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The flag of Utah

Utah is a state in the American West, bordering Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming and Arizona. The state's cold, dry climate – along with some of the most restrictive alcohol laws in the United States – is not particularly hospitable to vines, but a small wine industry has been built up here since the late 1980s. Classic vinifera varieties such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and Muscat Blanc are the most commonly used grapes here.

Vines were first planted in Utah in the 1860s by Mormon settlers who hoped to use the grapes to make sacramental wine. A sizable but short-lived wine industry sprang up in southern Utah in this time near the town of Toquerville, where the Mormon Wine Mission began producing wine to be shipped to the rest of the state. The spread of Mormonism (a religion that practices temperance) led to the abandonment of this industry, which was not to be revived until the 1980s.

The state covers just under 85,000 square miles (220,000 sq km) of high-altitude land within the Rocky Mountain range. Many of the state's wineries can be found along the southern border with Arizona, around Moab and Cedar City. Reaching altitudes as high as 6000ft (1800m) above sea level, these vineyards benefit from warm sunny days and much colder nights, leading to the development of varietal character along with acidity in the wines. Most of these mountain vineyards require irrigation during the dry growing season, and careful frost control due to the marginal climate here.

Currently, Utah has fewer than 10 wineries located within its boundaries. While the harsh terroir may have something to do with these low numbers, the restrictive laws surrounding the production and sale of alcohol have not helped matters. Utah was recently voted as the least wine-friendly state in the United States.

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