Over the past several years, grape
acreage has grown rapidly. Virginia ranks eighth in
commercial grape production. Current bearing
acreage is about 3,200
acres in 2015. Most of this acreage is
planted to wine grape varieties, though some of the
longer-standing vineyards are composed of table grapes.
Vineyards are widely distributed in the state, though
most vineyards are in the northern Piedmont. The 10
leading counties (with 2015 acreage figures) are:
Albemarle (570), Loudoun (541), Orange (251), Fauquier
(221), Nelson (242), Shenandoah (90), Westmoreland
(81), Madison (78), Rappahannock
(77), and Augusta (69).
Vinifera varieties account for 78% of bearing acres,
French-American hybrids 16%, and American varieties
6%. The 10 leading varieties with 2015 acreage are
Chardonnay (441), Cabernet
franc (382), Merlot (332), Cabernet sauvignon (289), Viognier (259), Petit
verdot (198), Vidal blanc (151), Chambourcin (134), Norton
(126), and Traminette (109). (These are all vinifera except Vidal
blanc, Chambourcin and Traminette (hybrids)
and Norton (American).
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The Virginia Fruit Web Site:
