Is this heaven? No, it's Lubbock.
Flyover America is getting ever-so ever-so with the wine. Wineries are as ubiquitous as spas these days across the country. They’re in the most unexpected places.
Texas is the fifth largest wine producer in the country. Close to my home, Grapevine, Texas has eight wineries. They’re all over the Hill Country. I’ve done a Lubbock wine tasting tour; my favorite was at Pheasant Ridge.
Oklahoma has wineries. Has anyone tried Oklahoma wine? The idea scares me. No offense, Oklahoma. You know I love you.
Arizona also has wineries. I once received a bottle of Kokopelli wine from Arizona. Yes, I tried it.
And I recently did a wine tasting at the Orchard Country Winery in Wisconsin. These wines are full of local apples and cherries. I liked one called Autumn Harvest, which combined apples and cranberries. I probably wouldn’t serve it to a wine snob, but it was fresh ‘n’ fruity.
I haven’t yet found a Flyover wine that comes within spitting distance of anything from the Napa or Sonoma valleys, but those wines were mocked in the 1970s. Who knows? Maybe someday we’ll be proud to pour a fine Oklahoma wine.
The idea scares me too. I haven’t bitten the bullet yet. The color of the wine I’ve seen looks so much like Concord grape juice. Now, in these vast spaces of time the economy creates – I should make it a mission to find a wine in Oklahoma that will do you proud. Road trip!!!
I nominate TR to become the official Flyover America guinea pig of OK wine tasting. Since we just need one person to second the nomination, Sophia? And then he’ll have to do it. And, TR, we will pay you back in, um, well, nothing. Thanks? Or, next time one of us is in OK, some coffee to wash out whatever flavor was left behind.
I second that nomination. And Tim, now I’m thinking about taking the train up to OKC. That would be a cool adventure.
Crack open the first screw cap Tim. Your OK drinking starts in 3…2…1….
Word is, even good wineries like the screw cap. It’s the consumer that is less accepting.
Yeah, was just joking about that. I did a piece for American Way about the rebirth of screw caps and boxed wines a while back. It’s in the Aug. 1, 2007 issue for anybody who wants some, er, vintage info about Stelvin closures (screw caps).
The Stelvin closures! Shmancy! That’s what I’m calling them from now on.
Happy to be of service.
By the way, Michigan serves up some good wine.
I’d recommend Black Star Farms (and it’s a real purty place, too): http://www.lpwines.com/wineries/blackstar/.
And, for a bit of pop with your pour — Madonna’s dad’s vineyard: http://www.cicconevineyards.com/madonna_wines.htm.
And NY state has some fine fine wines. Big time. http://www.fingerlakes.org/wine.htm
Just returned from Northern Virginia. Some of the most beautiful wine country you’ll ever see. Especially in late October. Drank every day (including the four days on the train) Already planning our next trip. What do you call train travel? Rollover America?
Were the wines good?
The wines were awesome. We only visited three. Chrysalis, Barboursville and Three Fox. We did a tasting at Chrysalis which was fun. Wines can be so good when the setting and the company are great. I bought some and brought it home on the train. I’m hoping it tastes as good in January.
Frankie — I forgot about Virginia! Terrible of me. I had some great wines there several years back. And, yeah, gorgeous country. I’ll dig up the info on the wineries I visited–can’t remember the names. Perhaps I drank more than I remember?
And Rollover America — ha! But, here at Flyover America, we welcome all forms of transportation.
And I want to give a shout out to Brotherhood Winery in tiny Washingtonville, NY. They claim to be the oldest winery in America, but who knows.
They make a spiced “Holiday” wine that is, for all intents and purposes, candy wine. I love it, but I’m a low on the oenophile scale as one can get. (Although I do draw the line at Maneschevitz concord grape, but just barely.)