Mosel and Sonoma Meet in the Finger Lakes

(Wines&Vines) - On Feb. 4, Paul Hobbs, winemaker and owner of Paul Hobbs Winery in Sebastopol, Calif., and Johannes Selbach, winemaker and owner of Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Germany, announced that they plan to establish a vineyard and start a winery on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The two winemakers have purchased approximately 65 acres on the southeastern side of the lake in an area known locally as the “banana belt” because of its microclimate with a longer growing season and more moderate temperatures than other locations in the Finger Lakes region.

The Hobbs-Selbach property straddles Route 414, the north-south road to the east of the lake, and is located in the town of Burdett. According to Christopher O’Gorman, communications manager at Paul Hobbs Winery, 38 acres of land had previously been planted with vines, but the vineyard had fallen into disrepair and “went to wild.” Land preparation has begun on the property, but there are plenty of challenges ahead. The limestone soils in that area are thin, the slopes in many places are steep, and conversion of wooded areas to vineyard under such conditions can be difficult from an environmental standpoint. Selbach’s experience with steep sloping vineyards in Germany should be a valuable asset.

When two well-known winemakers create a partnership to start a winery, it is a reflection on how far that area has come in establishing an excellent reputation for its wines. David Peterson, owner of Swedish Hill Winery in Romulus, New York, and Penguin Bay Winery in Hector, N.Y. (the next town north of Burdett), told Wines & Vines, “It’s a credibility boost to the wine industry in New York, and the region, that two well-known vintners would choose to site a winery here.”