I see California, I see France ... In terms of wine, New York is no longer underpants!

New York State wines are slowly working their way into the cellars of connoisseurs throughout the country. New York State offers a wide variety of wines, catering to all palates.

In the past, the State of New York has hamstrung its wine producers with unnecessary restrictions on sales. In May, the Supreme Court ruled that New Yorks restrictions on internet sales and the sale of New York wines in other states were unconstitutional, thus paving the way for record sales for New York State vintners. Not that they needed a lot of help.

New York State is already the third largest wine producing state in the country. New Yorks wine industry generates more than $500 million in gross sales per year with $85 million in state and local tax revenues and employs approximately 18,000 individuals, according to state Comptroller Alan Hevesi. The number of New York States wineries has mushroomed in recent decades, growing from almost 19 in 1975 to over 200 today.

New York wine is big business, even if youre not directly in the wine-making business. Tourism has grown tremendously in New Yorks wine growing regions. Industry analysts are hoping this year that tourist numbers will top 3 million, pushing past last years numbers estimated at 2.5 million. Most vineyards offer wine tastings, and special Winery Tours are growing in popularity each year. Many local limousine companies offer great packages for day tours that allow visitors to imbibe in comfort, and still make it home safely.

The Finger Lakes are the heart of New Yorks wine production. The many vineyards in the area provide a variety of products for all palates, and are centrally located along the lakes, which makes visiting a number of wineries in one day an easy and enjoyable venture. The Wineries arent all tourists can see in the Finger Lakes region, the area also offers breathtaking scenery just around every corner. A summer or fall weekend in any town on the Finger Lakes will offer craft sales, music festivals, and hundreds of vendors offering delicious grape pies at every corner.

Long Islands wineries have enjoyed a huge influx of visitors, numbering almost a million this year, a jump of over 75% from previous years.

Now that New Yorks wineries are no longer as tightly restricted, watch out for a huge boom in internet wine sales, a market previously unexplored. Maybe its time to explore New York wine for yourself!