Senator Kathy Marchione’s legislation establishing the “Upper Hudson Wine Trail” to help grow New York’s vital grape, grape juice and wine industries signed into State Law by Governor Cuomo

For Release: Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Contact: Josh Fitzpatrick, (518) 371-2751, fitzpatr@nysenate.gov

Halfmoon, NY – Senator Kathy Marchione (R,C,I,Reform-Halfmoon), Chair of the Senate Local Government Committee, today announced that her legislation, Senate Bill S.213A, amending the State’s Highway Law to designate a portion of the State Highway System in the upper Hudson region as the “Upper Hudson Wine Trail,” has been signed into State Law by Governor Cuomo. 

Senator Marchione’s legislation designates portions of the State Highway as the Upper Hudson Wine Trail from its northern point at Lake George, to its southernmost point at Clarksville, and as far west as Fonda, and to the easternmost point at Salem. The designation will help grow New York’s vital grape, grape juice and wine industries that generate more than $4.8 billion in economic benefits yearly. These industries consist of approximately 1,630 family vineyards and over 400 wineries producing 175,000,000 bottles of wine and generating $408 million in state and local taxes annually. Senator Marchione’s bill had unanimously passed the Senate during the 2017 Legislative Session by a vote of 60-0.

Successful wineries and vineyards have been established in Saratoga, as well as across the Capital Region, and an official State designation of a wine trail for tourism and industry promotion would serve as a catalyst for the continued sustainability and profitability of local grapes and grape products. The new Upper Hudson Wine Trail State Law will effectively highlight products of the region’s fertile glacial soil and ideal grape-growing micro-climates by maximizing the benefits of New York State’s agricultural and natural resources.

“Growing our grape, grape juice, and wine industries, increasing agri-tourism, and creating new jobs are all positive outcomes that will come from this new State Law establishing the Upper Hudson Wine Trail. I thank the Governor for signing my legislation into State Law as it will benefit our region and our state,” Senator Marchione said.

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