Local Wines

My last post has me thinking about local wines. I’m a great proponent of local wines, which can vary widely depending on where you live.

If you live in Washington State, Oregon, California or New York, you probably have a good selection of wineries that are “local.” If you live in Florida (and don’t have an affection for muscadine wine), your options are much more limited. Even states with newly blooming wine industries don’t offer the same quality of vitis vinifera wines as states with a long history of wine production.

I am thrilled, however, by the proliferation of wineries across the country. Appellation America provides a wealth of information about wineries in your area and nationwide, along with the ability to buy many of them.

The rise of local wineries no doubt leads many wine lovers (like myself) to dream about planting their own vines and making Chateau John. A while back, I stumbled across a great blog, Vine Stress, which chronicles the day-to-day work of starting a commercial vineyard in Missouri. It’s a fascinating look into local wine production and a must-read for anyone who is thinking about planting some vines.

My hat's off to Dave, Vine Stress’ author, and all the other fine folks in Kansas, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and the other “non-traditional” wine states who are busting their hump to make Thomas Jefferson’s dream of a nation rich in vineyards and great wines a reality.

Cheers.