California heads the list of the top-producing USA wine regions with Washington and Oregon trailing the Golden State. Award-winning wineries can be found in most parts of the country, including the humid northeast and desert southwest.
While the Napa and Sonova valleys of northern California remain the American template for wine-growing regions, several other states have risen to prominence in the past three decades. But none yet rival California. With 4,138 wineries, the Golden State boasts 1,000 more than all the wineries in the next nine states on the list (3,138) combined.
Of the straggling nine, the most significant occupy the upper left-hand corner of the nation in the Pacific Northwest. Not only do Washington (781) and Oregon (684) feature thriving wine industries, they also rank 2-3 behind California in total wineries. Those two states include a combined 1,454 wineries, 87 more than the combined total (1,367) of the next five states on the list.
A closer look at the most productive wine regions in the United States (data supplied by the American Winery Guide):
CALIFORNIA (4,138 WINERIES)
The Golden State enjoys a world-class reputation for fine wines, beginning with Napa and Sonoma. The former produces award-winning Chardonnay, Merlot, and also Cabernet Sauvignon, while Sonoma is famous for Pinot Noir, Cabernet, and Chardonnay. Contrary to their illustrious reputations, Napa and Sonoma face stiff, in-state competition for the best wine regions. For example, the central coast, halfway between San Francisco and Santa Barbara, includes 40 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). Of them, the Paso Robles Wine Alliance (177 miles south of San Francisco) ranks among the elite. It includes 200 family-owned wineries and produces a variety of excellent grapes.
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WASHINGTON (781)
Washington not only ranks No. 2 in total wineries but No. 2 in total wine production, trailing, naturally, California. All you need to know about Washington wines, particularly its Rieslings, Chardonnays, Merlots, and also Ryrahs, is that 40 countries around the world import them. The top American Viticultural Areas include the Columbia and Walla Walla valleys (also the home of Walla Walla sweet onions) in Eastern Washington. Chateau Ste. Michele and Columbia Crest rate as the best-known wineries. But the best wine, according to SeattleMet, is a 2007 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon from Columbia Valley ($125).
OREGON (684)
Oregon is much chillier than neighboring California, located to its immediate south, but presents an ideal climate for Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, and also Gamay. The Willamette Valley, a 150-mile stretch along the western Cascades, famous for surging waterfalls and old-growth trees, and also as the home of Oregon (Eugene) and Oregon State (Corvallis) universities, includes more than 200 wineries. The Willamette Valley stands out primarily for its Pinot Noir, now internationally famous.
NEW YORK (350)
Two areas of New York state attract attention from wine savants — the Finger Lakes region in the central part of New York, and the North Fork, located in practically the same area of Long Island as the filthy rich Hamptons. The Finger Lakes, a group of 11 long, narrow lakes, headlined by Lake Seneca, serves as the hub of East Coast winemaking. More than 100 wineries dominate the area, of which the winery of Dr. Konstantin Frank is most famous. Frank gets credit with introducing grapes such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer to the region.
TEXAS (303)
The Texas Hill Country covers central and south Texas, forming the southeast part of the Edwards Plateau. Given its climate and terrain, the Hill Country is considered the border between the American Southeast and Southwest. It is also the main Texas wine region, and it spans some nine million acres. That makes it the second-largest wine region in the nation (think north of San Antonio and west of Austin). The sunny, dry climate is ideal for growing grapes such as Tempranillo, Syrah, Albarino, Cabernet Sauvignon, and also Zinfandel. The Texas Hill country boasts more than 40 wineries.
VIRGINIA (273)
Historic Charlottesville, best known as the home of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, is at the center of the most famous wine region in Virginia. The state is well-known for its nearly 200-day growing season, and also the presence of such outstanding wineries as Barboursville Vineyards and Linden Vineyards. Although not a large industry, wine growing has played a prominent role — and enjoyed a tradition — in Virginia’s economy since Colonial days. Four grape varieties stand out: Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and also Rare Red Blend.
PENNSYLVANIA (269)
Pennsylvania is home to nearly 300 wineries, and state tub-thumpers like to boast that a winery is never more than one hour away (by car). The Keystone State produces more than one million gallons of wine annually, spread among dozens of varieties: Pinot Noir, Riesling, fruit wines, and so much more. Many of the wineries, family-owned and operated, continue a tradition launched in 1683 when William Penn planted the first vineyard in Philadelphia. The state’s premier wine-growing region lies between Lake Erie to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Waltz Vineyards, 85 miles south of Philadelphia via I-76, ranks among the east’s unique wineries.
OHIO (172)
The winemaking tradition in Ohio can be traced to 1823 when Nicholas Longworth planted the first grapes in the Ohio River Valley. Among those: the Catawba grape, used in red wine, juices, jams, and also jellies. From 1823 through the 1860s, Ohio enjoyed a flourishing wine industry. Prohibition put a kibosh on it in the 1930s, and it is only now recovering. Markko Vineyards, located in the extreme, upper corner of Ohio, about 66 miles from Cleveland, ranks among the state’s most prominent wineries.
MICHIGAN (171)
Wine is a $300 million annual business in Michigan, thanks exclusively to the Lake Michigan Shore region, which is not only scenic but home to what has been called the “Napa of the Midwest.” The “Lake Effect” from Lake Michigan moderates the climate of the area, enabling the production of exceptionally complex wines, grape, and also fruit. The pairing of locally grown cheeses with regional wines is a Michigan tradition. Michigan’s wine industry grew out of the end of Prohibition.
NORTH CAROLINA (135)
North Carolina boasts 525 vineyards and 135 wineries spread from the mountains to Piedmont to the coastal areas. According to ncwine.org, North Carolina is the only place in the world where every type of grape is grown successfully. So drink to this: The oldest grapevine in America, the Mothervine, has been producing muscadine grapes since 1584.
MISSOURI (134)
More than a century ago (1837), German immigrants settled a part of Missouri. Today it is the “Missouri Rhineland.” By the 1880s, Missouri ranked among the top USA wine regions. Missouri still rates among the top wine-growing areas in the Midwest, boasting more than 100 wineries. Cynthiana/Norton owns the distinction of Missouri’s most prominent grape variety.
ILLINOIS (112)
The state got into wine 150 years ago when immigrants planted seeds on the banks of the Mississippi near Nauvoo. The leading grape varieties include Chardonel, Chambourcin, Vignoles, Traminette, Concord, Foch, Seyval, Norton, Vidal Blanc, Frontenac, Niagara, and Cayuga White.
COLORADO (107)
Famous for ski resorts in Aspen, Vail, Telluride, and Steamboat Springs, Colorado also features more than 100 wineries. No surprise. The state sports 300 days of sunshine. Many of the wineries are located on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. Grand Junction, near the Utah border, also boasts a burgeoning wine industry.
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