(Seattletimes) - Half a century ago, Washington’s biggest claims to fame were Sasquatch and the logging, maritime and aerospace industries.

But in 1967, the floodgates of commercial winemaking opened here. Since then, the state has rapidly become a leading player in wine production and sales.

Today Washington is the second-largest producer of premium wine in the country, with bottles sold in all 50 states and exported worldwide. The Washington State Wine Commission reports that we’re home to 900 wineries, more than 350 grape growers and 50,000 acres of vineyards – approximately the size of Napa Valley.

How exactly did the state come to harvest more than 200,000 tons of grapes annually? European settlers, the Prohibition era and a Napa Valley winemaking legend all played a part.