The U.S. Postal Service issued this 5¢ Grapes pane of 20 adhe­sive stamps on February 24, 2017 in Grapevine, TX. Two clusters of deep-purple Pinot noir grapes are depicted growing on vines among several green leaves. Pen, ink and watercolor were used to produce this original art by John Burgoyne of West Barnstable, MA.

     A member of the genus Vitis, grapes have been cultivated for thousands of years dating back to the very beginning of civilization. Grapes can be eaten as a table fruit, dried to produce raisins, or crushed to make wine or juice. According to the Dept. of Agriculture, 7.8 million tons of grapes were grown commercially in the U.S. in 2014.

Believed to be one of the oldest cultivated grapes in the Vitis genus, the Pinot noir grape can produce one of the most highly prized and elegant wines in the world. Once thought to only grow well in Burgundy, France, the Pinot noir grape is now successfully grown in cooler climates around the world, including areas of the United States - northern California, New York, and Oregon, among others.

Scott # 5177