Arkansas had 160 wine producers and made the most wine in the U.S. just prior to Prohibition, which wiped out the industry as in all other states; and even today about half of the state’s counties remain dry. The industry was initiated by German and Swiss immigrants in the 1870’s, first by Jacob Post in … Read more

WineAmerica Annual Policy Conference May 6-7th, 2023 – Washington, DC All WineAmerica members are invited to attend. If it’s May, it must be DC. Obviously it’s not May yet, but we’ve put all the plans together for an annual “fly in” when our members from around the country converge on the nation’s Capital to meet … Read more

Grapes were first planted in what is now Arizona in the late 1700’s near Tucson, with the first commercial winery created in the early 1870’s. After Prohibition it took decades before anyone planted grapes (1979), with the first wines produced in 1980. The Arizona Wine Growers Association, still active today with Jennifer Montgomery at the helm, … Read more

Congress is in recess (again), even though a potential government shutdown is fast approaching. While Congress is gone, WineAmerica continues working on other issues for the wine industry, led by Michael Kaiser, Executive Vice President and Director of Government Affairs, who was recently profiled as a Wine Industry Champion by Wine Industry Advisor . The Tax and … Read more

Alaskan wine? Yes. While the climate is certainly not conducive to growing vinifera grapes (which are imported as juice from California), honey and several native fruits suitable for the environment thrive and are transformed into mead and fruit wines. Wineries include Bear Creek Winery and Solitude Springs Farm and Vineyard. Great Grapes: Valiant Maybe this unique red wine … Read more