US Wine Production: Hits all 50 States

USA Today published an article, A Very Good Year For Vintners, and a supplementary US Wine Production Flash animation. The Flash animation contains a useful map where you can click on the state for more information like: number of wineries; major grape types; top producers; notable wines; and contacts.

Key take aways from article:

• With the recently bonded Pointe of View winery in North Dakota, all 50 states now have at least one bonded winery.


• Many of these wines are made in small amounts and sold mostly at the winery or within the state, yet they command a loyal audience.


• In the past twenty years, the number of US wineries have increased from 919 in 1980 to 2,188 in 2000.


• Still, America isn't much of a wine-drinking nation compared with other countries. We drink about 2 gallons per person per year (up from 1.5 a few years ago), far behind No. 1 France at 15.8 gallons.


• The states with the top number of wineries are:
  
  From: USA Today Source: American Vinters Asscociation