Finger Lakes Sustainable Grape-Growing Standards [Video]

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Over 100 years in business, it’s fair to say some things have changed. As the world moved more towards renewing, reusing and recycling, so have New York state vineyards.

“I’m a fourth-generation grape grower,” said John Wagner, a co-owner of Wagner Vineyards.

His family’s land, as much as its product, have aged like fine wine in the Finger Lakes region.

“For us, we are 100% estate bottled. So, the wine that we produce is from the grapes that we grow. So it’s kind of showing what we can do on this little slice of land that’s here on the east side of Seneca Lake,” Wagner said.

Last month, the vineyard added a new bottle to its shelves.

“This wine is very special because it is the first wine we release that has the New York Sustainable Winegrowing Trustmark on the bottle. And that’s a program that we’ve …