Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Scott Osborn, owner of Fox Run Vineyards, walks past dormant grapevines, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Penn Yan, N.Y. (Natasha Kaiser via AP)
PENN YAN, N.Y. (AP) - A decade ago, Scott Osborn would have eagerly told prospective vineyard owners looking to join the wine industry to "jump into it."
"You're crazy," said Osborn, who owns Fox Run Vineyards, a sprawling 50-acre (20-hectare) farm on Seneca Lake, the largest of New York's Finger Lakes.
Scott Osborn, owner of Fox Run Vineyards, stands for a photo, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Penn Yan, N.Y. (Natasha Kaiser via AP)
Scott Osborn, owner of Fox Run Vineyards, stands for a photo, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Penn Yan, N.Y. (Natasha Kaiser via AP)
It's becoming riskier to grow grapes in the state's prominent winemaking region. Harvests like Osborn's are increasingly endangered by unpredictable weather from climate change. Attitudes on wine are shifting. Political tensions, such as tariffs amid President Donald Trump's trade wars and the administration's rollback of environmental policies, are also looming problems.
Despite the challenges, many winegrowers are embracing sustainable practices, wanting to be part of the solution to global warming while hoping they can adapt to changing times.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is a collaboration between Rochester Institute of Technology and The Associated Press.
The Finger Lakes, which span a large area of western New York, have water that can sparkle and give off a sapphire hue on sunny days. More than 130 wineries dot the shorelines and offer some of America's most famous white wines.
At Fox Run, visitors step inside to sip wines and bring a bottle - or two - home. Many are longtime customers, like Michele Magda and her husband, who have frequently made the trip from Pennsylvania.
"This is like a little escape, a little getaway," she said.