The United States grows wine in every single state, and even before prohibition much of the midwest had grown wines that even the most renowned courts of Europe demanded. Post prohibition, it was the rise of Napa Valley in the late 1970’s that put the USA back on the wine map. Napa’s success at the Judgement of Paris quickly followed by Oregon’s success a few years later brought in foreign interest and confirmed the suspicion of the country’s early wine pioneers that vinifera could grow in the US and make exceptional wines.
Today, the Cabernet Sauvignon of Napa Valley continues to reign, but our thirst has grown, too. Now, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from throughout Sonoma, Santa Barbara County, as well as the Willamette Valley in Oregon are made in expressive and pure styles. The old vine Zinfandel throughout California is as American as Jazz, the Bordeaux and Syrah blends of eastern Washington display an intensity of fruit only the arid climate could provide. And quick on the heels of the west coast, New York, Arizona, Michigan, Virginia, and Texas are all making wines of note. This land is vast with a variety of climates and cultures, and the wines are equally so.