GENEVA, N.Y. (PRWEB) – It’s been a challenging time for the Finger Lakes wine industry, but amidst obstacles, Bellangelo Winery on the West Side of Seneca Lake (about hour’s drive from Rochester, NY), continues to make great strides, strengthening its status as one of the New York wine industry’s most consistent acclaimed producers.
For the fifth year in a row, Bellangelo’s Rieslings and Sparkling wines have garnered honors from America’s premiere wine journals and periodicals. Most recently, Bellangelo earned three spots in the June 2020 issue of Wine & Spirits Magazine, as among the “100 Best For $20 Or Less.” Additionally, four wines were earmarked for honors as Best U.S. Riesling.
The honored wines include Bellangelo’s 2016 Sparkling Riesling, a sparkling wine produced in the traditional method that received one year of barrel aging in neutral oak, and nearly two years in tirage. Additionally, the winery’s 2018 Dry Riesling, 2018 Kashong Glen Riesling, and 2018 Gibson Vineyard Riesling were also highly praised.
“2018 was an exceptionally difficult vintage,” recounts Christopher Missick, winemaker at Bellangelo. “Greatness is only achieved in the face of adversity. As in all things in life, our team took the challenge of a difficult vintage to heart, and managed to produce some of our best wines to date. It took a lot of extra work in the vineyard, and an incredible amount of precision on the crush pad, but the results are worth it,” Missick added.
These honors come in the wake of an entirely redesigned elevated seated-tasting experience at Bellangelo. In the wake of Covid-19 and the opening of its tasting rooms with new social distancing requirements, the winery made changes to incorporate an innovative level of virtual engagement. All 32 wines available at the winery have a virtual tasting available, where customers can follow along with winemaker Chris Missick, as he discusses site selection, vinification, tasting, and food pairings. A preview of the new tasting format can be found here: https://youtu.be/gZJoh-isIOM
Additionally, customers can utilize QR codes at the entrance and posted throughout the tasting rooms, to manage their tasting entirely on their phones. “What we really wanted was a way to engage our customers on an even deeper level, while encouraging sustainability and reducing our use of paper,” Missick said.
Missick adds, “As a small business, the shutdown was really hard on all of us. I would say we all experienced the full range of emotions of fear, discouragement, and anxiety. We are prepared mentally for all the issues we confront in agriculture, but this was another trial altogether. We are reopening safely, with an even better experience, and are determined to continue the standard of excellence we have become known for.”
You can review the new tasting experiences at the winery website, http://www.Bellangelo.com, and visit their tasting rooms in Dundee, NY and Geneva, NY. The winery’s brands, including Can Do, are currently represented by Wright Beverage Distributing in Rochester, NY, and Luxowine in Puerto Rico, and are seeking strategic partnerships throughout the U.S.
Going forward, the focus will be on continuing the legacy created by the Coppola and Weaver families while introducing innovative production methods, including the use of a variety of fermentation vessels and a focus on unique wines. Vineyard expansion has already begun, with additional Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc vines added to the existing plantings.
“Heron Hill is very excited to announce the addition of Jordan Harris as Winemaker to our team. This appointment will continue our ongoing goal in increasing quality, ensuring our success and Heron Hill’s legacy,” states Eric D. Frarey, Managing Partner of Heron Hill Winery.
“I am in awe of our Finger Lakes wineries. They have completely redesigned their 2020 marketing activities since New York went into PAUSE mode mid-March” states Carmela Barbagallo, Executive Director of the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance. Curbside pickup and online sales have grown and the wineries are grateful for an outpouring of support from their customers, wine club members, retail and restaurant partners.
President of Finger Lakes Wine Country, Laury Ward, expressed excitement at the news and stated, “To receive this honorable award two years in a row is a testament to our local community of farmers, winemakers, and hospitality ambassadors. And to the many visitors, who, through word of mouth, and passion-driven branding and marketing of the region, have discovered and fallen in love with our stunning destination.”
The Governor’s Cup, a large silver chalice, recognizes the “Best of Show” or top prize in the New York Wine Classic. The “Winery of the Year” award is presented to the winery with the best overall showing based on the level and number of awards in relation to entries. The Governor’s Cup and Winery of the Year winners will be presented with their awards at a special event later this summer.
“Never before have so many wines and winemakers been on hand for tasting in our region, we can’t wait to share this experience with our local community ” says Co-chair of FLXcursion, Kelby Russell. Russell is the Winemaker at Red Newt Cellars on Seneca Lake.
“We love VinePair’s fresh take on the world of wine,” said Mike Osborn, Founder and EVP at 
“We were thrilled to be nominated and would like to thank everyone who voted for the Finger Lakes region in the contest” stated Tracey Dello Stritto, Executive Director of the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance. “To top this list of excellent wine regions is an honor. We would also like to recognize the local wineries, restaurants and hotels who received nominations in many other categories. These nominations show the depth of our region. Our committed growers, talented winemakers and passionate hospitality personnel have shared their excitement for the region for decades so receiving the ‘best wine region’ accolade is very rewarding.”