication problem.
Wine drinkers are becoming more curious, diverse, and culturally engaged, while the language around wine still feels exclusive, outdated, and often disconnected from how people actually experience it. So, what needs to change, and who gets to lead that charge?
Join moderator Maiah Johnson Dunn (wine writer and educator) in conversation with Clive Pursehouse (Forbes Wine), Christina Pickard (Wine Enthusiast), Tyler Balliet (The Rebel School of Wine), and Maryam Ahmed (Maryam + Company, Field Blends) for an unfiltered take on the state of wine communication today.
Across journalism, education, marketing, and community-building, each is challenging the entrenched norms and rewriting the rules: from how stories are told to who gets invited into the conversation. Together, they’ll dig into what’s broken, what’s worth preserving, and what it actually takes to connect with audiences in ways that feel honest, compelling, and relevant to now.
Expect strong opinions and practical takeaways for anyone ready to rethink how wine is talked about, sold, and shared.
Flight 1 1.Sheldrake Point Beta Series Blanc de Franc, 2023Cayuga Lake, Finger Lakes, NY 2.Cristom Vineyards Eileen Vineyard Chardonnay, 2023Eola-Amity Hills, OR 3.Ria’s Wines Viva Riesling, 2024Finger Lakes, NY 4.Maryam + Company × Massican, 2023Napa, CA Flight 2 5.B. Stuyvesant Brut Rosé Champagne, NVChampagne, France 6.(Blind #1) 7.(Blind #2) 8.(Blind #3)
