All the rich green trees Mother Nature ever created seemed to be growing here, covering low-lying mountains festooned with wispy mist, under a mantle of robin-egg blue. Once again I was back in Virginia, and once again glad of it. Even without a single winery the Commonwealth of Virginia would rank among the world's most scenically appealing places, but the fact is that this is America's (and doubtless the world's) most up-and-coming center of wine production.
As a graduate-school student here 20 years ago, I could count a scant six wineries. A year ago, 49. On the eve of the Fourth of July 2000, when I visited again, Virginia had 65 wineries and many more on the way.
The fact is that Virginia-made wine is predominantly very good and the best ranks with top-level, world-class wine. Medals from tough wine competitions and critical rating boards abound among many of the makers.