Oklahoma Wine Country
Wine production was significant in the 1920’s in Oklahoma, which then suffered the double whammy of Prohibition followed by the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s. Today’s wineries produce a wide range of wines from different species of grape along with various fruits and honey. The Oklahoma Grape Industry Council provides education and promotion, including the 9 Trails throughout the state, and works with OSU to advance in the industry in various ways.
Great Grapes: Seyval Blanc
Among the many white French-American hybrids created in response to the phylloxera epidemic, Seyval Blanc is among the most popular due to its climatic adaptability and its versatility in the glass. Often likened to French “Chablis” in aroma and taste, and described by some as somewhere between Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, the crisp wine may have notes of green apple, melon and citrus. It can also be enhanced with malolactic or barrel fermentation to yield a rounder sensation, and can even make a good sparkling wine. Cornell grape geneticists think so highly of the grape that they crossed it with Chardonnay to create the popular and successful Chardonnel variety.
