About 65 wineries operate commercially in Kentucky, with most recent plantings focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc.

[1] Kentucky produced over two million gallons of wine in 2011 and is the largest wine-producing state by volume in the American South.

Kentucky passed legislation in 1976 allowing wineries to operate, and tobacco settlement funds have provided Kentucky farmers the opportunity to once again explore grapes as a cash crop.

The relatively mild climate of Kentucky, especially in the Ohio River Valley, made Kentucky an attractive place for early American winemaking.

By the mid-19th century, Kentucky was the third largest wine-producing state in the country.