NEWS & INFORMATION

Important News from Hunt Country Vineyards

We want to let you know that 2025 will be the final year for Hunt Country Vineyards as a wine producer and tasting room. Art and Joyce are officially retiring this year. Suzanne Hunt and her husband Matt Kelly, who have been intimately involved with the business for ten years, are taking responsibility of the farm.

We've made this decision after much thought and planning. The wine market is changing dramatically and we need to change with it. Hunt Country Vineyards was first established in response to the collapse of the grape market in the late 1970s. Art and Joyce were left with many acres of grapes and no buyers -- so they learned how to make a little wine. Look how far we’ve come since then!

Now it's time for the farm to change again. In addition to their full-time jobs, Suzanne and Matt will continue to develop new opportunities for the farm. They will expand the workshops and special events that have become an important part of Hunt Country. They will continue to grow select grape varieties and hay for sale. They will continue to provide services and partner with other organizations in our community.

Below is a letter from Art and Joyce, celebrating their retirement and providing more information about the changes coming to Hunt Country.

We want thank you all for your support over the past 44 years.

Come join us this year to celebrate the success that you helped make possible. The tasting room will still be open and there will still be wine to enjoy.

And stay tuned for more information about the next chapter in the Hunt Country story!

Dear friends and customers,

After 44 years in the wine business, we have decided that it is time to retire. It has been an interesting, challenging, and exciting adventure. Our daughter Suzanne Hunt and her husband Matt Kelly will now take the reins of the family farm.

We have so many good memories to look back on. Foremost is getting to know so many wonderful people as employees, partners and customers over the years. We could not have done this without all of you! Our cherished memories also include Harvest Festivals with Chef Paul, a wine dinner at the United Nations, a wine event in Maui, and receiving the New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s Unity award in 1999.

We’re also proud of the many “firsts” we have accomplished along the way:

• Being one of the founding wineries of the modern Finger Lakes wine region.
• Carrying out the first successful field grafting in cold climate vineyards with Dr. Tom Zabadal.
• Being the first winery in the US to make commercial quantities of genuine ice wine.
• Helping to establish the Keuka Lake Wine Trail.
• Being the first winery to receive the New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s sustainability award in 2020.
• Planting a seed with Dean Susan Henry of the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to create an enology and viticulture program at Cornell.

But our proudest accomplishment is having raised three wonderful children at the same time as growing the winery and helping to establish the modern Finger Lakes wine region.

The Hunt family farm has been in continual operation for over 200 years. It has evolved as times and circumstances have changed. Starting the winery was our response to the collapse of the grape market in the late 1970s. We were left with many acres of grapes, so we learned how to make a little wine. Look how far we’ve all come since then!

Now it’s time for the farm to evolve again. As we retire, the farm is facing new challenges. The wine market is changing dramatically, the larger economy is becoming more and more unpredictable, and climate change is making it riskier to farm. It is time to bring our traditional wine business to a close. 2025 will be the final year for our standard tasting room operations and wine production.

However, Suzanne and Matt are developing new opportunities for the farm that will build on the workshops and special events that have become an important part of Hunt Country. They will continue to grow select grape varieties and hay for sale. They will continue to provide services and to partner with other organizations in our community. Suzanne and Matt have been intimately involved with the farm and business for ten years, successfully navigating Hunt Country through many challenges (including the pandemic shut down) and making improvements to its operations. We are able to comfortably retire because we know the farm will continue to be in excellent hands.

We want to thank you all for your friendship and support over all these many years. Come join us this final year to celebrate the four decades of success that you helped make possible at Hunt Country Vineyards!  

Very best,
Art & Joyce

We're planting 5 acres of pollinator habitat!

The old adage is true: the only constant is change. And after about 50 years of caring for and selling hardy native Concord juice grapes, the markets have shifted, and it just doesn’t make economic sense for us as a small grower to keep growing them. So several years ago we tore out five acres of Concords in a part of the farm that's surrounded on three sides by woods. We could have put in other crops, but we decided to turn this field into an oasis for pollinators.

