29 Aug Dan’s Harvest East End 2014 – An Incredible Success
The highly anticipated Dan’s Harvest East End 2014 was this past weekend, and it was everything we could’ve asked for and more! This year’s Harvest was especially exciting, because we had the pleasure of hosting a very important guest: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo! Gov. Cuomo has been a tremendous advocate of farm-based industries, bringing a great deal of awareness to the robust craft beverage industry that’s been rapidly expanding throughout New York State. Our entire East End community was thrilled to have him as a part of our celebration.
McCall’s Vineyard and Ranch was as gorgeous as ever on Saturday night—the perfect setting for an evening full of great wine, food, and friends. This year’s awards ceremony was presented by Gov. Cuomo, who delivered the “Winery of the Year” award to Macari Vineyard & Winery in Mattituck. The competition at Harvest East End 2014 included 835 wines, 20 hard ciders, and eight spirits from throughout the state. 22 judges, including wine writers, restaurateurs, retailers, and wine educators, performed blind tastings to determine the winners.
In addition, Gov. Cuomo also announced the following winners from the “Best of Long Island” wines in the 2014 New York Wine & Food Classic competition:
- Best Dessert Wine: Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard’s Cheval Bleu
- Best Rose Wine: Wolffer Estate 2013 Grandiose Rose
- Best White Wine: Martha Clara 2012 Chardonnay
- Best Sparkling Wine: Sparkling Pointe 2005 Brut Selection (also named the Best Sparkling Wine of New York)
- Best Red Wine: Macari 2010 Cabernet Franc (also named the Best Red Wine of New York)
“I am proud to be a part of such a good fundraiser that symbolizes what Long Island’s all about,” said Chef Lia Fallon of the North Fork. “There are so many great things to celebrate on the East End.” Harvest East End is an opportunity for all of us to get together and take in all of the incredible products made right in our backyards, and to be proud of our accomplishments.
“These wines, hand in hand with the absolute beauty of Long Island, present newcomers and fans with a perfect platform for what makes New York so unique,” said Ron Goerler, Chair of Harvest Fest and owner of Jamesport Vineyards. Everywhere you turned during Saturday’s event, you found people with nothing but praise for Long Island Wine Country.
“The fact is, there is simply nothing in the world like a New York wine,” said Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. “Today was really an opportunity to showcase the drivers behind the wine industry’s growth in New York, which has received unparalleled support from Albany by way of open ears and real regulatory reform.” Trezise’s words couldn’t be truer, given Gov. Cuomo’s dedication to supporting the New York wine industry.
According to a Governor’s Press Release this past week, “the number of based businesses manufacturing wine, beer, spirits and cider using ingredients grown in New York has increased by 100 percent since 2011. In addition, the total number of manufacturers producing alcoholic beverages in New York has increased by 105 percent since 2011.” There will be a new advertisement being run starting this Labor Day to support our industry, and the State will be allocating an additional $300,000 for future advertisements, events, and transportation services to increase tourism throughout our craft beverage industry.
All through 2015, targeted weekends will be offering deals on wineries, hotels, restaurants, and other Long Island businesses in partnership with Delta and Avis-Budget. All of the attention that this industry is being given will be an incredible leg up for countless Long Islanders—we’ll be able to generate more revenue, create more jobs, and just generally prosper as a community.
We could not be more proud of the efforts and accomplishments of our neighbors and friends throughout the East End community. We are beyond excited to be a part of this powerful movement to show people from far and wide just how incredible Long Island is, and everything we have to offer. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us!