The economic impact of North Carolina's wine industry is now more than billion dollar-a-year.
In 2009 the North Carolina Wine Industry had a total economic impact of 1.3 billion dollars.
According to a study released this week by the State Dept. of Commerce that represents a 60-percent increase compared with just a few years ago.
Margo Metzger is a spokeswoman for North Carolina's Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development. She says the industry has quickly grown to more than seven thousand jobs.
Margo Metzger: "The growth has been so rapid most people probably don't realize how big of an industry it is. Not only are there 106 wineries across the state, travelers are staying at hotels, eating at restaurants, buying wine in groceries stores. The winery is far beyond just the 106 wineries."
North Carolina now has a total of 106 wineries, in 49 different counties. The state ranks ninth in the nation, in wine and grape production.