Visitors may have noticed that we already have a field that we leave "wild" adjacent to the tasting room parking lot and downhill from our small fruit orchard. However, this new field has been specifically planned with pollinators in mind. The flower and grass varieties have been carefully chosen as native species, and the location gives pollinators easy access to the forest -- where many of them like to nest.

We took on this habitat creation project with the support of a small USDA-NRCS EQIP grant to help pay for materials and labor. We just completed the seeding of the field last month. This is the first step in a three year process. Over the next couple of years we will continue to mow the field in stages to ensure that the seeds of the native flowers and grasses are thoroughly distributed and established.

This habitat will be beneficial not only to bees and butterflies (the better-known pollinators) but also to moths, certain types of of wasps, and hoverflies (the lesser-known pollinators). It will also be a boon to song birds and other wildlife as a food source and for nesting.

Will more pollinators benefit our vineyards? No, not directly. It's possible that having more beneficial insects around will keep harmful insects in check by "taking up space" and making less room for those harmful insects to get established. But it does contribute to our goal of managing our farm as a complete ecosystem.

It will be a few years before the field fully blooms with all its colorful and native beautiful. However, we're thrilled to have started the process. And we're looking forward to sharing this beautiful habitat with you when it's ready!

Holiday Sangria Recipe

Here's a lovely holiday beverage recipe that comes highly recommended from our tasting room manager, Tessa Olsen.

"This recipe was inspired by my love of bubbly wine," Tessa says. "It's definitely richer and drier than a summer sangria  — which I prefer."

And this year at Thanksgiving, Tessa is serving her sangria with the optional cider ice cubes. Yum.

Give this sangria a try and let us know what you think!

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of Hunt Country Bubbly Cabernet Franc
• 1/2 cup Hunt Country Cream Sherry
• 1 apple or pear, cut into chunks
• 2 oranges, one sliced with peel on and the other juiced
• Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, pomegranate or cranberries
• Optional: real maple syrup or honey to sweeten
• Optional: sparkling water, ginger ale or ginger beer
• Ice cubes for serving (cider ice cubes add another subtle layer of flavor)

Instructions:

1. Place all fruit and orange juice into a clear serving pitcher.
2. Pour Bubbly Cabernet Franc and Cream Sherry over the fruit and gently stir.
3. If you use the optional ingredients, add to your liking.
4. Refrigerate for 4 hours, then serve in individual glasses with ice.
5. Enjoy!

We are now certified sustainable!

Hunt Country Vineyards is thrilled to announce that we are officially certified sustainable under the brand new Sustainable Winegrowing program from the New York Wine & Grape Foundation!

The New York Sustainable Winegrowing Program is a voluntary third-party certification program that recognizes vineyards that adhere to the highest standards of sustainability, ensuring the long-term health and vitality of New York’s vineyards.

We have advocated for the creation of a rigorous sustainability certification program for New York State for many years. Other states and countries have similar certification options but until now we didn’t have one for New York wineries. Suzanne Hunt, co-owner of Hunt Country Vineyards, chaired the committee that guided the effort’s development at the New York Wine & Grape Foundation.

"Our loyal fans know about our passion for stewardship," says Suzanne. "But for all of the people who don’t know us already, it’s important to have this validation for our dedication to sustainability."

“We are proud to recognize the first officially certified growers under the New York Sustainable Winegrowing Program," says Sam Filler, executive director of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. “Without their dedication to doing good for the environment and the community, this initiative wouldn’t exist.  We look forward to wine enthusiasts tasting the fruits of their labor soon.”

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation describes the Sustainable Winegrowing Program as providing a clear pathway for vineyards to achieve certification by implementing regionally defined sustainability standards. These standards are compiled in the annually reviewed VineBalance workbook, which encompasses 144 action items addressing various aspects of sustainability, including input reduction, soil health, water protection, resources and waste, energy conservation, ecosystem health, climate resiliency, continuous improvement, and social equity.

