Not all of us are lucky enough to live within striking distance of Napa and Sonoma, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t taste the fruit of the vine from the vine itself. There are plenty of good East Coast wineries. Sometimes, you’ll even get to meet the winery owners, who are often the winemakers too. Here are a few East Coast winery trips that you should think about trying on your next weekend trip – since the wine at these smaller wineries is so reasonably priced, you’ll have some money left over to enjoy yourself during your stay, so we’ve also included some ideas for other fun things to do during your East Coast winery trip:
Forks of Cheat Winery (Morgantown, WV): I know – West Virginia is not the first place that you think of when you think of great wines, but the family-run Forks of Cheat Winery offers not only interesting wines that you probably haven’t tried before, but also a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, which is not necessarily what you would expect on a winery trip. It was almost closing time on the day that we visited, but owner Jerry Deal took the time to take us on a personal winery tour of the Forks of Cheat Winery facilities, complete with wine tastings direct from the barrel. Forks of Cheat Winery features some of your standard varietals such as chardonnay and merlot, along with a more unusual finding – Forks of Cheat Black Jewel Port, which won a bronze medal at the 2000 San Diego National Wine Competition and is quite good. While in the Forks of Cheat Winery area, think about visiting Coopers Rock State Forest. Just a few miles from the Forks of Cheat Winery, Coopers Rock State Forest offers great overlooks of the Cheat River Gorge (and a great spot to sip some Forks of Cheat wine after your visit).
Afton Mountain Vineyards (Afton, VA): Situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains and about 25 miles west of Charlottesville, Virginia, Afton Mountain Vineyards is one of 21 wineries located along the Monticello Wine Trail, making this a great place to take a winery trip. The scenery here is amazing and the Afton Mountain Vineyards wines are pretty good too, with featured wines including the newer Tête de Cuvée sparkling wine and an excellent cabernet sauvignon. Shinko and Tom Corpora, Afton Mountain Vineyards owners and winemakers, are located on-site and are glad to provide additional information about both the Afton Mountain Vineyards wines and the area. If you’re into the outdoors or just relaxation in general, the Wintergreen Resort is located nearby, offering skiing, hiking along the Appalachian Trail, or spa treatments for those who would prefer to be pampered for the weekend.
Château Morrisette (Floyd, VA): Located about 2-3 hours from the Afton Mountain Vineyards, Château Morrisette offers a large estate along the picturesque Blue Ridge Parkway, complete with a full-service restaurant and large tasting room. Along with the more regular offerings, you can try Château Morrisette’s Black Dog Red (blend of cabernet, chambourcin, and merlot), Hokey Bird White (an off-dry white wine in honor of the nearby Virginia Tech Hokies) or the award-winning Château Morrisette Frosty Dog Late Harvest Vidal Dessert Wine. The nearby town of Floyd is host to lots of fun and offbeat shops and restaurants – the Blue Ridge Restaurant boasts of “just good home style cooking” and has a great breakfast menu. The Mabry Mill is about five miles from the Château Morrisette winery along the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway and features a restored mill in working condition for those interested in a history lesson in what rural life was like in the early 1900s.
Shelton Vineyards (Dobson, NC): Shelton Vineyards is a little closer to “civilization” than some of the other winery trip locations that we’ve discussed, but still is almost 1.5 hours from the nearest city (Charlotte). Located in the Yadkin Valley area of North Carolina, Shelton Vineyards offers guided winery tours of the estate along with wine tastings of its varietals. Unlike the other wineries, though, you will have to pay to taste their reasonably priced Shelton Vineyards Riesling and Madison Lee Red Table Wine, but as part of your wine tasting fee you’ll also get a souvenir wine glass. While in the area, you can visit nearby Mount Airy (the hometown of actor Andy Griffith and the town that Mayberry was modeled after), drive more of the Blue Ridge Parkway, or visit other wineries on an extended winery trip in the Yadkin Valley area.
Jackson-Triggs Winery (Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON): Jackson-Triggs Winery is one of several terrific wineries in the Niagara-on-the-Lake wine region. On your winery trip, you can choose to a guided winery tour of the vineyards and winemaking facilities or just taste the wine itself in one of the many wine tasting areas. The area prides itself on its icewines (yes, there are advantages to living in near-arctic conditions!) and Jackson-Triggs Winery has some of the best ice wines in the region, with choices ranging from Cabernet Franc and Sparkling Riesling to the more traditional Vidal. The Jackson-Triggs Winery also offers a small dining area overlooking the vineyards, where you can enjoy an excellent wine and cheese pairing on the patio (in season, of course). Since the Jackson-Triggs Winery is only 15 minutes from Niagara Falls, there are plenty of things to do and see in the area. You can choose to be cultured and see a play at the Shaw Festival or you can gamble the night away at one of the Niagara Falls casinos (and just think – your losses won’t be that bad because they’re in Canadian dollars).
