Kentucky wine

Kentucky

Wine region
Official name	Commonwealth of Kentucky
Type	U.S. state
Year established	1792
Country	USA
Sub-regions	Ohio River Valley AVA
Total area	40,444 square miles (104,749 km2)
Grapes produced	Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carlos, Catawba, Cayuga, Chambourcin, Chardonel, Chardonnay, Concord, De Chaunac, Marechal Foch, Merlot, Munson, Niagara, Norton, Riesling, Seyval blanc, Traminette, Vidal blanc[1]
No. of wineries	57

Kentucky wine refers to wine made from grapes grown in the U.S. state of Kentucky. About 45 wineries operate commercially in Kentucky, with most recent plantings focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc.^[1] Kentucky produced over two million gallons of wine in 2011.

History

One of the first attempts at large-scale commercial viticulture in the United States started in Kentucky in 1799, with plantings by the Kentucky Vineyard Society. The relatively mild climate of Kentucky, especially in the Ohio River Valley, made Kentucky an attractive place for early American winemaking. By the mid-19th century, Kentucky was the third largest wine-producing state in the country. Prohibition in the United States destroyed the wine industry in Kentucky, and the state took a long time to recover after Repeal.

See also

• American wine

References