Cuomo Signs Law to Expand Niagara Wine Trail

Signs are the state's contribution.

Picturesque farms and the beautiful Niagara Escarpment are within a short drive from Niagara Falls. Interesting towns, restaurants, historical sites, farm markets and antique  shops make the Niagara Wine Trail a place for tourists to see.

The Niagara Wine Trail, with its concentration of some 17 wineries (and a cidery) along the New York side of the Niagara River, is one of the most popular in New York State.

That's because of the unique micro-climate and the character of the local soil. The character of the local, dolomitic limestone soils of the Escarpment to the gravel silts near the lakeshore, are ideal for growing a wide variety of fruit, including vinifera grapes such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot.

The Niagara region is one of four regions in the world that produce ice wine, which is made from grapes frozen on the vine for more than four hours, but not longer than six hours, and is made from the vidal grape.

Late last month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed S. 1095-A into law expanding the area officially known as the Niagara Wine Trail beyond Niagara into Orleans and a small part of Monroe County and will give the trails, at the request of the winery owners, some new names.

The new trail is roughly 90 miles long and the ‘Niagara Wine Trail’ is to be renamed the ‘Niagara Wine Trail Lake’ and the ‘Niagara Escarpment Trail’ will become the ‘Niagara Wine Trail Ridge.

The Niagara Wine Trail Ridge runs along the Niagara escarpment and Niagara Wine Trail Lake runs near and along Lake Ontario.

Cuomo also signed other similar versions of reconfigured wine trials with other names across New York State as part of the highway law.

The state's role in the wine trail is relatively simple, and limited to recognizing the name(s) and putting up signs along highways pointing to where the wineries are located.

By a singular coincidence, the new territory chosen for the expansion mirrors the 62nd Senate District of Sen. George Maziarz, whose district includes Niagara, Orleans, and the Western portion of Monroe Counties and who sponsored the bill.