The 2010 growing season will go down as one of the best in 20 years. We experienced many hot days and drought conditions which produce the best flavored fruit. Grapes came into the winery from our vineyards with parameters we often dream of. This should give us the foundation on which we can create some stellar wines. Each week we dip into our tanks and barrels to gauge the progress of our wines. Bench trials or sample blendings are continuously performed to test which wines can be put together to create a wine better than a variety on its own. About 40% of our portfolio are blends at this time.

Each year our wine portfolio is reviewed to assess which wines sell the best and where there might be a gap between what some customers seem to want that we don't yet have. This year we are working on three new wines. One is expected to be Rumple Pumpkin, a spiced wine, which should go well with harvest feasts and holiday events. Another is one we've tentatively named World to represent peace, harmony and tranquility. One dollar of each bottle of World sold will be donated to a charity selected annually. The third new wine will be a meritage in the spirit of the French bordeaux. You can expect to see these wines introduced during the late summer months.

To us here at Glorie Farm Winery, sustainability boils down to three pieces: environment, social responsibility and profit. We are serious about the green movement and embrace the concept and implementation of green practices. Being green includes energy conservation, water conservation, and recycling. To conserve energy, in 2008 we installed an 8,300 kilowatt hour solar photo voltaic power system that produces all of the electricity used by the winery. As of this writing, we have produced 21,300 kwh. The solar power allows us to be less dependent on electricity from the power plant and helps to reduce our carbon footprint. Last month we signed a contract with Hudson Valley Clean Energy to install another system that will produce 18,500 kwh/year. Together, the two systems will provide all of the electric needs for our winery, farm and residence.

To conserve water, we installed a trickle irrigation system 16 years ago. This type of system delivers just the right amount of water, one drop at a time, directly to the plant's roots with minimum evaporation and no soil erosion. To conserve natural resources, we recycle all of our glass and metal.

All sustainability also includes a social element. Yes, you have a role to play. Your actions can contribute to the social or society piece of sustainability. One action you could take is to buy local! Local food is commonly defined as food grown within 100 miles from where it is consumed. Articles and cookbooks have been written recently about the 100-mile diet. Why not consider local wine as part of your diet? Purchasing local food is considered sustainable because it has a smaller carbon footrint. Why purchase wine produced in California or Argentina which are thousands of miles from here? Think of the fuel burned to ship that distance!

The economic part of the winery is simple: Glorie Farm Winery is a family business run by Doug and MaryEllen Glorie with the next generation of Glories helping out at every possible opportunity. You can talk to us (unless we are busy working in the fields!), and there is a level of transparency that you can experience by visiting the farm. The cost of wine from far away has to incorporate all the transportation required to get it to you. The cost of local wine is typically less because there is no transportation cost. It doesn't cost you any more to buy local and helps reduce your carbon footprint. Also, by purchasing local you are enabling the farm to stay in business, thereby preserving farmland and open space. We want this property to be a farm 100 years from now! So, through your support of a local farm winery, you are supporting your local environment, society and economy. Thanks!

As Hudson Valley vintners we are always asking ourselves, "What are the right grape varieties we should be growing?" We know that American types don't make world class wine. Concord and Niagara are very hardy but never get a wine writer's attention. Hybrid grapes are a good alternative as they can make very good wine and the vines are quite winter hardy. Hybrids are crosses between American and French varieties. The hybrids have been around for some 60 years and new ones are being released each year. They are first released with a simple number label and may be assigned a name as their popularity and acceptance rises. Most of our vines are of this type. In spring of 2010 we planted 1-1/3 acres of Noiret and Marquette, for example. Our hybrid grapes are made into varietals like Seyval Blanc or DeChaunac or blended as in our Jumpin Jazz or Red Monkey. Most of the world, however, produces wine from vinifera, of French or European origin. Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot fall into this category. Vinifera vines prefer a more moderate climate and will grow in some parts of New York, and in fact are grown in all new York appellations. The downside is that they will have failed crops 20-40% of the time. We at Glorie Farm Winery are not keen on the failure aspects that vinifera wines exhibit. The upside is that these vines can produce some very fine vintages.

So for 2011, we are "stepping out of the box" and planting 300 Riesling vines. We did some taste testing during 2010 and realize this wine has great customer potential. We know from a test planting that we can grow it, knowing there will be a failure from time to time. Sooooo, here we go!