What is the history and the popular American Wine? When and Where did winemaking begin in America?
The History of American Wine
The first settlers coming from Europe called this new continent “Vinland”. Why? The continent is covered by grapevines and grapes. However, the varieties they found (Vitis Riparia, Vitis Rofundifolia, Vitis Amurensis, and Vits Vulpina). The grapes were imported from Europe by the first European settlers. The Vitis Vinifera is credited for this. And it was the French settlers living in the area now known as Jacksonville, Florida who first tried to make wine from the various varieties. They used Scupp grapes (Vitis Rotundifola). Unfortunately, this did not make wine. They had multiple attempts starting in 1562-1619 but the failures did not discourage them. Instead, they continued trying the local varieties but these varieties were not appealing in taste so they decided to import proven grape varieties from Europe.
The Introduction of Vitis Vinifera from Europe
In 1619 the settlers imported the first European variety the Vitis Vinifera. But as luck would have it things did not go as planned because of native pest and disease ravaged this variety. So they started interbreeding foreign and native breeds. Some reports say it was William Penn in 1683 who managed to create the first hybrid variety using Vitis Vinifera and Vitis Labrusca. He called it Alexander.
Commercial Vinyard Established
In the next century, the first commercial vineyard was established in the United States in Kentucky by the Dufour Family. The winery is known as the “First Vineyard”. their first wine was consumed on March 21, 1803. But in May of 1809 freeze destroyed the entire crop and the Dufour family decided to leave the estate and move to Indiana.
American Wine…Winemaking on The West Coast
In 1769 Father Junipero Serra established the first vineyard and winery on the West Coast in the area of San Diego. Unpleased with the local varieties of grapes they used a Spanish grape. Vitis Vinifera variety called “Criolla”. Again the results, not high-quality wines, ended up being overtaken by other varieties.
Father Junipero Serra planted vineyards for use in all 9 of the Missions he founded.
Those early vines were cultivated to produce wine used for religious purposes.
US Winemaking’s First Major Success
California is what most people might think was the first state to be a successful winemaking state. Ohio was the first breakthrough In 1830 Nicholas Longworth made the first commercially successful wine. A sparkling wine from the Catawba grapes. Catawba is a hybrid variety from a crossbreeding of Vitis Lambrusco and Vitis Vinifera. Longworth’s Catawba was a big success. It was popular both in the US and in Europe. Longsworth “the founder of wine culture in America”. Because of this combination success in 1959 vines spread all over the country especially the Lake Erie, Ohio River Valley Fingure Lakes regions near New York. However, again circumstances put an end to the expansion because of a powdery mildew in 1860 in the Ohio River Valley. Then the next years things like the phylloxera epidemic hit during the 19th century followed by prohibition hit a massive blow to the American wine industry.
American Wine A New Start
Once prohibition was over a new era for the American winemakers began. New winemaking production methods were based on research from the University of California and Universities in New York. The universities published findings, held seminars about winemaking, and worked with grape growers. As the wine industry in America started to grow it attracted both investors both domestic and foreign. The result is today’s wine industry. The industry is now known for its quality wines that it produces each year.
“The Cultivation of the Native Grape and Manufacture of American Wines”
More than 150 years ago a winemaker by the name of George Husmann published his book called “The Cultivation of the Native Grape and Manufacture of American Wines”. In his book, George wrote “I firmly believe that this continent is destined to be the greatest wine-producing country in the world.” Today it is said George was right. Each of the fifty states produces wine and is the second biggest wine producer in the world.
NAPA WINES
Who began winemaking in Napa Valley California? Charles Krug established Napa Valley’s first commercial winery in 1861. His success and leadership sparked a wave of new growth, and by 1889 there were more than 140 wineries in operation, including Schramsberg (founded in 1862), Beringer (1876), and Inglenook (1879).
For a winemaker, blending grapes from different vineyards means being able to make a wine of greater complexity. To create a unique, distinctive wine is to focus on a single place or single vineyard. Winemakers in Napa Valley have become famous for doing both — creating beautifully blended wines from many sources, and creating distinctive wines from a single grape source.
Napa Valley winemakers use a combination of the latest research and equipment, intuition, and practical experience to make distinctive wines from our small but diverse wine-growing region. Given the wide range of wines produced here, our winemaking methods have had to evolve throughout the years and our vintners have an intimate connection on how the art of winemaking can bring out the best from the vineyard.
Conclusion
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