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n a historic tasting of French and
American wines in 1976,
American wines
scored highest. The unexpected triumph
vindicated two centuries of American
winemaking and brought the industry
new respect and prominence. But
American wine was in fact a long story,
reaching across cultures and
continents.
The only wine made in America prior to
the arrival of Europeans was produced
by the Tohono O'odham people of the
desert Southwest from the fruit of the
saguaro cactus. As Europeans explored,
colonized, and settled North America,
they introduced other ancient wine-
growing traditions to the vine-rich continent the
Vikings called
"Vinland."
After cultivating native grapes for
sacramental wine and daily use,
colonists began to import European
varieties. Vineyards and wineries spread
rapidly across the country in the 19th
century. The 20th century brought
several disasters--from Prohibition to
pests--but America's wine industry
survived, enjoying since 1976 the
accolades it deserves.
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