In 1975 there were 125 wineries in eastern North America. By 2013 there were more than 2,400. How and why the eastern United States and Canada became a major wine region of the world is the subject of this history. Unlike winemakers in California with its Mediterranean climate, the pioneers who founded the industry after Prohibition—1933 in the United States and 1927 in Ontario—had to overcome natural obstacles such as subzero cold in winter and high humidity in the summer that favored diseases devastating to grapevines. Enologists and viticulturists at Eastern research stations began to find grapevine varieties that could survive in the East and make world-class wines. These pioneers were followed by an increasing number of dedicated growers and winemakers who fought in each of their states to get laws dating back to Prohibition changed so that an industry could begin.Hudson Cattell, a leading authority on the wines of the East, in this book presents a comprehensive history of the growth of the industry from Prohibition to today. He draws on extensive archival research and his more than thirty-five years as a wine journalist specializing in the grape and wine industry of the wines of eastern North America. The second section of the book adds detail to the history in the form of multiple appendixes that can be referred to time and again. Included here is information on the origin of grapes used for wine in the East, the crosses used in developing the French hybrids and other varieties, how the grapes were named, and the types of wines made in the East and when. Cattell also provides a state-by-state history of the earliest wineries that led the way.

A fascinating history of Virginia wines, documenting the wine industry's very foundation in this state. Go beyond the bottle and step inside the minds, and vines, of Virginia's burgeoning wine industry in this groundbreaking volume. Join grape grower and industry insider Walker Elliott Rowe as he guides you through some of the top vineyards and wineries in the Old Dominion. Rowe explores the minds of pioneering winemakers and vineyard owners, stitches together an account of the wine industry's foundation in Virginia, from Jamestown to Jefferson to Barboursville, and uncovers the fascinating missing chapter in Virginia wine history. As the Philip Carter Winery motto explains, "Before there was Jefferson, there was Carter. " Rowe goes behind the scenes to interview migrant workers who toil daily in the vineyards, makes the rounds in Richmond with an industry lobbyist and talks shop with winemakers on the science and techniques that have helped put the Virginia wine industry on the map. Also included are twenty-four stunning color photographs from professional photographer Jonathan Timmes and a foreword by noted wine journalist Richard Leahy.

"Pinney covers new ground and new research, and treats the entire period in a new way. [History of Wine in America] will be welcomed by scholars and by wine enthusiasts."—Dr. James Lapsley, University of California, Davis "A worthy successor to Pinney's landmark History of Wine in America: From the Beginnings to Prohibition, and like that volume evidencing a wealth of knowledge, presented with grace and style. In addition to telling fascinating stories, both of these books are invaluable references. Anyone interested in the history of American wine should read them."—Paul Lukacs, author of American Vintage: The Rise of American Wine "I am confident the term definitive will apply to this work for innumerable vintages to come. Wine lovers from New England to California now have one place to turn for the history of their favorite beverage, wherever in America its grapes are grown."—Charles L. Sullivan, author of A Companion to California Wine and Zinfandel "An essential reference book for anyone wishing to sound authoritative at the dinner table."—Bruce Cass, editor of The Oxford Companion to the Wines of North America

This study is both a history of the American wine industry and an examination of its current structure and performance. In analysing market formation, Taplin focuses on a complex network of winery owners, winemakers and grape growers to see how relationships have shaped the evolution of this sector.