Wine history: Red, white and USA

(News-Press) - While the Fourth of July celebrates the birth of the USA, we wine fans can have a sober look at the history of this glorious beverage and America’s influence on it.

After all, we did save wine for the rest of the world — but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Here are some historical tidbits about wine in the United States.

• In the ninth century Scandinavians headed East through Iceland and Greenland, eventually landing in Vinland (Wine Land), which is believed to be the East Coast of America. It was warmer up north back in 1000 A.D. so vines could flourish, and according to Adam of Bremen in 1075, “Vinland has wild vines, which make excellent wines.”

Were Norse colonists America’s first winemakers? There is no conclusive evidence historians can agree on, so we move forward.

• The 16th century saw the arrival of European settlers in America and for two centuries there were trials and failures at producing wine. In 1562 we find the first reference to winemaking in the U.S. in St. Augustine by French Huguenots. But it became quickly apparent that grapes native to American soil were not destined to make wine suitable to the European palate.