Author(s):
Jeffrey Widener* - University of Central Oklahoma
Abstract:
While Oklahoma is historically well known for its tornadoes, its Choc Beer, and its Indians, the state may one day be known for its vineyards and wineries. Since the implementation of State Question 688 in 2000, the Oklahoma wine-making industry has gone from at total of three registered wineries to fifty-five. The climate and soil in Oklahoma support growing grapes, but the sometimes fickle weather and the often problematic wine laws haunt these rural grape farmers. The problems, however, are not insurmountable. A journey of over 5,000 miles and visits to over thirty of the fifty-five wineries made it clear that this burgeoning industry positively impacts Oklahoma's economy and dynamic identity. This exploratory paper gives an overview of the geographical aspects of the wine-making/grape-growing industry's revival and growth in the state with an emphasis on the influence these factors have on the prospects for the success of the industry in the future.
