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The roots of the American wine industry can be attributed to the Gold Rush In the 1850s, when minors went down to northern California, according to the UC Davis library . But it was not until 1976 that the booming American wine market that we know today started to settle. Quick advance of almost 40 years, and you can find vineyards In the 50 states . Although 84% of them are concentrated in California (it is difficult to beat their soil!), There are more and more wine regions that arise in every corner of the country, everyone specializes in their own grape varieties and offering a lot to make during a trip. We asked the travel experts to share their best wine destinations, from classics to completely unexpected places. Continue to read for the 12 best American cities to visit wine lovers.

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The 12 best American cities for wine lovers

1. Snake River Valley, Idaho

Idaho is probably not the state that comes to my mind when you think of wine, but the American wine area of Snake River Valley (AVA) - Aaka Sunnyslope - is starting to make a name for 15 vineyards.

"With a climate that reflects that of certain major regions of culture in Spain, this wine region of Idaho is well known for many of its Spanish grape varieties, in particular the tempranillos", said Samantha and Chris Caputo , founders of Travel Blog Shirk abroad .

Although you don't find hundreds of vineyards as you would in California, the Idaho wine scene "feels Refreshing directly and relaxed "Writes Eater." In recent years, winegrowers have transplanted from California to apply their experience in the emerging region - but there are also many natives of Idaho among the winegrowers, including some on land transmitted for generations. ""

Eater recommends visiting Ste. Chapel , the first cellar to open in the state in 1975 (and now the largest), and Koenig cellar , where you can try their Varieties Viognier and Syrah they say "do exceptionally well in Idaho".

As the Caputos note, the Snake River valley is only 40 minutes from Boisse, an emerging city which is also Ideal for hiking . In addition, the southern section of Idaho of the Snake river offers a lot outdoor adventures .

2. Albuquerque, New Mexico

Just as Idaho is an unexpected region of grape culture, new-mexic is also. The City of Albuquerque is probably better known for the Fiesta de Balloon International and its red and green peppers, but it also houses a growing wine scene which was launched more than 400 years ago by Spanish settlers, explains Brenna Moore , director of communications and public relations at Visit Albuquerque .

"The climate of the high desert of the New Mexico and the dry and nutrient-rich soil are ideal for producing wine and have led to more than 40 vineyards and vineyards on the scale of the state, with several in Albuquerque", explains Moore.

Some of his favorite local cellars are Gruet cellar , one of the best producers of sparkling wines in America with roots from the Champagne region in France, Sheehan Winery , where you can take a Guided tour of wine and bicycle , And Casa Rondeña Winery , located among the old cotton woods of the North Serene Valley of Albuquerque.

Albuquerque also has a booming craft beer scene, with an entire brasserie district. And with regard to restaurants, regional cuisine, which incorporates Mexican, Native American and Spanish flavors, is completely unique. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

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3. Fredricksburg, Texas

Fredricksburg is nestled in the heart of Texas Hill Country and has become known as Texas Wine Country. This area even has a wine highway.

"Wine Road 290 is a motorway section that has many vineyards along its path and more than 100 in the region," explains Taylor Beal , owner and author of the travel blog Crossed with Taylor .

"At first glance, you might assume that Texas Wine looks like his Californian counterpart, but the reality is very different," said Kelsey Kramer , the director of education and a WETT educator certified to William Chris Vineyards . "The soils thrive with varieties of Mediterranean, Spanish and southern France grapes, producing wines that have minerality, reservoir and rustic characteristics."

Beal recommends using the 290 Wine shuttle, a hop-on-off bus for an unforgettable experience of Fredericksburg. With William Chris, Pedenal cellars won prices for its incredible mixtures.

4. Walla Walla, Washington

Did you know that Washington is the Second wine producer in the USA.? And in the center of it is the funny city of Walla Walla.

"This small town is well known for its picturesque wheat fields, its welcoming residents, its farm restaurants at the Table and the Historical Main Street", explains Phillip Imler , founder and president of World Alliance of National Parks .

"This region has approximately 120 vineyards and has an excellent mixture of offering of red and white varieties", according to Emily Smith , founder of The woman abroad . She explains that the Walla valley valley is divided into six zones. The Eastside is "your rolling hills par excellence", and the WestSide "is regularly a winner of the best wine region in America."

According to Seattle Mets, part of the most popular wine in the region includes School No. 41 , which takes place in an old school and famous for its Bordeaux mixture, Woodward canyon , known to have the best Cabernet Sauvignon in the State, and Waterbrook cellar , set on 49 rolling acres adjacent to a beautiful pond.

