Wine Trail – Tasty wine destinations for wine lovers in America!
July 23rd, 2013Written for America’s Wine Trails by: Lucy Daniel
Many tourists and wine enthusiasts from all over the world throng the United States to visit the various wine trails and destinations that produce a wide variety of wine. They come seeking great wine tasting experiences and explore the numerous wineries that America has to offer.
If you are a tourist from abroad, and you want to make a short visit to the states, you can do it without a Visa. It is authorized through the ESTA (Electronic system For Travel Authorization). ESTA is a US government system that assesses an individual’s eligibility to be allowed to the United States without a VISA, under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
The best wine tasting destinations in America include;
The Napa valley is the most famous region in the United States when it comes to wine. It is an ideal destination for wine lovers. Just 55 miles north of San Francisco, visit this California Wine country for an incredible experience. It has many cosy caverns and scenic vineyards with over 50 types of grapes. Its wine production is vast and produces legendary Chardonnay and Carbs, and proudly has over 400 wineries. With Napa, it is more than just the wine tasting experience. The wineries have amazing fine dining scenes, and some of them contain museum worthy are collections. Additionally you will find great golf courses and luxurious spas.
Sonoma County is another wine destination. It may not produce as much wine as Napa, but it makes up for that in variety. You will find all types of wine here, from Chardonnay to Zinfandel. Their wineries are laid back and after a long day of strenuous wine tasting, visitors can relax themselves at some of their local spas.
The Willamette valley in Oregon is also another good place to visit for wine lovers. After the wine tasting, it has a variety of lodging options for its visitors. These range from top notch hotels in downtown Portland to cosy B&Bs in the country. Every visitor will find the perfect relaxing place after a long day full of wins tasting activities.
Another destination is the beautiful and tranquil Finger Lakes in New York. The place has a good microclimate, making the conditions ideal for growing grapes. As a result, it is known for producing award winning wines and sparkling wines as well. It has over 100 wineries along Seneca, Canandaigua, Keuka and Cayuga lakes. Visitors can indulge and choose from its several wine trails.
Long Island is also another wine trail found in California and is known for its great wine. Most of is vineyards are relatively small and the wineries bottle their vintage wines in limited runs, hence it is unlikely to see their wine in your local wine stores or on any restaurant wine lists. If you have already been to Napa and Sonoma, Long Island is the next destination to visit. Its local Syrah and Merlot is pretty good, but you could also try its sparkling Pinot Blanc too. Paso Robles is located in the coastal mountain range of central California. Paso Robles (Pass of the Oaks) began grape growing in 1797. Currently, there are more than 170 wineries, and over 26,000 acres of vineyard producing more than40 varieties of wine. Other than the wine tasting, the region offers some thermal springs which are speculated to have healing powers. The area also has a variety of modern spring resorts.
The Temecula in Southern California is a rural wine region that is small and charming. It has a similar climate to that of Spain or Southern Italy, and hence it is no surprise that it produces wine varieties such as Sangiovese and Syrah. It has the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine festival in late May or Early June where they fly hot air balloons over the vineyards.
Another wine destination is the Palisade in California. In the early 20th century, wine business was booming up to the prohibition where it was wiped out and the vineyards were replanted with fruit trees. In the 1970s, wine making resumed in the Palisade and currently the region produces over 75% of all the wine grapes in Colorado. Additionally, the wineries produce fruit wines using the area’s local fruits.
Plymouth in California was originally known for the gold rush. Nowadays, tourists come to visit in search of great wines and not precious metals. It has many small local wineries that have tasting hours over weekend, although the ones on the weekdays are a bit limited.
The Walla Walla in Washington, at the foot of Blue Mountains, is one of the hottest new winetouring regions in America. It has a combination of great wineries and beautiful sceneries. It has excellent Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
