South Dakota is one of the youngest wine states, officially starting in 1996 when Valiant Vineyards was opened. Given its cold winter climate, the state specializes in cold-hardy Minnesota grape varieties as well as other fruits. Belle Joli’ Winery, whose name was inspired by the beauty of the land, is the passion of Matthew and … Read more
WineAmerica DC Fly-In While WineAmerica is based in Washington, given its function to advocate on federal public policy, only Michael Kaiser actually lives and works there (I live and work in New York’s fabulous Finger Lakes region, with monthly trips to DC.) But we have one major gathering each year: a “Fly-In” for which our … Read more
With its humid, sub-tropical climate and summer temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees, South Carolina is a challenging place to grow grapes and make wine. Still, intrepid souls grow some vinifera, hybrid, and lots of Muscadine grapes which actually thrive in those conditions. Wedged between North Carolina and Georgia with an expansive Atlantic coastline, the Palmetto … Read more
Federal Research Cuts This week proved a painful one for the grape research community and its many vital contributions to the American grape and wine industry. At least seven employees of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) were terminated in California, Washington, New York, and Hawaii, thus ending or diminishing important research on smoke exposure, grape … Read more
King Charles inaugurated Rhode Island as a wine producer in 1663 when England established it as an English colony, and production grew steadily until Prohibition. The modern industry began in 1975 when Sakonnet Vineyards opened, and today the smallest state (1215 square miles) has more than a dozen wineries. It’s not really an island, since … Read more