Air Travel Discount
Links of interest for your travel plans
Wineries
If you love wine, and you
love to travel, chances are that you will be able to locate a winery or
wineries in most states you find yourself traveling to or through!
Whether this is your primary reason for travel or not, a visit to the
nearest local producer of vino can be quite inspirational. When most
people think of American made wine and wineries, they think of
California vineyards, probably the most popular wine-producing
destination in the country. On the contrary, many of the states in our
industrious nation harbor some very good wineries, they just
don’t have the advertising budget of some of the larger more
well-known operations.
If you have a chance to do your research ahead of time, check out the
internet for some great sites that can give you information regarding
the wineries in the state you are visiting, and any local listings for
seasonal wine festivals that you may want to attend. One site,
www.allamericanwineries.com is a great resource, and presents an
unbiased, comprehensive listing of wineries and the state in which they
can be found. They refer to these smaller, less well-known wineries as
“hidden gems” because they offer the wine
connoisseur a pleasant surprise on their side trip off the beaten path.
Many of these wineries are family owned and operated and have been in
existence for a very long time, but are only well known to the local
residents or to those that have discovered them by word of mouth.
Wine is produced in most parts of the country and is offered at local
restaurants and shops featuring local fare, as well as at seasonal wine
tasting festivals. From upstate New York to the deserts of New Mexico
and Arizona, wineries are quite popular and utilize varieties of grapes
that are best grown in that specific region. These unique wines usually
complement the food specialties that are native to that region, and
just would not be the same if served in another part of the country.
Habanero wine served in New Jersey with fresh red snapper would
probably not be a good paring!
So on your next trip, a wine connoisseur or not, be sure to sample the
local vintage and subject your taste buds to a tongue tantalizing
experience! You may even be able to pick up a brochure that lists your
favorites, so that you can purchase online or via mail order for
yourself, or as gifts in the future. Have fun and start your own wine
tasting journal; get off the beaten path and visit these wonderful
wineries and their “hidden gems”! Enjoy!