In 1663 King Charles II explicitly encouraged winegrowing in Rhode Island through the colony’s Royal Charter. Wineries operated in the state until Prohibition. But the state’s modern winemaking era did not begin until 1975 when Sakonnet Vineyards was established in Little Compton. Today, there are a handful of small to medium-sized wineries, producing high-quality wines from French hybrid and cool-climate vinifera varieties. Although not really an island, the state does have a large coastline-to-land ratio and is commonly referred to as the Ocean State. The Gulf Stream-warmed Rhode Island Sound and Narragansett Bay provide tremendous maritime moderation in both summer and winter, making Rhode Island’s climate one of the mildest in the east. Winter temperatures rarely dip below zero and cooler summers with longer autumns produce fine European-style wines from vineyards within the Southeastern New England AVA.