Virginia's wine industry contributes more than $700 million each year to the commonwealth's economy. Producing wine creates jobs, generates taxes and drives tourism.
Next month, the annual Wineries Unlimited Conference will be held in Richmond. In 2011, the trade show moved from Pennsylvania to Virginia. This month's issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine named Virginia among the 10 best wine travel destinations in the world.
Will Rucker is the tasting room manager at King Family Vineyards in Crozet and said they are seeing more out-of-state tourists. "Seeing a lot of visitors from the tidewater region and northern Virginia but we're seeing a lot more people making a destination of it. So coming up from the south or coming down from further north," Rucker said.
The Virginia Department of Agriculture said more than a million people tour a winery while visiting the state each year.
