The Boston Globe reports that wine production is up in Massachusetts despite tough economic times, citing a state agency report.
In 2010, Massachusetts wineries hand-crafted and bottled more than 134,724 gallons of wine and hard apple cider, up 21 percent from 2007, said the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. The department used reports from the Massachusetts Alcohol Beverage Control Commission in compiling its study.
According to the study, there are 40 licensed wineries in Massachusetts, and 2010 wine sales totaled $9.3, an increase from $7.8 million in 2007.
“Massachusetts consumers are discovering exceptional wines being produced right here in the Bay State,” Department of Agricultural Resources commissioner Scott J. Soares said in a statement. “This awareness has been enhanced by sales of wine at farmers’ markets, as well as visits to winery tasting rooms across the state.”
