Louisiana is a perfect example of how the economic impact of wine isn’t only about production, but even more about consumption. In fact, the retail sector alone accounts for 93% of the jobs and 76% of the total economic output in the “Direct Impact” category, which includes winery, vineyard, wholesale, retail, and other subcategories. The … Read more
Campaign Chaos The past two weeks have been some of the most tumultuous and consequential in American presidential history. About a week after President Biden turned in a stunningly poor debate performance, former President Trump was nearly assassinated at a campaign rally in western Pennsylvania, further boosting his popularity and polling lead over Biden. Then, … Read more
1798 was the year the first grapes were planted in Kentucky, starting earlier than most of its midwestern neighbors. But, like them, the wine industry that had developed over the next century was wiped out by Prohibition. Today the state has a growing wine industry and acreage in two AVAs, the Indiana Uplands, and Ohio … Read more
Modest Good News While Congress has done very little recently (or this entire year), last week there was some modestly positive news for the wine industry, thanks to the House Appropriations Committee passing the USDA funding bill. One of WineAmerica’s priorities since 2022 has been authorization and funding for a national vineyard survey conducted by … Read more
Like many states, Kansas was a significant wine producer in the 19th Century along with neighboring Missouri, populated by German immigrants who brought the wine tradition with them. However, it was also the home of Carrie Nation and the early temperance movement, and, in 1881, the first state to pass statewide prohibition. That didn’t totally … Read more