Toast of the Town
Wine Country
Travelers can find wine tours in all 50 states.
By Mark Spivak
Château Morrisette Winery, Virginia
Merlot grapes on the vine at Virginia’s Williamsburg Winery.
Mention wine tourism, and most Americans automatically think of either Napa or Sonoma Valley. Wine is now made in all 50 states, however, and some of it rivals California’s top efforts. There are wine trails located within driving distance of many cities, providing tourists a taste of town and country.
New York State has one of the country’s most developed wine industries, with more than 225 wineries in seven different regions. The Finger Lakes area has received most of the attention recently, largely thanks to the opening of the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua. The Seneca Lake subregion has 54 wineries, Cayuga Lake boasts 25 and Keuka Lake is the home of both Bully Hill and Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars. Details are available at newyorkwines.org.
There’s more to New York wine than the Finger Lakes. There are nearly two dozen wineries in the Hudson Valley, a brief excursion out of Manhattan. The North Fork of Long Island is studded with well-known wine estates such as Palmer Vineyards, Pindar, Bedell Cellars and Duck Walk Vineyards. Those who are loath to leave the city can visit Brooklyn’s Bridge Vineyards and Loukas Wines in the Bronx.
Even as a state with a restricted alcohol distribution system, Pennsylvania now has 87 wineries. Twenty are located in the countryside around Philadelphia. The largest is Chaddsford, founded in 1982, with production of more than 30,000 cases a year. Other interesting properties include Kreutz Creek Vineyards and Sand Castle Winery. Information on Pennsylvania’s 11 wine trails can be found at pennsylvaniawine.com.
With 100 wineries, Virginia is now the country’s fifth-largest grower of traditional grape varieties, such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. One quarter of Virginia’s wine estates are located around Washington, D.C., providing an outlet for visitors who become bored with touring the Smithsonian or the national monuments. The best-known destinations are Prince Michel in Leon and Kluge Estate in Charlottesville. Given enough advance planning, wine lovers touring the Shenandoah Valley can indulge in a meal at The Inn at Little Washington, one of the country’s finest restaurants, which has a cellar containing 14,000 bottles. For more details, consult virginiawines.org.
For a glance at the additional features and departments in this issue, visit our Table of Contents.
Please click the link to purchase the current issue, back issues or to subscribe. The circulation department may also be reached at 561-472-1910.
