Wine Shop

Early settlers in Jamestown, Virginia in the United States made wine from indigenous vines with disappointing results. Further efforts with vines from Europe were unsuccessful and few farmers continued American wine- making. Before long, drinking wine became associated with special occasions only. Today, the state of Virginia uses modern viticulture techniques to produce commendable wines. New York wine history dates to the 1700s although limited to sacramental wine, grape juice, and short-lived ventures during Prohibition. In the 1950s, a Ukranian professor planted vine cuttings from his homeland in the similar climate of New York state. His venture was successful and today several regions produce wine for local consumption. Father Junipero Serra, "the father of California wine", introduced wines from Mexico to southern California. The Californian Gold Rush of 1849 brought scores of people to the state and, when it ended, many remained and began farming the California wine vineyards. Today, northern Californian vineyards produce world-famous wines. The northwestern states began making Washington wines and Oregon wines in the early 1800s but it wasn't until the 1960s that they began producing in earnest. With the renaissance in American wine-making, a taste for the beverage has increased and American wine-making is now undertaken in all fifty states.