Wine Arcana

Grape

Aravelle

Also known as NY 81, NY81.0315.17

Aravelle is a white hybrid grape released by Cornell in 2023 after decades of testing in New York. Bred from Cayuga White and Riesling, it combines Riesling-related wine possibilities with improved resistance to important vineyard diseases. Its older trial name, NY 81, still appears in accounts of the wines made before naming.

Why the long trial mattered

Bruce Reisch made the cross in 1981. Cornell's release account describes grower observations of better rot resistance than Riesling as an important reason to continue evaluating the selection. Fruit could remain on the vine through wet harvest conditions with less pressure for an immediate pick. Field evaluation and winemaking trials followed that practical interest.1. Krishna Ramanujan, “New Cornell variety raises grape expectations for NYS wine,” 28 March 2023; Cornell's variety register records the full selection number as 81.0315.17.

The advantage concerns harvest flexibility. A healthier bunch can give the grower more room to choose a picking date that suits sugar, acidity, and flavour. Cornell nevertheless describes moderate resistance to mildews and Botrytis, with continued protection required. Disease resistance reduces susceptibility while leaving vineyard management necessary.

Still whites and blended rosé

Cornell's 2023 account documents Weis Vineyards using NY 81 for its semi-dry Heart of the Lake white. Usonia's 2025 Soon Different provides a contrasting use: Aravelle joins Regent and Aromella in a rosé from Nearpass Vineyard on Keuka Lake.

Usonia pressed Regent and Aravelle together before fermentation. Aromella received overnight skin contact and separate fermentation, and the components were subsequently blended. A white grape can thus contribute to a pink wine's composition without supplying its red skin pigments. The blend and processing help determine the finished wine's balance.

Usonia also lists Aravelle among replacement vines at its New Suns vineyard on Cayuga Lake. That planting account connects a newly named grape with ongoing decisions about maintaining a working Finger Lakes vineyard.

Sources