Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/590181
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m N o v - D e c 2 015 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 2 9 Spotting, a grassroots organization whose long-range goal is to get a higher percent- age of Finger Lakes wines into New York restaurants. "I feel more strongly than ever that the idea of measuring the percentage of local wines on wine lists is a powerful tool," Thomas said. Wine Spotting ranks local restaurants according to the share of local wines they offer, and encourages consumers to leave cards in restaurants asking for more New York wines. The New York Wine and Grape Founda- tion (NYWGF) has taken this concept a step further with their own "leave behind" cards to be used at restaurants. The message h honey, you don't want to get that one," the chirpy waitress told me. "We have plenty of good California wines. Try one of those." I was in a small restau- rant in upstate New York, and the glass of wine I wanted to order was a Riesling from a local winery. In fact, it was the only New York wine on the list; and when I finally convinced my server to bring it to me it was, indeed, uninspiring. But the medio- cre quality of the wine wasn't what really troubled me. What I wondered was why weren't there more regional wines offered at this restaurant, which was sitting smack in the heart of wine country? Finding local wines in restaurants in California, Washington or Oregon isn't an issue, but head east and the picture chang- es. In restaurants almost everywhere else across the continent, regional offerings are rare. I can accept this situation where wine is not part of the local culture and econo- my, but what about places like upstate New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and other locales where world-class wines are being made? Yes, I get it that these wines were once second rate, and that they're tougher to sell than California or French selections, but – really? If chefs and sommeliers haven't made the effort to taste the best current wines from their own regions, they just aren't doing their job. LOCAL CRUSADE I am by no means the only one fretting about all this. Michael Warren Thomas (no relation to me) is a veteran radio talk show host in upstate New York who has been tackling the issue on the air and in print for the past 20-plus years. "New York restau- rants don't carry more than a token bottle of Finger Lakes wine, if at any at all," he said. "And if they do, usually it is a semi- dry Riesling, which perpetuates the idea that the Finger Lakes doesn't make dry wines – or at least not very good ones." In 2013, Thomas launched NY Wine Regional offerings are tough to find in eastern restaurants Restaurant Wine Lists Should 'Go Local' + It is difficult to find local wines in restaurants that aren't in Califor- nia, Oregon or Washington. + Consumers can play a role by leaving cards in restaurants requesting that local wines be added to the list. + Restaurants that take pride in serving locally farmed foods should see the relevance in offering local wines. + When chefs and sommeliers take responsibility for learning about local wines, customers will be the ultimate beneficiaries. AT A GLANCE The New York Wine and Grape Foundation pro- vides these cards for people to leave behind in local restaurants. EAST WATCH MARGUERITE THOMAS