last year, i wrote a post about ozan vineyard down in calera, alabama just south of birmingham. since then, i've been able to visit two more alabama vineyards, so i thought i'd whip up a post on my thoughts and which to visit if you're in the central alabama area.
but more importantly... did you know that there's an alabama wine trail? um, yeah. that's a thing. we make wine here in alabama, if you can believe it.
i love visiting vineyards, attending tastings, trying unique wines... so my discovery of the alabama wine trail was totally necessary. i just got back from san francisco and a quick trip to napa valley with my family, which was a breathtaking, amazing experience. but, there's something comforting and fun about visiting vineyards in your own home state. does your state have a wine trail?
ozan vineyard
the vineyard in ozan rests on a truly beautiful property in calera, alabama, a quick drive down I-65 south from birmingham. if you purchase the full excursion, this includes a tour of the property, tasting of all their wines, and a train ride. yep. a train ride, y'all. for a simple, fun date or a daytrip, ozan is fantastic. i also happen to like their wines the best, as they're not as sweet as other alabama wines.
morgan creek vineyard
morgan creek, in harpersville, al, is also a gorgeous, instagram worthy property that offers a tour and tastings of all their wines. what sets morgan creek apart? muscadines! all wine at morgan creek is made from the unique muscadine grape, which gives the wines a true southern twist. these are super sweet wines. even the driest is incredibly sweet. another thing that makes this place unique? you can grab a bucket and pick your own muscadines to take home!
i like morgan creek because it's near stone hollow farmstead. if you wanted to plan a wonderful day trip, head to a tasting at morgan creek, and then to stone hollow farm for a tour of the property and to sample some goat cheese. perfection.
vizzini farms vineyard
vizzini farms is a quaint winery in calera that boats a wonderful chardonnay and an array of dessert wines. the property is smaller, but fit for a lunch with friends and the bistro located inside. this spot is great for a wine tasting and quick lunch! i really enjoyed their chardonnay and tuxdeo junction dessert wine - chocolate and raspberry is always a great combo.overall, my favorite is probably morgan creek vineyards, simply for the diversity of activities you can participate in and their proximity to other neat attractions like stone hollow. i liked ozan's wine the best, however, as muscadines aren't really my thing. when i'm ranking vineyards, i try to consider the entire experience you get, which includes a tour, the staff, the property, etc. - which is why despite the super sweet wines, morgan creek is what i reccomend.
honestly, though? all are day-trip worthy! i'm making it a mission to complete the alabama wine trail and visit every vineyard, and if you're a wine lover in alabama, you should too. i'll review as i go! cheers!
