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In the 1980s, the California-based wine consulting and management company of Gomberg, Fredrickson & Associates established a hierarchy of wines according to price. The hierarchy includes four levels of premium wine—Popular Premium ($3-$7), Mid Premium ($7-$10), Super Premium ($10-$14), and Ultra Premium ($14-$25).

The first winery in the Americas was established in which of the following countries?

A. United States

B. Mexico

C. Argentina

D. Peru

Casa Madero, the first known winery in the Americas, was established in 1597 in the Mexican town of Santa Maria de las Parras (“Holy Mary of the Grapevines”). The winery still exists and today, specializes in chardonnay, chenin blanc and shiraz. In the last decade, the Mexican wine industry has grown significantly even as it has moved closer toward high quality wine. Much of the excitement has been centered on the 1,000 + mile long Baja Peninsula south of California. There are now 100 wineries in Baja. The earliest wine made in what is now the United States was produced between 1562 and 1564 by French Huguenot settlers in northern Florida. The wine was made from local Scuppernong grapes, but it appears the settlers did not build a winery.

“Wines are like people. Some are perfect but boring, some are precocious but fail to live up to their promise, and some may be flawed, but the way they may develop is endlessly fascinating.”

—Michael Broadbent
English critic

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