Wow, I could have had a V8! (V8 costs less, and tastes about the same.)

As a North Carolinian who has actually been involved in the North Carolina wine business (as well as wine wholesale) I am proud to see our fair state producing wines. However, there are many new wineries and we are yet finding our way in the industry. Certainly there are well-established wineries as well that lead the way and their focus is predictably on traditional vinifera varieties or native grape varieties. Of course these are the building blocks of the industry but, to me, it is far more interesting to see producers working with hybrids and less traditional varieties (even if they are popular, like sangiovese). I see this practice as exploring the best grapes for the place (something that was determined in Europe by a long process of trial and error starting with the Romans). I do believe that terroir is essential in producing unique wines that are an attraction to travelers. Using the traditional varieties does not establish that sort of uniqueness. In fact, due to the competitive nature of the wine business and the length of time that it takes to establish a quality vineyard, it may be a detriment. When Australia can field literally tons of drinkable wine at a fraction of the cost that is required for a new winery (who will probably have a host of investors looking for an immediate return), then any new wines are judged on the least common denominator of price. Therefore, as a new brewery told me recently, it is best to go where the competition is least (they came onto the market - dominated by IPAs and brown ales - with two very drinkable Belgian style beers that are understandable to those IPA and brown ale customers). Virginia, our neighbor to the north, has a well-established industry and is increasingly gaining recognition around the world. Many of their wineries focus on traditional varieties, but many also experiment with less well known grapes and styles that are even gleaned from the history of the state itself. Of course they also have a great figurehead of one of the founding fathers who first planted vinifera grapes on US soil (Thomas Jefferson). I believe that North Carolina would do well to emulate this approach of uniqueness and we have plenty of statesmen other than a certain conservative upon which to draw inspiration. Indeed, we take it as an article of faith that North Carolina was one of the top agricultural producers of grapes in the US before prohibition. I have not been able to discover the exact source of this piece of information, but I do know that there are a great many "native" vines in our state (you can see them in almost every community - little grape arbors behind the houses). Some people make wine with them, some make jelly. But our rich soil that nourishes so many other agricultural products, may not be the best for distinctive wines (indeed many of the great vineyards of the old world seem nearly inaccessible in their steepness). So it is left to discover the places where the vines cling to a tenuous existence and produce the most intense flavors (a quote that has become all but anonymous: "to make a great wine, the vine must struggle"). There are a great many people devoted to this budding industry and their work to train producers and establish vineyards should be applauded. Indeed, we might paraphrase the above quote and say that to produce a great industry a state must struggle. To be sure, these educators and producers have certainly struggled to get where they are and must be recognized by a state now casting around for a crop to replace tobacco. But I do not believe that vineyards alone should be that replacement. I know that diversity in our portfolio will only make our economy stronger and there is a great market for hops and barley (both of which grow nicely in North Carolina). Even then, I believe that we can find other uses for that land. In this I come to another point; I do hope that we do not find ourselves in the predicament of other wine growing states that have bitter fights over the planting of vineyards on land that is also desirable for housing or other viable economic uses. So without boring anyone any more than I already have: I feel that we yet have a long way to go, but have made great strides in the wine industry. I look forward to the future, but would also remind anyone that is interested that certain of our wines have done well in national competitions. I believe that they are worth a look if you happen to find yourself coming to our state. One other word, please come with an open mind and leave your insulting comments at the state line. We are a proud state and we have worked hard on our wines. Thanks for asking and Cheers!