The state with the capital Madison is located in the northeast of the USA and covers 169,639 km². It became the 30th state to join the Union in 1848. Almost half of the inhabitants are descended from German immigrants. There are large forest areas (46% of the total area) and about 15,000 lakes. The wood of the oak trees is used for the production of American oak barrels. Wisconsin borders Lake Superior (one of the five Great Lakes) and Michigan to the north, Lake Michigan (also Great Lake) to the east, Illinois to the south and Iowa and Minnesota to the west.
In 1841, Agoston Haraszthy (1812-1869), a Hungarian immigrant from Austria-Hungary, founded what is now Sauk City. He was engaged in the cultivation of hops and grapevines before he later went to California, where he set decisive viticultural impulses. The well-known American vine breeder Elmer Swenson (1913-2004) created numerous new varieties on his farm near Osceola with the aim of early-maturing and frost-hardy varieties.
Due to the very cool climate, there is a large proportion of hybrids as well as autochthonous descendants of American wild vines. The most important red wine varieties are Chambourcin, Chancellor, Baco Noir, Concord, Frontenac, Léon Millot, Maréchal Foch and St. Croix. The main white wine varieties are Chardonnay, La Crosse, Seyval Blanc and and St. Pepin. Lake Wisconsin is the only AVA classified. The wine-growing centre is the country around Green Bay, especially Door County. Well-known production facilities are Cedar Creek Winery, Orchard Country Winery, Orchard Country Winery and Woodland Trail Winery.
