History of the US Wine Industry Flashcards
How long have grapes been present in North America?
Grapes have been present since the first known Europeans (the Vikings) arrived in North America
What did the Vikings name North America?
Vinland
Due to the large quantity of grapes the Vikings found growing in North America
How were the grapes in North America different from European grapes the Vikings were used to?
The grapes the Vikings found in North America were from a different species than the grapes that were cultivated in Europe and used to wine.
Did the Vikings make wine in North America after discovering Vinland?
There is no record of winemaking, no wine culture, and no evidence of winemaking technology prior to the arrival of Columbus.
Who were the first people to plant European Vitis vinifera wine grapes in the United States?
The Spaniards, the initial colonizers of the Americas
What part of North America was probably the first part of the American continent to make wine?
Mexico
When was wine probably first made on the American continent?
In the 1520s
Why was wine made in Mexico before the United States?
Spanish attention was mostly focused southward in the 1500s, and it would be two centuries later before the Spaniards would bring grapes to California.
When was the first wine made in what is now the United States?
In the 1560s
Who made the first wine in what is now the United States?
The first wine in the United States was made either by French Huguenot refugees in northern Florida or Spanish colonists in South Carolina
Who first made a note of the abundance of vines in parts of the United States?
Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524
Where did Giovanni da Verrazzano note the abundance of white grapes in the United States?
In what is now Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
Who made the first reports of red grapes in the United States?
English explorers in the employ of Sir Walter Raleigh
Where were the first reports of plentiful red grapes made in the United States?
In what is now Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1584
What colony noted the abundance of red grapes in the United States in 1584?
The Roanoke Island colony
What grape variety may have made the first American wine?
Scuppernog
Scuppernog is still used to make wines in the Southeast United States to this day
Where does Scuppernog get its name from?
A nearby river in North Carolina
What color grape is Scuppernog?
White
Why was wine of great importance to English colonies in America?
- Wine was a major part of daily diet
- Provided needed calories
- Was more sanitary than water
- Most wine came from countries hostile to England, so huge potential for profit
Why did the American colonies continue to try and produce wine for English consumption?
Most wine came from counties hostile to England, so if an American colony could produce wine it would be a huge source of profit.
Where were some important attempts to develop wine regions in colonial America?
- Jamestown colony in Virginia (founded in 1607)
- Puritan settlements in Massachusetts (founded in 1620)
Why did most American colonial winemaking attempts fail?
Scuppernog and other indigenous American grape varieties did not make wines of the quality or flavor profile that was deemed acceptable.
American grape varieties such as Scuppernog were deemed to have what unpopular flavor?
A “musky” flavor
This flavor made the wines undesirable both at home in the colonies as well as export markets in Europe
Why did European Vitus vinifera vines not lead to a thriving American wine industry in colonial America?
Despite American colonial attempts to make imitation European wines with Vitus vinifera grapes, the imported vines often died shortly after being planted in American soils.
What challenges in the American continent killed European Vitus vinifera vines in colonial America?
- Harsh American winters
- The root louse phylloxera
- Mildew
Why didn’t native American grapes have issues with phylloxera, mildew, or the harsh American winters?
American vines had long ago developed defenses against these pests and challenges.
