By Victor Block
France and Germany are renowned for the outstanding wines made there. The beverage is ingrained in French culture, and the majority of the German varieties come from small, family-owned vineyards.
The same succulent beverage has been produced in the United States since the 1500s, and the quality has earned it a number of international awards. California leads in viniculture, accounting for some 80% of the total that is made and bottled. Next, but far behind in volume, are New York and Washington state.
Many people are surprised to learn that wine is made in all 50 states, some of which seem unlikely locations for growing grapes. Traveling often provides excellent opportunities to drop by vineyards and tasting rooms to sample vintages that may be new to your palate.
Many oenophiles rank California first on their list of must-see, must-sip states. A number of them head for St. Helena, where the Hall Rutherford Estate is tucked into the mountainsides of the Vaca Range, 4 miles east of downtown Napa. The caves here are an integral component of its winemaking process, providing a stable temperature and moisture level that are perfect for aging and storing wine in barrels. The major attraction is the Chandelier Room, where a massive suspended light is dressed with hundreds of glittering Swarovski crystals.
The Jarvis Estate winemaking facility is entirely contained within 45,000 square feet of a cave tunneled into the scenic Vaca Mountains. Due to the invariant temperature and high humidity of caves, wineries typically have used them for barrel-aging wines. Jarvis Estate was the first in the country to tunnel a cave so large that it contains the entire winemaking operation. Water from a spring that flows through the cavern controls the temperature and moisture levels.
A very different vibe greets guests at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Along with wine offerings, it has a restaurant, swimming pool and rooms devoted to the many Academy Award-winning films that Coppola has directed. A favorite among visitors is the Godfather Room.
By some counts, Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country ranks among the most popular wine destinations in the country. Added attractions are bountiful barbeque, melodious country music, and places to see and make fine art.
Another surprise sipping state is Missouri. Its wine region takes in the resort town of Branson and the sprawling Lake of the Ozarks reservoir. The main attraction is the Ozark Mountains AVA (American Viticultural Area, which is a grape-growing region with specific geographic or climatic features that distinguish it from the surrounding territory).
Two of the earliest AVA areas in the Unites States are located in Missouri. German settlers began planting vineyards there nearly 200 years ago, and the Augusta AVA was the first one to be established in the United States. It was recognized and registered several months before California's Napa Valley achieved that honor.
Willcox, Arizona, about an hour's drive from Tucson, is home to wineries that produce good products for a state usually associated with sand and searing heat. Vineyards are perched on mountainsides where hot days, cool nights and rich soil provide a welcome environment for grapevines.
If wine is your passion, plan to combine your travels with tastings. Some wineries are available in well-known viniculture destinations; others offer a welcome surprise. Whether you're a would-be sommelier or a tenderfoot, wines and wineries along the way can meet your preferences.
WHEN YOU GO
For an extensive list of wineries throughout the Unites States: winerelease.com.
hallwines.com
jarviswines.com
francisfordcoppolawinery.com
visitfredericksburgtx.com/wineries
visitmo.com
willcoxwines.com
Victor Block is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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