Kansas is a red (wine) state

• Corey Wood
• The grapes at Somerset Ridge are part of a burgeoning wine industry in Kansas.

Brides may want to think about getting married on the Missouri side in these here parts. Because the state of Kansas is cranking out more red wine than white wine these days, according to a new survey from the U.S. Department of Agriculture [here’s a link to the data].

Kansas growers produced more than 100,000 gallons of wine last year by working nearly 350 acres of vines. Leading the pack was Kansas reds at 53 percent of production, with white wine accounting for 39 percent and rose at 8 percent. It turns out that a lot of wineries also dabble in fruit — a third have turned to blackberries, raspberries and peaches to augment their vintages.

I know this was once an oxymoron (the survey notes that 42 percent of the wineries have been launched in the past five years), but what’s your favorite Kansas wine?