The Huguenots around Fort Caroline were the pioneers. Those who followed learned that only Florida hybrid bunch grapes and muscadines, southeastern natives, thrive in our climate, providing the raw material for a rather modest wine industry, encouraged by programs at the University of Florida and Florida A&M's Center for Viticultural Science and Small Fruit Development. The eight wineries where you can learn firsthand about the struggles and successes by tasting and touring are:
Chautauqua Vineyards
364 Hugh Adams Road
DeFuniak Springs
850/892-5887
850/892-9539 Fax
Easy to find at I-10 and U.S. Highway 331 and named for the one-time Chautauqua presence in nearby DeFuniak Springs, a time-stood-still sleepy little settlement, this 13-year-old winery has won more than its share of medals -- some 150 -- in various competitions, and it has organized an excellent presentation on all aspects of its grape-growing processes from the growing, cultivating and harvesting to the crushing and bottling. Sweet muscadine and blueberry wines are made as well as more traditional barrel-fermented varieties. In addition to the tastings, there are various juices and microbrewed beer available, along with bottles of its own grapeseed cooking oil. Tastings and tours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Dakotah Vineyards & Winery
14365 N.W. Highway 19
Chiefland
352/493-9309
Nestled in the Suwannee River Valley on U.S. Highway 19 west of Gainesville between Fanning Springs and Chiefland, this 16-year-old winery moved from farming only for fruit to growth for wine, specializing in muscadine table wines, port cream sherry and non-alcoholic muscadine juice. Alongside the winery is a large picnic area overlooking the rows and rows of grapes. The tasting room is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
Eden Vineyards & Winery
(edenwinery.com)
19709 Little Lane
Alva
941/728-9463
941/936-5653 Fax
Located off State Road 80 10 miles east of I-75 exit 25 and proud to call itself "The Southernmost Winery in the Continental U.S." and "Florida's oldest operating winery," Eden represents a three-decade labor of love for the Earl Kiser family, which showcases a
half-dozen reds and whites plus its self-styled "Florida's Tropical Alternative to the California Blush," made from the carambola star fruit. Earl got Chalet Suzanne's Eric Hinshaw interested in having its own vineyard, guiding him with a gift of the same kind of vine, rotundifolia, that he uses to produce Eden's most expensive white wine. Open daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Florida Orange Groves & Winery
(floridawine.com)
1500 Pasadena Ave. S.
St. Petersburg
727/347-4025
727/347-1404
There's not a grape in the place, but there are plenty of premium citrus and berries and gold-medal-winning fruit wines. There are no vineyard tours, but there are tastings and tours of the facilities and detailed explanations of the challenges of making quality wine from Florida fruits, made from 100% fresh-squeezed juices. It's all the achievement of the Shook family, who have been holding forth here since 1997. Tastings 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Tours upon request.
Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards
(lakeridgewinery.com)
19239 U.S. Highway 27 N.
Clermont
352/394-8627
800/768-9463
Gracing U.S. Highway 27 three miles south of Florida's Turnpike exit 285, Lakeridge has it all -- a 22,400-sq.-ft., Spanish-style winery complete with caves to store the bubbly, 100,000-gallon capacity refrigerated tanks, a gift shop with a wealth of accessories, a picnic area and a dozen festival events a year, plus award-winning wines. At last spring's Florida State Fair International Wine Competition, it took Best of Show in three state categories -- sparkling, white and red. Tours and tastings are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Rosa Fiorelli Winery Inc.
4020 County Road 675
Bradenton
941/322-0976
941/322-0027 Fax
Sicilian natives Rosa and Antonio Fiorelli have 10 acres of bunch grapes for visitors to pick during summer months -- green and red in June, black and bronze muscadine in August, saving some for their own bottling of eight different wines. Tours and tastings are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays noon to 5 p.m.
San Sebastian Winery
(sansebastianwinery.com)
157 King St.
St. Augustine
904/826-1594
or 888/352-9463
A few hundred feet from the historic district, occupying a Flagler-era railroad station and sporting a fine little picnic area, a fairly large shop sells all kinds of wine accessories and specialty foods alongside the tasting counter, where the winery's dozen bottlings include a sparkling white, sherry and port. Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for tours and tastings.
Three Oaks Winery
3348 Highway 79
Vernon
850/535-9463
850/535-6951 Fax
Byron and Lucretia Biddle are responsible for this farm winery on Highway 79 south of I-10 at the Bonifay exit, producing sweet whites from the Carlos muscadine and fruity reds from the hybrid bunch grape Conquistador grown on the farm. Tours and tastings Wednesday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. February through December.