This certification is just the latest recognition of Hunt Country's sustainability ethos and efforts. In 2020, we received the New York Wine & Grape Foundation's Sustainability Award. In 2021, we joined the International Wineries for Climate Action, a working group taking collective action to decarbonize the global wine industry. We’ve also won awards for our leadership in renewable energy, and Suzanne and her parents were recognized by Wine Business Monthly as some of the top leaders who shape the way the wine industry operates because of our sustainability efforts.

Raise a glass and celebrate this latest achievement with us! And thank you for supporting everything we do here at Hunt Country!

Mitigating frost damage through diversity

By now you've probably heard about the late frost that hit the Finger Lakes region last week. Many vineyards suffered heavy damage and Hunt Country, unfortunately, was no exception. We're still assessing the exact level of damage and it will be a few weeks before we know for sure. However, it appears that our vinifera grapes – Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Riesling – will be a complete loss with no harvest this year. On the other hand (and presuming there are no additional disasters) our hybrid grapes – Vidal Blanc and Vignoles in particular – will give us a reduced but sizable crop. We'll keep you posted as the season progresses.

This is the sort of weather event that every winery fears – and the sort of event that will happen more and more often with climate change. Was this recent frost part of the climate crisis we're facing? We don't know. But it's exactly the kind of extreme weather we've been preparing for by diversifying the types of grapes we grow.

Hybrid grapes (as seen in this photo) are far more rugged and resilient than their vinifera relatives. And while hybrids have historically been looked down on in the wine world, they can produce absolutely beautiful wines when given the same love and attention as vinifera grapes.

This is why we grow hybrid grapes. And this is what our Uncharted Terroir line of wines is all about: Enhancing the resilience of our farm through diversification and sparking interest in these more rugged grape varieties by experimenting with new styles and flavors that we all can enjoy.

One way or another, we are going to have amazing wine this year. And if you haven't already added Uncharted Terroir wines to your collection, give them a try!

Hello, new bottling line!

We've been waiting for almost a year, but our new bottling line is finally up and running! And to say we're excited would be an understatement.

"This bottling line is a huge upgrade," says head winemaker Craig Hosbach. "I think the precision of this machinery is incredible – the way it's all designed, the timing – incredible!"

Suzanne Hunt, co-owner of Hunt Country, is pretty excited too. "We made this significant investment to ensure that the beautiful wines our team is producing are bottled with the absolute highest quality equipment," she says.

The bottling line components are from two different companies in France and Germany. From the time we ordered the line, it took about nine months for it to be assembled, cross the Atlantic, move through an east coast port of entry and finally land on our doorstep in several gigantic crates.

"Then we had to prep the room and bring people in to help to do set up, and that added another month," Craig says. "So from beginning to end it was about 10 months."

The first wine we bottled with the line is our 2021 Dry Rosé, which is a delightful blend of Blaufränkisch and Cabernet Franc – an absolutely beautiful wine.

"We wanted to get it in the bottle early to capture the essence of it: the aromatics, the flavors and the brightness," Craig says. "This wine is meant to be enjoyed young and fresh."

So grab a bottle and help us celebrate the newest member of our winemaking team: the new bottling line!

Hunt Country Partners with D.C. Film Festival

We are thrilled to begin 2022 by announcing that we are partnering with the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital (DCEFF) for a virtual conversation about the effects of climate change on wine and how sustainable practices and diversity in grapes can help ensure the future of fine wine. DCEFF is the world’s premier showcase of environmentally themed films since 1993 and hosts the world's largest environmental film festival every March.

"Climate change is impacting every part of our lives, including what we eat and drink," says Christopher Head, DCEFF Executive Director. "In partnering with Hunt Country Vineyards, DCEFF is hoping not only to bring attention to these effects, but also to learn from and talk about ways that we can mitigate these changes to protect our planet."

The conversation will feature Suzanne Hunt, co-owner of Hunt Country Vineyards, and will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 2, from 8:00 to 9:00 pm EST. With each "Wine and Conversation" ticket purchase, participants will receive a trio of wines from our Uncharted Terroir line of wines.

