West Virginia, otherwise known as ‘The Mountain State’, has a mix of elevations and climates, allowing it to grow a wide variety of grapes. The state hosts 11 wineries and portions of three AVAs: the Kanawha River Valley, Ohio River Valley and the Shenandoah Valley. The wineries are spread throughout all corners of the state. The largest winery, Daniel Vineyards, is located in the state's southwestern corner. Due to winter kill, most of the vines are French-American hybrids, with just a small fraction devoted to Vitis vinifera. A notable exception to this is the Potomac Highlands area, in the state’s northeast corner, where Riesling is successfully grown. This area has four operating wineries benefiting from rolling hills, shale soil and an average rainfall of only 16 inches (making it one of the WV's driest areas). The area is often compared to Germany’s Mosel Valley and the region proves that distinct viticultural areas exist in West Virginia beyond the designated AVAs.