Virginia has become one of the top five viticultural states in the U.S. through its growing number of wine-making operations, generating annual sales of close to $1 billion from around 275 wineries clustered around Monticello and Middleburg, according to state officials visiting London on a trade mission.Tourism is rising, with 1.6 million visitors to wineries in the state last year, and 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the Italian winemaker Casa Vinicola Zonin SpA’s investment in Virginia’s Barboursville Vineyard, which it acquired in 1976, the bicentennial of the revolution.Wines from Boxwood Estate, Barboursville Vineyards and Veritas on display during a tasting in London in April 2016.Virginia ranks behind California, Washington, Oregon and New York in terms of its overall number of wineries, according to data on the website of WineAmerica, the National Association of American Wineries. Thomas Jefferson, who drafted the Declaration of Independence and became third president, tried and failed to produce wine in the state in the 1770s from his home in Monticello.

Much of the industry has developed in the past four decades. “We’ve just now won fifth place in the country” for wine production, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said during a wine tasting on a trade mission to London April 28, while Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore said that even after record production last year, “we are encouraging more planting,” including through a tax-credit program.“We run the risk of not having enough vineyard production,” Haymore said, noting that most of the state’s wineries are small family owned operations, even if it does have some high-profile vineyards.Singer and guitarist Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band owns Blenheim Vineyards near Charlottesville, while AOL Inc. co-founder Steve Case and his wife Jean own Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison and Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, has the Trump Winery near Monticello. Luca Paschina, winemaker at Zonin’s Barboursville estate, said the Italian company’s arrival in 1976 was “very pioneering.”

He said at the tasting that Jefferson had been convinced good wine could be made in Virginia, and “Mr. Zonin felt the same way.”Rachel Martin of Boxwood Estate Winery in Middleburg said at the tasting that the estate had been instrumental in the development of the region as a designated American Viticultural Area, initiating the six-year petition process which led to its establishment. George Hodson of Veritas Wines in Nelson County, near Charlottesville, said that winegrowers in the region “are not married to a particular style or varietal” and the estate’s wines include Merlot, Petit Verdot, Petit Manseng, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Viognier.“Our weather’s much more like Burgundy than Napa Valley,” he said, noting that “the majority of our wine we sell at the cellar door.”Home > Camping Articles > Pitch a Tent in the Best U.S. Wine Regions Pitch a Tent in the Best U.S. Wine Regions Did you know every state in the U.S. produces wine? What's more, most of the popular wine regions—think Napa Valley, Rogue Valley and Shenandoah—have something else in common: they're all located near campgrounds.

Enjoy your traditional morning hikes and dinners around the fire, and then add a little wine-tasting to the day's agenda for a camping trip unlike any other. California boasts several winery-dense areas, many of which are located along the coast. good cheap red wine singaporeThe most robust regions that have nearby campgrounds are Sonoma and Napa in northern California.wine good type 2 diabetesThe growing harvest thrives thanks to a maritime fog that drifts in from the Sonoma Coast. the best of bc winesThis fog preserves the acidity and complexity in the wines, according to the Sonoma County Vintners.beer and wine based cocktails

Chardonnay is the most common variety in this region, although there are plenty of varietals and reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir available. Sonoma State Beach has more than 100 campsites. wine cooler prices ukWhen you're not relaxing at the campsite, walk along the beach, explore tide pools, watch the seals, or go fishing.best glass to serve wine Just east of Sonoma is Napa Valley, with nearly 500 wineries. where to buy 90 plus wineDespite its high concentration of wineries, Napa is actually one of the smallest wine-growing regions in the world, at just 30 miles long and a few miles wide, according to the Napa Valley Vintners Association.best wine for winter in india

With a variety of microclimates and killer soils, growers produce many styles of wines, from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir to Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Bothe-Napa Valley State Park has 53 campsites, with one group site, 25 standard sites, 17 tent-only sites and 10 yurts. best wine tasting courses nycWhen you're not wine tasting, hike to Coyote Peak, or relax with a picnic next to the trailside creek. Oregon is the country's third-largest wine-producing state and has almost 500 wineries and 300 tasting rooms. It's best known for a stellar Pinot Noir. Of the 22,000 acres that vintners harvest in Oregon, more than 15,000 acres are devoted to this variety. You'll also find Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Syrah and Riesling. While wineries can be found all over the state, the primary growing areas are Willamette Valley and southern Oregon. On the western edge of Oregon is the Willamette Valley, the largest producing wine region in the state.

Pinot Noir is king here because the cool-climate grapes used to make this variety appreciate the valley's cool winters and dry summers, according to the Oregon Wine Board. Willamette Mission State Park is eight miles from Salem, located on 1,600 acres of land, which includes woodland to wetland and rolling hills. You can reserve tent and horse campsites only. Rogue Valley and Applegate Valley There are quite a few wineries in this area, off Interstate 5 and clustered around the historic town of Jacksonville. Make basecamp at the nearby Valley of the Rogue State Park. The Rogue River makes this state park a great spot for fishing, boating, and rafting. The campground has more than 170 sites, some for tenting, some for RVs. Washington is a camper's paradise with the Cascades, Mount Rainier the Columbia River all within the state's boundaries. It boasts more than 750 wineries, all of which produce Riesling and Chardonnay, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.

While there are some growers in the Puget Sound area, the most popular wine regions are just east of the Cascades. Almost all of Washington's grapes are grown in the Columbia Valley, which encompasses the Walla Walla Valley, Yakima Valley, and the Tri-Cities (Richland, Pasco and Kennewick). You'll find wineries off Highway 82 in Yakima and the Tri-Cities, and Route 12 and 125 in Walla Walla. Soda Springs Campground is near the Bumping River in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest with 19 standard non-electric campsites—suitable for tents and RVs. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife and hike along Goat Ridge Trail or the Richmond Mine Trail. Charbonneau Park on Lake Sacajawea is perfect for fishing, boating or just relaxing near the water. It has 52 standard electric sites and two group shelters. One of the oldest wine regions in the country, vintners have been growing grapes here since the 17th century. In Jamestown, settlers were obligated by law to plant European vines, but these plants were prone to pests and did not fare well.

It wasn't until growers used Native American grapes that they had success. Now Virginia has almost 250 wineries. Chardonnay is the most popularly grown variety in Virginia. Many wineries also produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Viognier. The Shenandoah Valley is the largest producer of Virginia wine, with more than 30 wineries nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Allegheny Mountains. Nearly 19 wineries participate in the Shenandoah Wine Trail, where you can mosey from winery to winery with your hiking boots on. The most spectacular time to visit is in the fall, when the leaves turn into a sea of red, yellow and orange, but you can enjoy water sports on the Shenandoah River in the summer including tubing, rafting, canoeing, and kayaking. Camp at the Shenandoah River State Park, with 15 cabins of various sizes, a six-bedroom lodge, 32 standard electric sites, and 10 tent sites. The most popular regions for wine growing are Finger Lakes and Long Island.