The Other Coast is our series on the wine regions of the American East. Each class focuses on a single state or region, covers the grapes and styles worth knowing, and unpacks why the eastern half of the country is one of the most underrated stories in American wine.
No background required. Come curious.
New York has been making wine for centuries, and in the last generation the state has quietly become one of the most exciting cool-climate regions in the country. The Finger Lakes, carved out by glaciers and moderated by deep lake water, has emerged as the reference point for American Riesling and is producing serious Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and sparkling wine to go with it. The Hudson Valley, older still, is home to the oldest continuously operating winery in the United States and a new generation of growers reshaping what the region can do.
We taste across both areas and cover what makes each one work. Along the way we walk through the grapes worth remembering, the geography behind the wines, and why New York has become one of the most-watched corners of American wine.