The time period 1677, The French Huguenots arrived in New Paltz from France and planted the first vines. This was at least 100 years before any vines were planted in what is now California. When the Huguenots planted the vines in the Valley they discovered a unique combination of soil, climate and sun that together makes for ideal grape growing conditions. Originally planting their vines on the hillsides of the Hudson Highlands they started a tradition of grapes and wine that continues to this day.
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Successful grape plantings, in what is now California, are well documented back to 1697. Hedrick, in his 1907 tome "The Grapes of New York" implies even earlier plantings. Winkler, in "General Viticulture" talks of how, in 1520, Cortez ordered the planting of grapes and other fruits in "Mexico" only to have the order reversed in 1595, when the King of Spain forbade new or replacement plantings of vineyards fearing the competition of these new colonial enterprises with the domestic industry.
Grape growing in the Hudson Valley and New York is generally considered to have been a failure until the early 1800's when varieties such as Concord, Niagara, Delaware, and other "fox" grapes were developed.
The climate, even with the advent of global warming, is still considered harsh by knowledgeable viticulturists -- high humidity, frost probabilities on both ends of the growing season, and vine killing radiation freezes in winter all contribute to less than ideal growing conditions.
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