Vineyards take root all over
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If someone asks you which states produce wine, the answer is easy: all of them.
All 50 states now produce wine - even Alaska with three wineries and North Dakota with two. More than 6,100 wineries from sea to shining sea, making the United States one nation under vine. Only France, Italy and Spain make more and the United States is gaining.
Iowa - corn country - has more than 70 wineries. Ohio, Virginia, Texas and Michigan top 100. Pennsylvania is nearing 140.
This represents a return to pre-Prohibition days when places such as Hermann, Mo., and the Finger Lakes of New York were among the most productive wine regions in the world. Prohibition killed that heritage. California clawed its way to prominence, then in 2007 for the first time since before Prohibition, more wineries were outside California.
Texas-based wine writer Jeff Siegel, who operates www.drinklocalwine.com, thinks regional wines are succeeding despite pernicious bias against them from retailers, restaurants and even wine drinkers who think wine comes from only France, California and Australia. So regional wines face a huge challenge.
"St. James in Missouri and Llano Estacado in Texas each do about 130,000 cases of wine a year and are almost completely unknown - even in their states," he said. "Yet some goofy Napa boutique can do 500 cases and get more publicity from the wine media in three months than St. James or Llano will get in three decades."
In the 1970s, agriculture on Long Island was limited to potatoes. Now the North Fork is loaded with wineries and Wölffer Estate Vineyards is a leader. Still fresh after five years, Wölffer 2004 La Ferme Martin Chardonnay has a lemon-lime creaminess and refreshing pucker at the end. Aging in French oak "sur lie" or on the yeast, gives this wine a texture and hint of spice. $12. HHHH
After failing to grow European wine grapes in Virginia, Thomas Jefferson would be please to know others eventually state eventually succeeded. Virginia's Monticello appellation includes Kluge Estate, a billionaire-owned project where, let's face it, money helps produce quality. The golden touch shows in this Kluge 2004 Blanc de Blancs, an accessible sparkling wine with pear and vanilla cream smells and flavors of tart apple and slight yeastiness and easygoing acids. Not in Pennsylvania. $21. HHHH 1/2
You can try and buy wines from Crossings Vineyards at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The exceptional Bucks County winery made a 2006 Chardonnay that is serious, rich and flavorful with tart apple and spice flavors with a firm and alcoholic finish. Nice wine, but I prefer their reds. $18. HHH
You can see all U.S. wineries at www.allamericanwineries.com and Pennsylvania wineries at www.pennsylvaniawine.com .
GRADE: Exceptional HHHHH, Above average HHHH, Good HHH, Below average HH, Poor H.
DAVID FALCHEK, a Times-Tribune business writer, reviews wines each week. Contact him at dfalchek@ timesshamrock.com.
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