Didn't have a chance to get away this summer? There's still time to visit a place that might seem very foreign: Florida's wine country.
Vintners and growers are working to make wine across Florida, from Fernandina Beach to Destin across the Panhandle and as far south as the Fort Myers area.
Occasionally they bring in chardonnay or merlot juice from California or Chile. More often, they make wine from what grows here, hybrid grapes, native muscadines and fruits from carambola to blueberry. And with each vintage, they get better.
Let's take a look at a few of the wineries that are in the area of the Villages of Citrus Hills.
Copp Winery and Brewery
11 NE 4th Ave
Crystal River, FL 34429
Phone number: (352) 564-9463
coppwinery.com
Whispering Oaks Winery
10934 County Rd 475
Oxford, FL 34484
Phone number: (352) 748-0449
winesofflorida.com
Strong Tower Vineyard & Winery
17810 Forge Drive
Spring Hill, FL 34610
Phone number: (352) 799-7612
strongtowervineyard.com
Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards
19239 US Hwy 27
Clermont, FL 34715
Phone number: (352) 394-8627
lakeridgewinery.com
Dakotah Vineyard
N Highway 19
Chiefland, FL 32626
Phone number: (352) 493-9309
Florida Estates Winery
25241 State Road 52
Land O Lakes, FL 34639
Phone number: (813) 996-2113
Land O Lakes Winery
3901 Land O Lakes Blvd
Land O Lakes, FL 34639
Phone number: (813) 995-9463
landolakeswinery.com
Island Grove Wine Company
24703 SE 193 Ave
Hawthorne, FL 32640
Phone number: (352) 481-9463
islandgrovewinecompany.com
Empire Winery and Distillery
11807 Little Rd
New Port Richey, FL 34654
Phone number: (727) 819-2821
Backyard Barn Winery & Microbrewery
1945 E Cr 462
Wildwood, FL 34785
Phone number: (352) 418-7887
backyardbarnwinery.com
The Corkscrew
16 SW Broadway
Ocala, FL 34471
Phone number: (352) 402-0158
thecorkscrewwinery.com
Wines For Humanity
29437 Crossland Drive
Wesley Chapel, FL 33543
Phone number: (813) 992-7788
Grape Expectations
4730 Mile Stretch Drive
Holiday, FL 34690
Phone number: (727) 938-4385
grapeexpectations.us