Camille Berry

Introduction

The first recorded wine production in the United States took place in Virginia soon after the British established a colony there in 1607. Despite the historical achievement, however, the early years of winemaking in the region were rocky, and it wasn’t until the 1980s that Virginia’s winemakers truly caught their stride. Today, Virginia ranks fifth in the nation for wine grape production—not bad for a state…

Wine has been intertwined with history from the outset of Western Civilization. Grape harvesting flourished in the Ancient Near East and Egypt; evidence shows Celtic tribes in Gaul cultivated wild grapevines prior to the arrival of the Phoenicians, who...