Wine may soon mean big business again in the Bluegrass. Before Prohibition, Kentucky was the country's third-largest grape and wine producing state. Now, small wineries are making a return to the Commonwealth. In 1998, there were only 40 acres of wine grapes in commercial vineyards in the Bluegrass. The Kentucky Enquirer reports that today more than 113 grape producers are growing 583 acres of grapes. There are also 60 small farm wineries in the state.
Dennis Walter, President of the Northern Kentucky Vintners and Grape Growers Association, says he wants to see the Kentucky State Fair become a showcase for the Commonwealth's wines and market them to visitors.