"When I lived in D.C., I loved going to this festival," Suzanne says. "Film is such a powerful medium for informing and inspiring people about the most critical issues of our time. We're thrilled to be teaming up with the world's premiere environmental film festival for this conversation."

Join us for "Wine and Conversation" with DCEFF.

An open letter calling for climate action

The 22 members of International Wineries for Climate Action  – including Hunt Country Vineyards – have signed on to an open letter released this week calling on the wine trade to take climate action.

The climate emergency is by far the most severe threat that we face as grape growers and wine producers. As world leaders convene this month at COP26 in Scotland to reaffirm their support for the commitments made in 2015 at the Paris Agreement to limit global warming, we recognize now as a critical moment in time for the wine community to voice our support for the continuation of these important efforts and take action within our own companies.

We believe that the wine trade can be a beacon of hope and action in the global response to the climate crisis – and serve as a model for other sectors. 

We also greatly appreciate your support as wine lovers for everything we're doing right here at Hunt Country to be part of the solution to the climate crisis. Thank you!

Read the IWCA blog post and the full letter.

Hunt Country makes the 2021 list of Wine Industry Leaders

This week Wine Business Monthly released its 2021 list of Wine Industry Leaders – and Suzanne, Art and Joyce made the list!

Every year, Wine Business Monthly sets out to honor those who shape the way the wine industry operates or how people drink wine. With this leaders list, Wine Business Monthly is showcasing men and women who are making a difference. It's full of movers and shakers, and there are more than a few who are dissatisfied with the status quo. Some of the influential people on this list are known to virtually anyone who follows the wine industry, while others are influential yet fly "under the radar". All of them are leaders in the North American wine business.

Hunt Country is included on the list "for leading the Finger Lakes on a variety of environmental issues, most recently in promoting sustainable measures for viticulture, enology and business management projects."

It's a genuine honor to be part of this year's group of outstanding leaders!

Hunt Country joins International Wineries for Climate Action

We are thrilled to announce that Hunt Country Vineyards is joining International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA), a working group taking collective action to decarbonize the global wine industry. We are the first winery in New York state to become an applicant member of IWCA, and one of just 12 new applicant members from around the globe who have committed to addressing the climate crisis by taking immediate steps to reduce their carbon emissions.

Miguel A. Torres, President of Familia Torres, says that when he and Katie Jackson of Jackson Family Wines co-founded IWCA in February 2019, they wanted to act and move beyond simply talking about the urgency of climate change.

“Our goal was to gather the most environmentally committed wineries, and we hoped our initiative would work as a boost for other wineries to accelerate or start their carbon emissions reduction programs," Torres says. "It is therefore great to see that now with 12 new applicant members joining, we are more than 20 wineries worldwide. We are convinced that this will have a multiplier effect."

The Hunt family and team are proud to be part of this international group of rockstar wineries committed to tackling the most pressing issue of our lifetimes.

"We have been working for many years to address climate change in all aspects of our farm and business," says Suzanne Hunt, co-owner of Hunt Country Vineyards and an international climate policy and sustainability expert. "We're thrilled to team up with other wineries around the world who are tackling the same challenges. As a small family-run business we're able to be nimble, but as part of a larger industry effort we'll be able to develop critical mass in creating demand for products and services like lower-carbon glass bottles, packaging, and shipping options. We're excited to be able to share our own expertise and learn from the expertise of others."

The Hunt family has been farming for seven generations, crafting wine since 1981, and is one of the founding families of the Finger Lakes wine region in New York. We continue to be focused on managing our vineyards and business as part of a complete and healthy ecosystem. We produce the majority of our electricity with 348 solar panels, heat and cool with an award-winning geothermal system, provide EV charging stations to customers, focus on soil carbon sequestration and sustainable vineyard practices, and have certified some sections of the farm and vineyards organic. In 2020, we received the NY Wine & Grape Foundation's Sustainability Award.

Click here to read the full press release on the new IWCA applicant members.