The US is the biggest single territory that Wine-Searcher covers, if not in physical size, then certainly in terms of users. But is it really one territory? Or is it 50 smaller ones? Does a state's population matter, or do smaller states outdo their larger neighbors? 

A look at the search figures going back over Wine-Searcher's 20-year history reveals one clear truth: Virginia is the rather unlikely place to be if you want to be surrounded by curious, adventurous wine lovers. But what about California? I hear you cry; well, that's where the population question comes into it.

If you look at the raw numbers, California tops the search numbers across 14 of 15 criteria, listing which states search most for specific wines and spirits. However, New York leads in one category and comes second in 13, despite having less than half the population of California