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5. Willamette Valley, Oregon

Oregon also has incredible vineyards, including two thirds (or around 700, to be exact) Willamette valley . The region is world -renowned for its Pinot Noir, but you will also find Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

"The wines of the Willamette valley are often compared to the very popular wines from Burgundy, in France. We are at a similar latitude in Burgundy, which means a fairly similar climate," explains Lauren Gonzalez , co-founder and director of Hospitality L&L .

Mark Fang , sommelier and founder of Wineo Mark , suggest Rex Hill (where they have been doing Pinot Noir for over 35 years), Domaine Drouhin , Or Trisaetum "For exceptional wines and a view of the valley."

The Willamette valley is only an hour outside of Portland, so staying in the city is a viable option. Gonzalez notes that there are many tasting rooms and wine bars in Portland, and many restaurants, including his own, Lolo pass , Offer local wines on the menu.

To stay in the valley, Valerie Edman , owner and luxury travel advisor at Cultired Travel LLC , suggests Dundee, a country city in the famous hills of Dundee. "Dundee has the greatest number of tasting rooms in the Willamette valley," explains Edman, and you can easily walk or cycle between them.

6. Southampton, New York

The North Fork is the best -known Hampton section for its long vineyards. The downside, however, is that this area can be filled with New York weekends and bachelor parties.

On the other side of the bay, in Southampton, you will find fewer vineyards, but a charming old -fashioned nautical experience. (And it is quite easy to go to the north fork if you choose.)

A beautiful place to stay is Sag Harbor, " An old wharf town where all buildings are in their original state, " Joey Wölffer , owner of Wölffer Estate, told Voyage + Leisure . "There is so much to do here ... The preserves of nature, the beaches, the events, the museums," she added.

And one of the biggest prints is Wölffer Estate himself. The cave " I started doing rosé In the early 1990s, "according to The New York Times , when "many wine snobs in this country have always associated the pink variety with sweet and budgetary prices".

Today, his pink wine is one of the most popular on the market. Visiting the vineyard allows you to taste rosés and their other wines. You can also consult their Wölffer Kitchen Amagansett restaurant for a food and wines agreement.

The other popular Southampton tapes include Channing girls And Duck promenade vineyard .

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7. Finger Lakes, New York

If you are looking for outdoor activities to support your wine tasting, the New York Finger Lakes region is an excellent choice.

"It is a breathtaking destination producing wines of cool click of world class filled with charming small cities and glacier Freshwater lakes , "explain Brittany Gibson , executive director of Seneca Lake wine trail .

The 320 square mile wine trail includes 27 vineyards around the Seneca Ava lake. According to their website, "the region specializes in Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, as well as sparkling wines and ice wines".

Although there are so many vineyards among which to choose, Gibson notes that "some of the oldest vineyards of the Finger Lakes are on Seneca Lake, [including] Glenora wine cellars ,, Wagner vineyard , And Lakewood vineyard , and one of the most emblematic cellars of Finger Lakes: Hermann J. Wiemer . ""

In terms of place of stay, Carol Cain , director and founder of Brave World Media suggests Watkins Glen, where the The State Park has 19 waterfalls and 200 -foot cliffs. Cain also points out that this is where the Finger Festival of Finger Lakes is held in July.

8. Sonoma, California

Usually, it's Napa synonymous with California wine, with its oak cabernets and butter Chardonnays. But on the other side of the valley, Sonoma offers the same famous grape varieties (and then some!) In a heavier and commercial setting.

"The County of Sonoma is quite large with warmer areas inside the known lands for the varieties of Bordeaux and the Rhône, as well as the old Zinfandel vine, and also the extreme coastal areas pushing the world class Pinot and the Chardonnay," explains Vanessa Conlin , Master of wine at Access to wine .

Although there are several pockets of cellars and small small cities (including Sonoma itself), most of the experts with whom we have spoken recommend Healdsburg, anchored by a city center in the 19th century and located along the Russian river.

Sarah Quider , vice-president of vinification Foley family wines , calls out Ferrari-Carano cellar , where you can walk around five gardens acres (visit in the spring to see Over 10,000 tulips and rods ).

"There is nothing like being a little isolated among the Ferrari-Carano vineyards, surrounded by 100-year-old olive trees, shaded under the pergolas, while sipping a selection of wines designated by the vineyard," explains Quider.

Other popular destinations include J Vineyards & Winery ,, Dry stream vineyard , And Davis family vineyards (where you can play Bocce Ball). Quider also notes that there are 26 tasting rooms in downtown Healdsburg alone.

