Sunshine State Wineries - Visiting Florida’s Grape Trails

After the orange, the grape, and its fermented juice, might be Florida's second favorite fruit.

White Wine and White Sand Beaches

Come to the Panhandle of Florida and white sand beaches are the #1 attraction. Now imagine enjoying the surf with a glass of wine, and a visit to Seabreeze Winery can make your next vacation just about perfect.

Just four years old, the winery brings its grapes come from nearby Kyotee Vineyards. Their Black Nobel muscadine grape is used in Seabreeze’s red wine, while the white wines are made from the harvest of Carlos and Magnolia varieties.

Despite being a new kid on the winery block, Seabreeze has racked up a number of accolades and awards on its products. In 2007 alone, at the San Diego Wine Competition, their Horizon White, Breeze Blush and Island White were awarded silver medals. The latter wine was also honored with silver at the Florida International Wine Competition.

The vineyards of DeFuniak Spring’s Chautauqua Winery are close to being 30 years old. Not old by European standards, but mature enough to produce acres of grapes which are used in the winery’s extensive product line. Some of the more unusual offerings include Vanilla Sherry with a Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean, in the bottle, infusing this dessert wine.

Honey is another sweet ingredient added to Chautauqua Winery’s blue bottled Wild Honey Flower wine. Served chilled the sweetness is intensified with white Carlos muscadine wine.

Wine tastings are complimentary and year round.

Gulf Coast Wineries

Tarpon Springs is known for its Greek heritage, and Tarpon Springs Castle Winery is known for their European influenced wines. Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are among their featured wines. Among the Wine Maker’s Reserve a Pinot Noir grape gives the Bayou Breeze the delightful summer fruit combination of raspberry and strawberry aroma with a tinge of black cherries.

While traveling along the Gulf Coast make note that Clearwater’s Murielle Winery offers complimentary wine tastings most Saturdays between 12:00 – 3:00. Do send an RSVP email first though. Berry flavors rule here. Blueberry Pinot Noir, 3 Berry (boysenberry, blackberry and raspberry) Shiraz and a light Black Raspberry Merlot are a few of the delectable berrylicious wines.

Crackers with wine warmed hearta

Central Florida is often called the state’s heart. Henscratch Farms Vineyard and Winery sits dead center in Lake Placid. With 10 acres of native southern muscadine and scuppernong grape varieties, the winery is a celebration of the lives of the region’s “cracker” pioneers.

Its wines reflect the country atmosphere. Here one can find a Strawberry Blush and Country Blush with its combination of the muscadine and scuppernong juices, a Country Blueberry and the famed Henscratch Farms Foot Stomped. The latter is a semi sweet wine whose grapes were stomped by feet during the winery’s annual Grape Stomp.

If you wish to have your own “I Love Lucy” grape stomping moment – make plans to visit Henscratch Farms in November 2008.

Source : http://florida-travel.suite101.com/