Then in the '70's glamorous figures like Francis Ford Coppola took a serious interest and in the '80's a wide array of financial investors joined the scene. As a result prime vineyard sites have rocketed in price. By contrast, in Washington State, there was no previous wine industry and ample desert or semi-desert land that could be purchased cheaply and irrigated. Whilst prices have risen, there are still many openings for extending vineyard land at reasonable cost. Therefore Wine on the Web recommends searching Washington State for wine investment.
Readers can purchase literature covering the state and start developing specialist knowledge.
The one drawback to contemplating Washington wines is the lack of any long track records, since most of the wineries were founded in the last 25 years. The real task is to unearth the next star winery before it becomes common knowledge. This applies in general as well as to Washington State. The word 'futures' is widely used for wines purchased within a year or two of production, and which will require cellaring for some time before they will be ready for consumption. Investors purchase these usually for mid to long-term profit.