A friend of mine just sent me an article about the country's biggest wine region....and it's not California.

It is the Upper Midwest, inlcuding Iowa and Illinois.

Thanks to a federal ruling that starts tomorrow, the Upper Mississippi River Valley, covering a whopping 29,914 square miles and encompassing portions of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. That's 39 times the Napa Valley's puny 759 or so square miles.

American Viticulture Areas recognize a unique grape-growing region. The new region was created after area wine and agriculture officials petitioned the Alcohol Tobacco and Tax and Trade Bureau, which controls the designations.

Of course, designations do not a great wine make, but those of you who've sampled some wines from around the midwest will agree that you can find some pretty decent wines. It's a little hit and miss, but still, it's nice to think that we Midwesterners can do more than just drink the stuff, eh?