THE GEOLOGICAL ASPECTS AFFECTING WINES MADE IN WESTERN NEW YORK

There are four important aspects to the final taste of a wine: the vine variety, where is it grown, how it is grown, and how it is made (chemically). Although every state in the United States grows wine grapes, New York is one of the largest growing regions after California. The unique geology of the wine growing areas in NY affects the wines made there. This research focused on three growing regions in Western New York and studied the geology in each region. The regions span from Lake Erie to the Finger Lakes and include the Lake Erie wine region, the Niagara county wine region (north of the Escarpment), and the Finger Lakes region, specifically Seneca Lake.

To study the effect of geology, we focused on the history of geologic processes that formed the current landscapes and how these landscapes help to produce better wine. This part of the project involved determining the underlying bedrock and soils and investigating how these components affect the growth of grape vines. We also compared climatic data between the three regions and studied how the individual climates benefit wine production. In addition to comparing the geology of the three regions, we also considered the types of grapes grown in each. Some grapes are native to Western New York and others not native but are able to be grown in the state. We considered how the tastes of native and non-native grapes differ between the three regions in this study.

We will present the similarities and differences of the three growing regions in this study and why the conditions in these regions are conducive to producing wine. We will also discuss whether there are notable correlations between the taste of the wines from each region and the specific geologic accepts of that region. Western New York has several flourishing wine regions, and this type of research can help to connect the geologic aspects of an area to its growing potential. By generating an informational flier that will be available online and at interested wineries, this project can also connect the growing public interest in wine to information about the local and regional geology.