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<\/a><\/figure>\nThe University of Minnesota\u2019s breeding program, which launched in the mid-\u201980s, changed that. It focused on creating cold-hardy, disease-resistant, and high-quality grapes that could survive Midwestern winters \u2014 and please consumers\u2019 palates. The program hasn\u2019t stopped evolving. \u201cNow, there are a couple of varieties that can be grown throughout the state,\u201d Vos says, noting a few of the U of M\u2019s medal-winning wines<\/a>, like La Crescent and Marquette. \u201cThose cultivars really kind of unlocked the Midwest\u2019s potential.\u201d<\/p>\n These high-quality, flavorful wines produced across the Midwest cultivated a boom in wine production. In 2011, climate-resistant grapes brought $401 million and more than 12,000 jobs into the United States economy, in the Midwest and other regions.<\/p>\n But despite the growth in production, the Midwest still lags behind California wine country in terms of culture. Winemakers in the Heartland still have more hoops to jump through before they\u2019ll feel on the same level as producers in more established regions. And those hoops aren\u2019t easily jumped.<\/p>\n Historically, the Midwest hasn\u2019t been a hub for wine enthusiasts, partially because there\u2019s just not as much wine here. There are more than three times as many wineries in California than there are in the Midwestern states combined \u2014 which means there are fewer places for vinos to put their expertise and passion to work. \u201cThere\u2019s only so many opportunities for Master Sommeliers in the Midwest to be compensated at a level that is fair,\u201d says Matt Citriglia, a certified Master on the Court of Master Sommeliers. In fact, he knows of a few who would love to move to the Midwest \u2014 if they could find an appropriate job.<\/p>\n Studying to become a Master often involves mentorship from a current Master. And because fewer than 15 of the 140 Master Sommeliers in North America live in the Midwest, Midwest-based aspiring somms have to travel for proper training. That’s the case for Leslee Miller, a certified sommelier living in Minneapolis, who’s put off preparing for the exam because her wine consulting business keeps her so busy. But creating an environment that advances these experts is important: They’re the ones who foster a robust wine culture by working in fine dining and educating consumers. And so even if a Midwestern city\u2019s wine culture improves in terms of vineyards \u2014 like those in Ohio, Citriglia says \u2014 without these key experts, it\u2019s hard to play catch up with cities like San Francisco.<\/p>\n Wines produced in the Midwest tend to have more acid and fruit flavors than traditional European varietals.<\/p><\/div> But it\u2019s not just the size of the cities; the consumers are partly to blame. Midwesterners consume less wine than other Americans: On the list of states that consume the most wine , only three Midwestern states<\/a> sit on the top half. Instead, Midwesterners tend to spend their time drinking beer<\/a>.<\/p>\n This doesn\u2019t mean the Midwest is out of the wine game yet, though. State wine associations and other wine-friendly groups are actively trying to increase awareness of what the Heartland has to offer. In the last decade, more competitions solely for cold-climate grapes have popped up, like the Cold Weather Wine Competition in Minnesota and the Mid-American Wine Competition<\/a> in Iowa (which Vos coordinates). “Our goal is to promote the wine and the grape cultivars of our regions,\u201d Vos says. \u201cThe whole point is to increase recognition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/a>