The Commonwealth of Virginia is considered the birthplace of America. It’s where English colonists first settled in Jamestown in 1607, and was home to both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, our first and third presidents and two of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. But what many may not know is its historical significance in America’s wine heritage.
Many today may refer to Virginia as one of America’s “up–and–coming wine regions,” but as history demonstrates, its roots run deeper.
Early Roots
In 1619, 12 years after English colonists settled in Jamestown, the Virginia House of Burgesses, then the legislative body for the Colony of Virginia, passed an act requiring each male colonist to plant and cultivate at least 10 grapevines. Planting grapes to make wine, using European rootstock, was an attempt to help boost the struggling economy and trade overseas. Grapes were considered an important commodity at the time, since the British drank copious amounts of wine, which was considered safer than the drinking water and good for digestion.
