Center is the First of its Kind Among Universities in New York State
NEW YORK, N.Y., June 2, 2004 — Stony Brook University announced today the launch of its Center for Wine, Food and Culture, which will offer educational courses, workshops and seminars. The Center is the first of its kind among universities in New York State. Courses for both the general public and those in the industry will be offered at both Stony Brook Manhattan and the school’s main campus on Long Island beginning in the fall 2004.
Stony Brook will inaugurate the Center with a special event on Monday, June 28, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, at Stony Brook Manhattan, 401 Park Avenue South, at 28th Street. It will include a wine tasting, foods prepared by celebrity chefs and restaurants, and special guests, including noted wine expert Kevin Zraly, chef Waldy Malouf of Beacon Restaurant, and other chefs from around the state.
“This Center will be a true partnership between the university, the wine industry and the larger community,” said Stony Brook President Shirley Strum Kenny. “The production of wine is one of New York State’s fastest growing industries, with nearly 200 wineries now in existence. Located in one of the state’s major wine producing regions, and with its national reputation as a top research university, it makes perfect sense for Stony Brook to launch this new initiative.”
Indeed, Stony Brook University is uniquely positioned to become a critically important for developing this Center because of its academic and research programs, its connections to the business community, and its location amid one of the state’s four major wine producing regions.
New York State is the third highest in the country in total grape acreage and wine production. There are 990 vineyards in the state covering 31,400 acres. The annual harvest of 175,000 tons is worth approximately $40 million. There are four major wine regions in the state: Long Island, Hudson River Valley, Finger Lakes and Lake Erie.
As the state’s number one public research institution, Stony Brook University will draw upon its expertise in the sciences, biology, ecology and environmental studies, as well as its business, marketing and entrepreneurial enterprises to develop and implement a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to the institute’s educational programs. For example, courses on sustainable agriculture of New York State could draw on the expertise of faculty from the ecology and biology departments, while experts from the business department could advise on courses on wine marketing and entrepreneurship.
Stony Brook University is instrumental in helping new businesses succeed, particularly through its Long Island High Technology Incubator, a nonprofit business incubator for start-up businesses. Stony Brook also plays a large role in The Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence (SPIR), which was established by New York State to utilize the extensive engineering resources of the SUNY system. SPIR provides technically advanced multidisciplinary assistance on a fast turn-around basis to help New York companies improve their market share, retain existing employees, and create new jobs.
Stony Brook University has a $2.5 billion economic impact on the local, regional and state economies through its research enterprise, hospital and healthcare operations, job creation and collaborations with private industry. Stony Brook University is a nationally prominent research university with an enrollment of over 22,000 students. Stony Brook University is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, representing the top 62 research institutions in higher education.
Its new Center for Wine, Food and Culture will begin offering non-credit workshops, courses, wine tasting and other special events at Stony Brook Manhattan in Fall 2004 geared to both the general public and the wine industry.
Proposed courses for the general public will include:
* Wine Appreciation Course
* Building a Wine Cellar in a New York Closet
* Wine and Literature
* Food and Wine Writing
Proposed courses that will be of special interest to those already in the wine and food industries include:
* Regulations and Interstate Commerce Compliance Workshop
* Wine Marketing Seminar
* Designing a Wine List
“This is a very exciting development, and we look forward to a long and productive partnership with Stony Brook University,” said Jim Trezise, President of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation. “As the wine industry continues to grow, we will need more people who have sound education and training to fulfill the wineries ever expanding demand for professional, qualified employees.”
A special inaugural event at Stony Brook’s Manhattan location marked the launch of the University’s Center for Wine, Food, and Culture. “New York State produces some of the most extraordinary wines in the world,” said Stony Brook University President Shirley Strum Kenny. “We know it, connoisseurs of wine know it, and those who participated in our blind wine-tasting at the Center for Wine, Food, and Culture know it.”
The Inaugural Event featured a wine tasting hosted by wine expert and founder of the Windows on the World Wine School Kevin Zraly, as well as foods prepared by celebrity chefs, including Waldy Malouf of Beacon Restaurant. In each of four categories—Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot—New York wines were ranked among the top two choices. Local wines were matched against world-class vintages from France, Germany, and California. Highly-rated wines hailed from Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and the Finger Lakes region, including a 2003 Treleaven from Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vineferea Wine Cellars in Finger Lakes; a 2001 Chateau Lafayette Renau, Proprietor’s Reserve, Finger Lakes; and a 2001 Reserve Merlot, Bedell Cellars, Long Island.
