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Wine Valley Producer Grapes Vineyards State Made Finding

Id ESLPod_0326_CN
Episode Id ESLPod 326
Episode Title Finding the Right Wine
Title Finding the Right Wine
Text

In 2003, the United States was the world's fourth-largest producer of wines. California is the country's largest producer of wine. Spanish "missionaries" (people who go to another country to teach others about their religions) began growing grapes and making wine there in the late 1700s.

Today, California's Napa Valley is known as "wine country" (an area where there are many vineyards). Many "oenophiles" (people who love wine and know a lot about it) go to the Napa Valley on vacation to visit the vineyards and participate in "tasting events" (days when visitors go to a vineyard and drink a small amount of many different wines to compare the tastes).

Washington State is America's second-largest producer of wine, with more than 500 "wineries" (companies that make wine). The Columbia Valley and Yakima Valley are probably the best known wine-growing regions within Washington. The state is most famous for its Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The State of Oregon also produces many wines, especially in the Willamette Valley, where the weather is very good for growing grapes. Oregon is most famous for its Pinot Noir, a wine made from dark red grapes, and Pinot Gris, a wine made from white grapes.

Michigan has many vineyards that "specialize" (do one thing very well) in table wines and sweet wines that are made from grapes that are "native to" (originally grown in) North America. Grapes grow best in the vineyards near Lake Michigan, where the "climate" (weather) is "milder" (calmer, without hot and cold extremes) than in the rest of the state.

Topics Food + Drink

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