Exploring the South one vintage at a time!
If 750 ml isn't enough, you may soon be able to super-size your vino in the sunshine state. Florida State Senator Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) has introduced a bill that will allow larger sizes of wine bottles to be sold in the state, including one that holds as much as 50 liters. He also seeks... Continue Reading →
A picture is worth 1000 words, according to the old adage. Although I'm a writer, I'm a visual person and I depend on the photos I take to help illustrate my words. I've shot pictures for my books, newspaper articles, websites, and sometimes for my own use just to help me remember what I saw when I'm... Continue Reading →
There's a saying among wine makers that old vines make great wines. If that's the case, making wines from vines planted in the 1970s has certainly been rewarding for Chautauqua Vineyards & Winery. One of Florida’s oldest wineries, Chautauqua Vineyards’ estate wines reflect both the origins and the future of America’s wine industry. The name Chautauqua... Continue Reading →
The first wine made in America was made in Florida. French Huguenots, settling along the St. John’s River in the mid-1500s, engaged in the production of the first wine recorded in the new world. It was the 1565 vintage. Unlike much of the wine we drink today, it was made from the wild, native Muscadine... Continue Reading →
Wish you could visit a Florida winery right now? Well, here's a whirlwind tour to get you started. https://youtu.be/4QoGGXFp69k
Think wine, think California, or France, or anywhere but North Carolina. Think again. Since the mid-1990’s North Carolina wines have been making a comeback and grape and wine production are pushing the Tar Heel state back to its former wine glory. Long before vines were planted in the Napa Valley, North Carolina viticulturists were... Continue Reading →
Southern Wine Trails 