Regional Wines is a presentation I gave at the American Wine Society Annual Conference in Sandusky, Ohio in November 2013.

1. Regional Wine
North America’s Bounty

2. About Me
• Michael Wangbickler
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President, Drink Local Wine
Certified Wine Educator
Certified WSET Educator
CIA Adjunct Instructor
Senior Manager, Balzac
Communications

3. About DLW
• Founded in 2008
– Jeff Siegel (The Wine Curmudgeon)
– Dave McIntyre (The Washington Post)
• Non-profit promoting the wines of lesser
known areas of North America
• Regional Wine Week
• Annual Conference: Ohio in 2014

4. Top Ten States
1. California: 3,579
2. Washington: 676
3. Oregon: 546
4. New York: 312
5. Virginia: 222
6. Texas: 209
7. Pennsylvania: 166
8. Ohio: 143
9. Michigan: 136
10. North Carolina: 129

5. Why Regional Wine?
• Bonded winery in all 50 states
• California was not always the center of the
wine universe
• Ohio River Valley – 1830s
• Unique terroirs
• Good wine being made in every state
• Local Food… why not local wine?

6. Disclaimer
• I am not affiliated with any of the following
wines
• I am not the winemaker, so you can’t hurt my
feelings
• I chose these wines as a good representation
of six different states
• We’re only going to scratch the surface
• This is more a voyage of discovery than a
geography lesson.

7. Time to Taste
Get ready for a few surprises

8. Red Newt Cellars
• Finger Lakes Red Circle
Riesling 2012
• Location: Hector, New York
• AVAs: Finger Lakes
• Varieties: Riesling,
Gewurztraminer, Cabernet
Franc, Merlot, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Pinot Noir
• Winemaker: Kelby Russell &
David Whiting
• Owners: David Whiting
• $12

9. Red Newt Cellars
• Founded in 1998 by
David and Debra
Whiting
• Wine & Spirits Winery
of the Year - 2011
• Food & Wine
Experience
• Seneca Lake

10. Food & Wine Perfection

11. New York Wine

12. New York - The Facts
• Oldest Continuously Operating Winery –
Brotherhood Winery – 1839
• Bonded Winery No. 1 – Pleasant Valley Wine
Company – 1860
• 320 Wineries
• 26.4 Million Gallons in 2012
• Finger Lakes – 119 Wineries - 9,393 Acres
• Lakes and slopes act as moderating influence

13. Next Wine
Can you guess?

14. Pedernales Cellars
• Texas Tempranillo 2011
• Location: Stonewall, Texas
• AVAs: Texas Hill Country,
Texas High Plains
• Varieties: Tempranillo,
Merlot, Grenache, Syrah,
Mouvedre, Viognier,
Albarino, Moscato
• Winemaker: David Kuhlken
• Owners: Kuhlken Family
• $20

15. Pedernales Cellars
• Founded in 2005 by Larry
and Jeanine Kuhlken
• Growers since 1990s
• Name means ‘flint’ in
spanish
• Inspired by old flint
arrowhead found in the
vineyard and flint stone axe
found on winery site
• Several vineyards
throughout the state

16. Don’t Mess With…

17. Texas Wine

18. Texas – The Facts
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1650s – Spanish Missionaries near El Paso
More than 200 licensed wineries
3,300 acres of wine grapes
1.3 million Gallons in 2012
Diversity in microclimates
Hazardous weather
Best at 3,500+ elevation
Harvest at end of July

19. Next Wine
Can you guess?

20. Valley Vineyards
• Ohio River Valley Cabernet
Sauvignon 2010
• Location: Morrow, Ohio
• AVAs: Ohio River Valley
• Varieties: Cabernet Franc,
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah,
Chardonnay, Seyval,
Traminette, Vidal, Niagara,
Concord, Catawba
• Winemaker: Greg Pollman
• Owners: Schuchter Family
• $25

21. Valley Vineyards
• Ken Schuchter plants first
20 acres in 1969
• New winery built in 1983
after big fire.
• Kenny Joe and Dodie made
partners in 1988
• Three generations
• 28 varieties of American,
French Hybrid, and Vinifera.

22. Valley Vineyards

23. Ohio Wine

24. Ohio – The Facts
• Wine produced since 1823 by Nicholas
Longworth
• By 1860, Ohio produced more wine than any
other state, and Cincinnati was the most
important city.
• Almost 200 Wineries
• 1,600 acres of wine grapes
• 3 million gallons in 2012

25. Next Wine
Can you guess?

26. Boordy Vineyards
• Maryland Landmark Reserve
2010
• Location: Long Green,
Maryland
• AVAs: Maryland
• Varieties: Pinot Grigio,
Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc,
Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Petit Verdot,
Chambourcin, Vidal, Seyval,
Riesling
• Winemaker: Rob Deford
• Owners: Deford Family
• $40

27. Boordy Vineyards
• Maryland’s First Commercial
Winery – Phillip M. Wagner
- Baltimore – 1945
• Purchased by Deford’s in
1980 – Moved to Long
Green Valley
• 19th Century Stone Barn
• Rob Deford –
Owner/Winemaker
• 97,000 Gallons

28. East Coast Paradise

29. Maryland Wine

30. Maryland – The Facts
• 1648 – Earliest recorded instance of
winemaking
• More 60 licensed wineries
• 450 acres of wine grapes
• 337,000 Gallons in 2012
• Humidity is a factor
• Varied topography

31. Next Wine
Can you guess?

32. Creekside Cellars
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Colorado Cabernet Franc 2011
Location: Evergreen, Colorado
AVAs: Grand River Valley
Varieties: Syrah, Petite Sirah,
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet
Franc, Viognier, Chardonnay,
Gewurztraminer, Riesling,
Moscato
• Winemaker: Michelle
Cleveland
• Owners: Bill and Anita
Donahue
• $50

33. Creekside Cellars
• Bonded in 1996
• Located on Bear Creek
• First vineyard (10 acres)
planted in 2002 in Palisade,
Colorado
• Grapes trucked to
Evergreen, Colorado

34. Wines with Altitude

35. Colorado Wine

36. Colorado - The Facts
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1899 – First recorded wine production
More 100 licensed wineries
1,000 acres of wine grapes
334,089 Gallons in 2012
4,000 – 7,000 feet elevation – highest in northern
hemisphere
• 10x growth in last ten years
• Diversity in varietals
• Hazardous growing conditions

37. Next Wine
Can you guess?

38. RdV Vineyards
• Virginia Rendezvous Red
Blend 2009
• Location: Delaplane,
Virginia
• AVAs: Virginia
• Varieties: Merlot, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc,
Petit Verdot
• Owner: Rutger de Vink
• Winemaker: Eric Boissenot
• $75

39. RdV Vineyards
• Following Thomas
Jefferson’s vision
• Bordeaux grapes, planted
on a granite hillside.
• “Virginia’s First Growth”
• Sustainability
• 16 acres
• Meant for long-term aging

40. Jefferson’s Wine Country

41. Virginia Wine

42. Virginia – The Facts
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Jamestown – 1613
Thomas Jefferson – 1771
Resurgence in 1970s – Barboursville Vineyards
222 Wineries
3,000 acres of wine grapes
1 million gallons in 2012
Temperate climate
Disease pressures

43. What did you think?
How did we do?

44. Thank You
• Michael Wangbickler
– mwangbickler@balzac.com
– http://balzac.com
– http://drinklocalwine.com
• Slide available:
– http://www.slideshare.net/mwangbickler