Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Johannisburg Riesling, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, are all types of wines. If your knowledge of wine is limited to “reds” and “whites” don’t feel alone. There are few real connoisseurs of wine yet if you enjoy a glass of wine occasionally or you drink wine on a regular basis and are interested in learning more about wine the easiest way to get an education in wine is to tour wineries and vineyards. You will not only enjoy tasting the different types of wines produced at the different wineries but you will also have the opportunity to learn about the vineyards, the procedures used in making the wines and bottling procedures.
For many years American wines were considered inferior wines and persons with a knowledge of wine looked down on them. When most people think of wines produced in the United States they automatically think of Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley in California and the rolling hills of grape vines that we have seen on television and in the movies. Most Baby Boomers will remember the series Falcon Crest and the MD 20 20 we bought to make wine spritzers. Well, after years of hard work, blood, sweat and tears the wineries around the United States have finally come into there own. They are now winning national and international competitions and are causing the decline in purchases of wines from Europe.
What most Wine Lover’s do not realize is that 10 years ago there were wineries in 41 states and now there are wineries in all fifty states. Both New Mexico and Texas claim to be the site of the first vineyard established in North America sometime between the early 1500’s and 1662. But if you go to wikipedia.org you will see a claim that the first winery was in Jacksonville, Florida. The top wine states are California, New York, Washington and Oregon respectively.
The vineyards and wineries throughout the United States are as diverse as the wines they produce. Grapes have been cultivated to withstand the freezing temperatures of Alaska and the heat of Arizona and New Mexico. Each winery and vineyard has a personality all its own and the vines look different in every region of the country. The leaves and the trunks of the vines are as different as the wines they produce. In California you will find larger trunks and smaller, darker leaves while in Kansas you find thinner trunks with larger, lighter leaves. The winemakers themselves are also as diverse and the wines they produce some have a lengthy history in winemaking while others are novice winemakers. Some of the winemakers own the vineyards while others just cultivate the vines and blend the grapes.
To learn more about your favorite wine just visit the vineyard or winery. Every winery that I have visited is friendly and outgoing, most offer tours and will allow you to wander around and take it all in.