Wineries
cIn Florida there's much more than the familiar sights of beach chairs, shuffleboard and top-notch attractions. Experience a unique taste by planning a tour of the state's award-winning wineries.

Grown and harvested in Florida, these grapes have caught the attention of wine connoisseurs worldwide for their robust and bountiful flavor. The distinctive taste of Florida's wines comes from native fruits that are used in harvesting some of the best wines.

Lakeridge Winery
19239 U.S. 27 North, Clermont
800-768-9463 www.lakeridgewinery.com
What began as an investment for Gary Cox in 1988 has grown into one of Central Florida's most successful wineries with 65 employees and a second location in St. Augustine.
Complimentary tours and wine tasting are offered seven days a week, Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tours usually run every 15 to 20 minutes and begin in the upstairs theater with a 12-minute video presentation showing the growth of Florida grapes to the wine-making process and the finishing with the bottling and labeling. The wine tasting is held downstairs at the large tasting counter where five to six varieties of award-winning wines ranging from dry to sweet and sparkling are usually offered. The winery tour and wine tasting lasts approximately 45 to 50 minutes.

Chautauqua Winery
I10 and US 331, Defuniak Springs
850-892-5887 www.chautauquawinery.com
The largest vineyard in Florida, located just north of DeFuniak Springs, is owned by Paul and Kate Owens of Brewton, AL. Planted in 1979, the grape vineyards are hybrids of native grapes and have been selected for wine production.
A tasting room and gift shop are open year-round for visitors to sample and browse for wine and wine-related items.

Dakotah Winery
14365 NW Hwy. 19, Chiefland
352-493-9309 www.dakotahwinery.com
Operated by Rob Rittgers and his father Max Rittgers, who established the vineyard in 1985 with the planting of 200 muscadine grape vines, today boasts a 12-acre site with more than 6,000 grape vines.
Innovational wellness walks are an enjoyable way to view these spectacular vineyards with a final stopover in the vineyard's comfortable wine-tasting room. The roof of the wine cellar serves as a patio and offers a vantage point for observing the onsite pond and the sanctioned bird life.

Eden Winery
19709 Little Lane, Alva
239-728-9463 www.edenwinery.com
More than 30 years ago, the Kiser family planted wine grapes in Southwest Florida with the purpose of producing the finest wines of the world - Chardonnay, Cabernet, Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Sangiovese and others.
Due to Pierces Disease, a condition that attacked the vitis vinifera specie, the Kiser family sought to discover a "hybrid" grape plant that could be developed to produce a fine wine yet be immune to the disease.
In the mid-1970s, the Kisers purchased cuttings from a hybrid vine at the University of Florida and planted them in test vineyards in Alva, a rural community east of Fort Myers.
In 1986, Eden Vineyards became the southernmost federally licensed, bonded winery and vineyard in the United States.

Seabreeze Winery
13201 Hutchison Blvd., Panama City Beach
850-230-3330 www.seabreezewinery.com
The winery, which opened in July 2003, is the location where grapes are brought for crushing, pressing and fermenting. The vineyards are located 35 miles northwest of Panama City Beach in Bruce, FL. The first vines were planted in 1996 and the vineyard steadily expanded to 100 acres in the spring of 2005.
Visitors are frequently able to observe the many wine-making operations since the processes are underway while tours are being conducted.
SeaBreeze Winery is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tours of the wine-making facility are available, as well as a complimentary tasting of all of these delicious wines.

Schnebly Redlands Winery
30205 S.W. 217th Ave., Homestead
888-717-9463 305-242-1224 www.schneblywinery.com
Scheduled to open in early 2006, Schnebly wines bring a totally new experience to your taste buds. The company has crafted the only tropical wines produced in the U.S. that are made with absolutely no grapes. Currently five varieties are offered - Lychee, Carambola, Passion Fruit, Mango and Guava, each with its own style and personality.
The tasting room will be a highlight of the winery. Visitors will be able to taste and purchase these unique tropical wines along with wine apparel and accessories. Unique to the winery is the sale of fresh fruit to match the bottle of wine purchased.

San Sebastian Winery
157 King St., St. Augustine
888-352-9463 904-826-1594 www.sansebastianwinery.com
San Sebastian Winery is situated in an historic East Coast Railway building, located just a few blocks from downtown St. Augustine. The newer and larger facilities will not disappoint anyone who takes pride in enjoying the great taste of wine while learning each step of the wine-making process.
Visitors to the facility are greeted by staff who take them on an interesting journey through the complete wine-making process. After a short audio-visual presentation, guests embark on a guided walking tour of the 18,000-square-foot wine production facility. Then they move on to the tasting room, where tips are given on how to taste, savor and enjoy a selection of San Sebastian premium table wines.

Florida Orange Groves Inc. and Winery
1500 Pasadena Ave, S., St. Petersburg
800-338-7923 www.floridawine.com
It began as a citrus packing and shipping facility in the 1970s and has since grown into Pinellas County's first and only citrus winery.
Each specialty citrus wine is made from 100 percent pure Florida citrus juice. It can take upwards of nine pounds of fruit to give Florida Orange Groves enough juice for just one bottle of the mango mamma or mango, orange sunshine, grapefruit or tangerine wine.
This family-owned winery is open for tasting and tours Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday hours are 12:30-5 p.m. Tours are held at 11 a.m. 1, 2, and 3 p.m. The winery is closed on all major holidays.

Florida Estates Winery
25241 State Road 52, Land O' Lakes
813-996-2113 www.floridaestatewines.com
Florida Estates is Tampa Bay's first premium winery producing world-class wines from the best of Florida's wine grapes.
Participating in a professionally conducted tasting of multiple wines offers a meaningful and enjoyable sensory experience that enables visitors to better judge and appreciate wines. The tasting takes 30-40 minutes, but the overwhelming majority of visitors appreciate the opportunity to gain information about Florida Estates Winery's unique grapes and wines. The winery is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Rosa Fiorelli Winery, Inc.
4250 CR 675, Bradenton
941-322-0976 www.floridawinery.com
A family-owned and operated business located south of Lake Manatee boasts of their award-winning winery and unique Florida taste.
Recently expanding their fields to 10-acres of vineyard, the winery features a spacious area where tasting and sales are held. Lunch is served daily at the onsite pavilion.
The winery is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mon-Sat., Sun 12-5 p.m. -