Come Over October Celebrates New York Wine and Connection

By Blake Jackson

October offers a simple reason to bring people together. The Come Over October campaign encourages friends, families and couples to invite others into their homes, share a meal, open a bottle, and enjoy time together. The gathering can be anything from an elaborate dinner party to a relaxed evening of takeout and conversation.

According to the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, spending time with others can help strengthen relationships, reconnect friends, and create more opportunities for laughter. This October, the campaign also encourages hosts to include wines produced in New York.

A Perfect Month to Support New York Vineyards

October coincides with harvest season throughout New York. Vineyards are busy bringing in grapes that will eventually become future wines.

Selecting a New York wine during this season offers a way to support vineyard owners, growers and farming families, including many whose operations have been passed down through generations.

New York's cooler growing conditions also contribute to wines that pair well with food. Grapes often mature gradually, helping preserve natural acidity and freshness. Those characteristics allow the wines to complement a wide variety of foods, from rich and hearty meals to lighter dishes. Many also have balanced alcohol levels, making them suitable for extended dinners and casual gatherings.

New York's wine industry offers considerable variety. Regions including the Finger Lakes, Lake Erie, Niagara Escarpment, Hudson Valley, Champlain Valley and Long Island produce familiar varieties such as Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.

The state also grows cold-hardy hybrid grapes and native varieties, providing options for nearly every taste.

Make the Gathering Your Own

Come Over October has no set formula. Guests might enjoy Riesling with spicy foods, Cabernet Franc with pizza, or dry rosé with a game-day meal. Friends could organize a New York wine tasting, while others may prefer a quiet dinner for two.

More ambitious hosts could create a multi-course menu featuring New York sparkling wine and finish with a late-harvest wine or ice wine.

Food pairing guides from the New York Wine & Grape Foundation are also available in four languages to help people find suitable combinations.

Options for Every Guest

The campaign is focused on bringing people together, regardless of what they drink. New York producers are also offering lower-alcohol and non-alcoholic choices, including Weis Vineyards' dealcoholized Gewürztraminer, Living Roots Wine & Co.'s Session wines and non-alcoholic selections from Wölffer Estate Vineyard.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-willhowecreative