Oregon wine grape industry growing |
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Wed, 30 May 2007 22:21
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CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon wine grape industry is raising a glass to itself.According to a new report by Oregon State University released Wednesday, wine grape gross sales increased a record 27.6 percent last year to hit $46.7 million.The growth is due in part to the increasing number of new vineyards and wineries popping up across the state to feed a continued thirst for the state's wines.Oregon State reports the wine grape growth has been steadily increasing for a number of years. But last year shows a significant bump: gross sales figures grew 27.6 percent in 2006, compared to an 18.5 percent growth in 2005.The state's grape harvesters have also improved yields due to better growing practices, management and seasonal conditions, the report finds. The wine grape production increased by 25.6 percent.'To compete on a global level, our focus must be on premium wines, and if you don't have good fruit you won't have good wine,' said James Kennedy, a wine chemist in Oregon State's College of Agricultural Sciences.The wine industry in Oregon provides more than $1.4 billion in economic activity for the state, according to a separate economic impact study released by the Oregon Wine Center last year.The number of wineries in the state has tripled in the last decade. And in the last year alone, 49 new wineries opened. There are currently more than 300 wineries across the state producing wine from 72 varieties of grapes.The majority of the grapes harvested are for pinot noir.Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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