viticulture…

                                                         viticulture has been a vital part of
                                                         American History, particularly in our tem-
                                                         perate Commonwealth, for over four cen-
                                                         turies.

                                                                   During the 17th century, the
                                                         British's move to colonize the new world
                                                         was fueled by the desire to gain agricultur-
                                                         al independence from the continent of
                                                         Europe. In particular, Britain was interest-
                                                         ed in introducing new and less expensive
                                                         agricultural products than they could get
                                                         from their strained relationship with the
                                                         French. In addition to tobacco, one of the
                                                         highly anticipated yields from the colonies
                                                         was the production of "domestic" wine,
                                                         which could be shipped directly from the
                                                         British colonies at a more economical rate
                                                         than it could be procured from the conti-
                                                         nent of Europe. Britain was so determined
                                                         to ensure the production of wine that in
                               A History of              1619 the House of Burgesses passed Acte
                                                         12, which stated that every landholder

Virginia's Wine Industry                                 must plant ten grape vines for every acre
                                                         of land in their possession. Virginia was
                                                         considered to be the ideal spot to cultivate
                                                         grapes for the production of wine, and the
                                   by                    colonists gave it an honest shot.
                            Chris Pearmund               Unfortunately, the native varieties of
                                                         grapes made less-than-palatable wine
                 Photos courtesy of Pearmund Vineyards
                                                         when put to the test. Scuppernong grapes
                                                         of the Muscadine family seemed to be the

              hen one thinks of the

W             American tradition of wine-
              making, one's mind immedi-
ately turns to the sweeping, sunlit valleys
carpeted wall-to-wall with lush green rows
of vines heavy with the season's bounty.
It's true, these idyllic valleys are found in
places called Sonoma and Napa, but one
might not expect to find such a vista about
2,300 miles east, in valleys named
Shenandoah and New River. Wine culture
is rich in these valleys and has been for
hundreds of years. Perhaps better known
as the Mother of Presidents, it can be
argued that Virginia is also the birthplace
of the American wine industry. In fact,
                                                                                                of grapes that thrive in the region. For
                                                                                                instance, Viognier wines from Virginia are
                                                                                                becoming prized throughout the nation
                                                                                                and the world for their playful spark and
                                                                                                citrus exuberance which often lost in other
                                                                                                more watery whites. This wine is a perfect
                                                                                                pairing for stylish "fusion" cuisine with its
                                                                                                equatorial preparations and piquant spice.

                                                                                                          The increased recognition of
                                                                                                these viticultural products and Virginia's
                                                                                                rich history has influenced the decision
                                                                                                makers at the State Capital to incorporate
                                                                                                several initiatives to increase exposure of
                                                                                                this booming industry into Virginia's
                                                                                                already thriving historical tourism trade
hardiest and highest producing grapes in        its pre-war standards. Conflicting stories      (www.virginia.org                            )
the colony, but the wine produced from its      surround the development and introduc-          (www.virginiawines.org). Jefferson and
juice was eventually eclipsed in popularity     tion of the Norton variety of wine grapes ­     Williamsburg wineries receive a great deal
by alcoholic beverages made from other          the first successful red wine grapes in         of their patronage from those exploring the
fruits. Almost two hundred years after          Virginia.     Before, during, and after         nearby historical landmarks, and in keep-
the colonists began to toil in this noble       Prohibition, the root hardy Norton grape        ing with that trend Virginia has established
pursuit, Thomas Jefferson invested in a         placed firm roots as Virginia's wine grape.     "wineways" in geographical regions of
quantity of Italian vinifera vines, and hired   Well past the nation's end to Prohibition,      historical and cultural interest throughout
two Italian vintners to supervise the entire    Virginia continued to be somewhat of a          the state. The Blue Ridge Wine Way
winemaking process. According to histor-        temperance state. It was not until the          (www.blueridgewineway.com)              twists
ical accounts, Jefferson was very proud of      1970's that Virginia growers were allowed       through the sweeping countryside in the
the beverage produced from his vines, but       to produce wine from their successful           foothills of the Blue Ridge of Northern
the two Italians refused to partake of it.      attempts at growing European style              Virginia--an area rich in Revolutionary,
                                                hybrids in Virginian soil. The strength of      Civil War and cultural history. Just south
          The coming decades brought            Norton and other American native hybrids        of the site of the Battle of Bull Run near
nearly constant political turmoil to the        was the key to successful cultivation of        Middleburg       ,     Pearmund       Cellars
country, and Virginians were provided           European varieties of wine grapes.              (www.pearmundcellars.com) offers a
with many instances to prove their stub-        Virginians began grafting the less disease      broad flight of expertly hand-crafted wines
bornness in the face of adversity.              resistant European vines on hardier root-       including Viognier, on a plantation site
Virginian farmers had primarily replanted       stock of native vines. In addition, growers     that has been farmed since the 1740s.
with more successful cash crops such as         began deep tilling the soil in order for the    Shortly after the ratification of the Virginia
tobacco, but some individuals still dabbled     roots to better establish themselves, result-   Farm Winery Act in 1976, the then named
in the development of grape varieties suit-     ing in crops that still continue to improve     Meriwether Vineyard, was established
able to the production of wine with moder-      in quality.                                     with fifteen acres of Chardonnay grape
ate success. In fact, Virginia wine produc-                                                     vines on American root stock. In the early
tion peaked just before the outbreak of the              With 300 vineyards and just            nineties, Chris Pearmund, an up-and-
Civil War. As expected, the more success-       under 100 wineries, Virginia is one of the      comer in the wine industry purchased the
ful vineyards and wineries were likely tar-     leading producers of high-quality vinifera      vineyard in the hopes of starting his own
gets during this terrible time, and most        grape vines and many award winning              vineyard and winery operation in this fer-
vineyards did not survive to see the end of     wines. The Commonwealth is making a             tile region. Located in Broad Run, the
the war. As the nation slowly recovered, so     name for itself in the viticultural world by    winery provides the perfect atmosphere
did the production of wine, though not to       placing concentration on certain varieties      for an afternoon picnic with easy access
                                                                                                from Routes 66 and 29.
          The new Virginia wine and histo-
ry tourism trend continues to grow and
thrive in a region peppered with historical
markers highlighting important events of
American history. The Virginia wine
region is home to many acclaimed restau-
rants, inns and B&Bs, and will assure an
educational, comfortable, and well-fed
journey. The Blue Ridge Wine Way also
encourages the reciprocal relationship of
wineries with area businesses.         For
instance, local wines are often featured at
establishments such as the Inn at Little
Washington, a world-renowned restaurant
in the heart of Virginia wine country.

          The future of Virginia wines is
ever brightening as growers continue to
strive for the best varieties to represent the
ecologically unique region or terroir.
Individual winery stylistic identities have
forged forward also, from quaint renovat-
ed dairy barns to elegant Tuscan-styled
estates embracing the latest technologies.
These efforts have already achieved
improved national recognition. Virginia
wines have received increased exposure
and positive reviews in numerous national
publications and satellite channels such as
Fine Living and the Food Network. As
Virginia vintners partner with legislators
and community organizations, the busi-
ness climate continues to improve for the
regional wine industry, insuring its future
for generations to come.

         Grape vines have long been
woven into the fabric of Virginian history.
They played an integral role in the forma-
tion of this great Commonwealth. With
new varieties and new economic agro-
tourism, Virginian wines play a great role
in the continued gastronomic, agricultural
and economic success of our state.
Virginia wineries and vineyards help pre-
serve our agricultural heritage and land in
a time when they are quickly disappearing.