Of course, all this sampling of wine will make you hungry. "Restaurants like Smooth (Three Michelin stars), Grange Diva (A Michelin star), Dry Creek cuisine (Chef Charlie Palmer's spot), Painting , and many others make him a Mecca of the Restoration, "explains Quider. High -end hotels are in no way either.

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9. Calistoga, California

Of course, we must show The Napa Valley A little love too. The region actually houses many small towns, each with its own atmosphere.

"" Calistoga , located at the northern end of the Napa valley, is a small mountain city overflowing with well-being and wine, "said Melissa Vogt founder and director of Mvfooddrink .

Vogt recommends Larkmead vineyards , a Historical Taht wine estate dates back to 1895. "You can get closer to the lasting vineyards, pollinating gardens, the mixed art gallery and historical artefacts - by experiencing educational, exciting and unforgettable," she says.

If you feel particularly medieval, Calistoga also has a cellar called Castello di Amorosa , which is located in a Tuscan style castle.

In addition to wine, Calistoga is known for his hot Springs , luxurious healing mud baths. To get the full experience, plan to stay at Calistoga Spa Hot Springs ,, Indian Springs Calistoga , Or Solage .

10. Paso Robles, California

Halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, off the Pacific Coast Highway, Paso Robles is a wine destination slightly under the radar in California.

It has "a small town cowboy charm and has endless accommodation options, historic inns and luxury backstage to rustic vineyard exhausts", explains the tourism entity Paso . (Being able to spend the night in a vineyard is something quite unique to Paso Robles.)

"With more than 200 vineyards and 260,000 acres of vineyards, [Paso Robles] offers vintages from Zinfandel, Bordeaux and Rhône", according to Conlin. She notes that the latter is "commonly called the" American Rhône ", because this is where Mixtures of the Rhône were first introduced in the USA.

Some of the main vineyards that Conlin recommends include Succession wines ,, Turley wine cellars ,, Booker vineyard ,, Jack Caves Ruisseau , And Denner vineyards .

If you need a break in wine, another major Paso Robles attraction is Tin City. "This industrial area consists of tin buildings and links that house several restaurants, breweries, distilleries and cider houses", explains Carly Brown , founder of Travel Blog Search serenity .

There is also Sensorio Field of Light , an experience of 15 acres by artist Bruce Munro, made up of nearly 59,000 optical fiber spheres.

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11. Santa Barbara, California

Halfway between Paso Robles and Los Angeles, Santa Barbara is another unique wine destination. "This is the coolest climate of the State for the cultivation of grapes, allowing the region to specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay," explains Lexi Stephens , sommelier, wine educator and founder of La la la la la la la la la la vie .

Stephens notes that the majority of vineyards are approximately 45 minutes by car from downtown Santa Barbara in the Santa Ynez valley. A fun fact is that this region has the highest concentration of women winegrowers in the world, many of whom "produce unique grape varieties that you have never tasted, from Albariño to Gruner Veltliner", she said.

According Food and wine , some of the best vineyards to visit include Alma Rosa Winery , where you can sip " Pinots and CHARDONNAYS with cool climate From [St.] Rita Hills, " Foley Estates , where they say "do not neglect the Grenache rosé" and Cave in Sanford , "Home of the oldest Pinot vines of the County of Santa Barbara."

Of course, staying in the Mediterranean style of Santa Barbara is an option, but in the Santa Ynez valley is the small town of Solvang, underlines Stephens. Solvang is shaped after a Dutch village, with Danish bakeries, European architecture and many wine tasting rooms and charming restaurants.

12. County of Loudoun, Virginie

The county of Loudoun, in Virginia, won the nickname "the napa of the East", according to Anna Rossetto , destination marketing for International Development Advisors .

With more than 50 of the 300 state vineyards, the region takes place mainly against the magnificent campaign where "travelers could find themselves inside a rustic barn sipping vintage red ... or in a intimate cellar next to a sprawling historical domain", describes Rossetto.

What is fun in this region is that most of the vineyards are small and family, which means that their wines are not produced en masse. According Food and wine , an essential cellar is Boxwood Estate , where you can sip their much appreciated Bordeaux -style red mixtures And Sauvignon Blanc in an old historic equestrian farm.

Rossetto recommends Sunset Hills vineyard , a cellar known for its sustainability efforts, Casanel vineyards , the only cellar in Virginia to cultivate and produce a 100%varietal carmenée, and Fabbioli cellars , where you can try the Tannat chipper.

Being only an hour outside of Washington, D.C., makes Loudoun County easily accessible and perfect to adapt to a city trip.