Rooftop Vineyard in New York

Millennial US winemakers have established what they call the first commercially viable rooftop vineyard in New York, hoping to create their first vintage next year. The young wine enthusiasts intend to produce 300 bottles a year from 50 specially commissioned urban planters installed on the roof of an industrial building overlooking the skyscrapers of Manhattan.  The vines are planted in 36 inches (0.9 meters) of soil, 40 percent of which is crushed, recycled glass that works as a sand element to make what Shomaker calls a "sustainable light-weight soil" similar to a traditional vineyard. They include grape varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. They are financing the project with help from a wine grower in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York.