What's going on in naples

[stoneam2006]

What's going on in naples...was thru over Easter and saw the grape fields were being torn down? Something happen or is it normall?

[G-Man]

Possibly froze out.??

[stoneam2006]

I honestly have no idea....they are pulling all the posts also....

[Lawdwaz]

I only know one thing.......it ain't fracking.

[Doc]

Not sure where in Naples you are talking about, but the removal of vineyards is not something new. Being in that area all of my life, I have seen acres and acres of vineyards ripped out. The grape industry is a very volatile one, and while a vineyard is a relatively long term investment, a lot of short term impacts to the industry have to be reacted to. Somewhere I heard that each vine adds to the farmer's property tax assessment. So unless they are making adequate money from those vines, They have to come out.

 

Also, there is a productive life to those vines. They eventually get too old for adequate production.

 

Also, a lot of those vineyards are planted on million dollar views over-looking Canandaigua Lake. The value of that acreage really is in the real estate market not in grapes. Back in the old days those steep hillsides weren't really suitable for anything other than grapes. That's not the case today.

 

Another thing too is just like any other kind of farming, the guys get old and want to retire. It's not very easy to find buyers for a grape-growing operation these days. Sometimes, just like the family farm, there comes a time when you have to walk away from it.

[gfdeputy2]

We have hunted Naples for about 10 years now & like Doc said this is nothing new we have noticed a decrease in the Vineyards every year. Where in Naples did you see these?

we have seen them come & go on rt 245, Sunnyside rd & Rt 21

Edited April 15, 2015 by gfdeputy2

[tda]

property was sold.

[stoneam2006]

We have hunted Naples for about 10 years now & like Doc said this is nothing new we have noticed a decrease in the Vineyards every year. Where in Naples did you see these?

we have seen them come & go on rt 245, Sunnyside rd & Rt 21

This is the field right across from the dec parking access for naples creek just out of town...

[Five Seasons]

use to have several grape vineyards near my home growing up. You couldn't spit without hitting a turkey. About 5 years ago they became corn and a few hay fields became houses. Needless to say I don't see as many turkeys.

[gfdeputy2]

This is the field right across from the dec parking access for naples creek just out of town...

 

If I am thinking of the same spot that would be by the ballfields\?

if so they are the ones that have been getting smaller over the years but looked like they had been replacing them with corn

[stoneam2006]

Yes right across from new ball field.....completly clearing it

[gfdeputy2]

wonder if they are going to expand the corn there too next to the ballfields I thought years ago were all grapes but last few years it has been mostly corn

only grapes are near the road on Rt 21

[phade]

Not sure where in Naples you are talking about, but the removal of vineyards is not something new. Being in that area all of my life, I have seen acres and acres of vineyards ripped out. The grape industry is a very volatile one, and while a vineyard is a relatively long term investment, a lot of short term impacts to the industry have to be reacted to. Somewhere I heard that each vine adds to the farmer's property tax assessment. So unless they are making adequate money from those vines, They have to come out.

 

Also, there is a productive life to those vines. They eventually get too old for adequate production.

 

Also, a lot of those vineyards are planted on million dollar views over-looking Canandaigua Lake. The value of that acreage really is in the real estate market not in grapes. Back in the old days those steep hillsides weren't really suitable for anything other than grapes. That's not the case today.

 

Another thing too is just like any other kind of farming, the guys get old and want to retire. It's not very easy to find buyers for a grape-growing operation these days. Sometimes, just like the family farm, there comes a time when you have to walk away from it.

 

I don't necessarily agree with this, but you live down there. 

 

In my understanding viticulture is a booming business, the cost of entry is high, so vineyards in operation carry a premium, especially when they are long-standing varietals that are regularly in demand. The people who want million dollar views cannot often compete with the vineyards on a dollar by dollar basis because the grapes are grown where they are, for a reason. The prime locations are valued via their commercial capabilities much more than the view. I am sure a house or two was built on a vineyard, but with the cost of entry and start-up before production occurs often causes vineyards to remain highly sought after by others in the business. Right now alot of merging is going on within the industry and many people are diving into a business model where the vineyards supply multiple wine making operations.

