VA to NY, Texas: Thanks for the cutbacks

Planting vines at the VA Executive Mansion.

Just as the New York State wine industry is buffeted by aid reductions and a lack of ongoing commitment to it by state government, the ever-growing Texas wine industry now is facing severe reductions in state governmental support.

In a story on that topic in today's San Antonio Express-News -- which itself ceased sponsoring its annual international wine competition when its revenues flattened three years ago, wine and spirits columnist Jennifer McInnis wrote:

"Not everyone is upset about the impending [Texas] budget cuts. Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore sees opportunity and openly mocked Texas and New York for cutting their budgets.


" 'It doesn't make any sense to us, but we're not arguing,' he says. 'If they want to take those steps backwards, that's all for the better of Virginia. We are committed to growing this industry'."

The attitude is typical of Virginia governmental attitude toward its well-regarded wine industry. One recent example:

Planting of 10 Chambourcin grapevines in the garden of the Executive Mansion in Richmond during Wine Week 2011 followed the path of the original "Charter of Jamestown’s Acte 12" in 1619 that required every male settler to plant at least 10 grape vines. The vines were planted with the intent that they will be flourishing for the Executive Mansion’s bicentennial in 2013.

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