Exploring the South one vintage at a time!
Long before William Shakespeare was born, French Huguenots and Spanish monks were making wine in Florida. Today, like those pioneers who came before them, the winemakers at San Sebastian Winery carry on a tradition that is over 450 years old. Using native Muscadine grapes, and more recently developed Florida hybrids, they craft their wines using... Continue Reading →
Certified-Florida-Farm-Wineries-MapDownload The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has created an agritourism designation called “Certified Florida Farm Winery.” There are currently 23 of these throughout the state, a little more than half of the total number of Florida wineries. This certification has nothing to do with the type or quality of wine made, but rather... Continue Reading →
Yes, that's right! Florida Wine Country Guide to Northern Wineries is sold out of publisher copies. But, if you want to know where all the Florida wineries are in a fun and easy to read format, don't despair. You can still buy the book on Amazon.com. Just click here. Florida Wine Country Guide to Northern... Continue Reading →
It was long in coming, but worth the wait. DeLuna Wines in Pensacola is now open to the public for tasting and relaxing. After focusing for the past several years on distribution throughout the state, the winery has come home to roost with plenty of wine production and event space in its 25,000-square foot facility.... Continue Reading →
A big "Thank You" goes out to John Haughey, contributing writer for the Tampa Bay Business Observer for his excellent article on the current state of the Florida wine industry . John caught up with me in September when I was on the road, and I was able to add a few thoughts to his... Continue Reading →
The lady from Missouri sat down at the bar and plopped her handbag on the other stool. "I leave for home tomorrow," she said. "Today's my last day and I haven't been to a Florida winery yet, so I decided to come for a wine tasting." It was 10:00 a.m. The winery wasn't actually open.... Continue Reading →
Wine and the beach just go together. Watching a stunning sunset, listening to the sounds of the surf, and sipping some vino with your toes in the sand is a great way to relieve stress. Florida, you'd think, would have a monopoly on beachfront wineries, but that real estate is expensive and not always easy to find. There... Continue Reading →
When I was researching Carolina Wine Country The Complete Guide back in the last century, one of the winemakers made the statement, "you can make wine out of anything." He was illustrating the fact that, although most of our wine experience is with European varietal grapes, humans throughout history have made wine from a lot of... 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 →
Southern Wine Trails 