 

If it is getting torn down, it's likely driven by environmental damage. This winter had alot of temps below the 5-15 below range, which is often the range which many cornell-created or NY based varieties are hardy to. 

[Al Bundy]

The other thing not mentioned here is tastes change....  The popular wine grape of yesterday may not be a good seller today. At some point in time there is a financial decision to be made to pull old  vines and replant with newer more productutive, more disease resistant, more in demand.

[phade]

The other thing not mentioned here is tastes change....  The popular wine grape of yesterday may not be a good seller today. At some point in time there is a financial decision to be made to pull old  vines and replant with newer more productutive, more disease resistant, more in demand.

 

Very true, another potential cause.

[HectorBuckBuster]

Alot of native grapes and table grapes are being ripped out to plant different types of wine grapes.One problem with these newer type grapes is they can not handle the cold weather like we have seen the last couple of years and causes bud and vine damage. Back in the 1970's my dad was the largest grape grower in NY state farming almost 450 acres of grapes.He planted what the buyers like Tylor Wine Company. It took about 5 years to start and get any grapes off the vines, then when the grapes started to come in Tylor Wine cancelled their contracts, and that is when most of the NY Grape farmers went out of business. You also had the Xmas Massacre in 1980 when the Temp went from 40 degrees to -18 the next day and the vines just split. Its going to be interesting in a few years with all these brewery's opening and going to have use 70 percent or more of all there ingredients from NYS. Where are all the hops and grains going to come from.

[Doc]

This is the field right across from the dec parking access for naples creek just out of town...

That vineyard has been out of production for years. One other thing that can happen is that a certain variety can go out of favor. Or the owner croaks, or retires. A lot of things can cause them to rip them out. It will be interesting to see what goes in there. Who knows, they might just plant a new vineyard with some specialty variety ...... or more likely it will become a housing development .... lol.

 

Actually, the wine business in that area has been on the downhill slide, with the demise of Widmers to French's Mustard to Constellation and now the much smaller and condensed Hazlett Wineries. And the industry is area-wide primarily undergoing a conversion to small family owned wineries. Most of what I have heard is that a lot of the reasons for the change is the growth and popularity of the California brands. I have watched vineyard after vineyard get ripped out throughout the entire area. Once in a while a small specialty vineyard will be planted, but for every one of those that you see, several of the old ones disappear forever and usually a nice bunch of shiny new houses take their place.

[gfdeputy2]

As long as Bully Hill stay's put

[Fehyd643]

On an interesting note, I spent half of my youth only a few miles from that vineyard. (corner of 245 and flint hill rd).  Then I spent the rest of my youth living across from some of the Widmer's family.  One of them was even my elementary school art teacher! I spent countless hours on their land building forts and climbing trees.  small world!

 

Joshua

[phade]

Finger Lakes acreage in vineyards:

 

2013: 9,130

2014: 9,393

 

Wineries

 

2013: 112

2014: 119

 

 

[BizCT]

I prefer reds from Spain

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[Doc]

Finger Lakes acreage in vineyards:

 

2013: 9,130

2014: 9,393

 

Wineries

 

2013: 112

2014: 119

My comments regard the topic that was being addressed.....The Naples area. And my remarks also address more than just a 1 year blip in the trends of that area.

[phade]

My comments regard the topic that was being addressed.....The Naples area. And my remarks also address more than just a 1 year blip in the trends of that area.

 

No worries, you live down there.

Edited April 17, 2015 by phade

[ATbuckhunter]

From what I have been told, wine from NY is become more and more popular, so maybe they are planting more wine grapes. I don't know about you guys, but I find wine grapes to be just as good eating as "eating" grapes.

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[phade]

Wine grapes are way more effective as getting the system moving if you understand my drift. 

 

Like clockwork to me.