Best Wineries in Florida to Visit
Best wineries in Florida are in a category of their own. Using Florida grown fruits that include muscadine grapes, tropical fruits and Florida oranges these Florida wineries create truly distinct and delicious wines.
There are wineries and vineyards scattered throughout the state, offering visitors the chance to taste and experience the best of Florida’s wine scene.
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Wine-Making Regions in Florida
Florida is home to several wine regions, each with its own unique climate and soil conditions that contribute to the flavors and characteristics of the wines produced there.
One of the top regions for wine tasting in Florida is the Panhandle, which benefits from its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. The sandy soil and warm climate create ideal conditions for growing Muscadine grapes, which are used to produce sweet and fruity wines. Lakeridge Winery grows a large portion of their grapes in the panhandle area.
The Central Florida region is known for its rolling hills and fertile soil, which are perfect for growing traditional grape varieties like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. This region is home to well-known Florida wineries Lakeridge Winery and San Sebastian Winery.
The Southernmost region in Florida is home to Schnebly Winery which is known for making seasonal and exotic fruit wines. A great example is their distinct Avovino which becomes available in May, the very start of the Avocado season (it’s delicious!).
Top Wineries in Florida to Visit
Here are the most popular wineries in Florida open to the public. These wineries have different offerings like tastings, tours, and special events and are widely considered to be worth the visit.
Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards - Clermont
This award-winning winery is the largest in Florida and it’s location is in beautiful Clermont in Central Florida. There are daily tours and tastings, and they host lots of weekend community events.
Most of their wines are made with Muscadine grapes, which have skyrocketed in popularity with this renewed popular interest in living healthier lives. Muscadine grapes are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here’s interesting information on the health benefits of Muscadine grapes here.
Visit their official website for more information on tours and tastings, or shop their wines directly: Lakeridge Winery & Vineyard
Where to Stay
Lakeridge is just off Florida’s Turnpike and very easy to get to, located in the middle of the state where it’s quite rural and quiet. Clermont is known for beautiful big slopey hills, it’s a beautiful part of Florida. It doesn’t have many hotels, they are concentrated in just a few areas.
We’ve stayed at two places in Clermont, and highly recommend both.
Hampton Inn and Suites Clermont is easy to get to, and centrally located. It is top-rated, has a pool and free breakfast, and very nice clean rooms.
Use this convenient Expedia tool (below) to find room rates (tip: they vary by season so shop some different dates) which are normally very reasonable. If you use the “map” view in the top left, you can see more hotels that may be available for when you’re thinking about visiting, with room rates.
Another fun stay in Clermont to consider (this is a fun one!) is more of a wedding or big birthday party venue: Sweet Escape Mansion Near Orlando. We went to a family wedding here over a long weekend and this mansion is even more fun than it looks like on their website Sweet Escape Mansion here! They are just a few minutes to Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards.
San Sebastian Winery - St. Augustine
San Sebastian Winery in St. Augustine is a sister company to Lakeridge Winery and located in a historic building dating back to the late 1800s.
When you’re visiting St. Augustine, add this to your must-visit list! They offer daily tours and tastings, as well as a rooftop bar with stunning views of the city. And they have a small shop which sells bottles and cases of your favorite wines.
They also produce the iconic St. Augustine Lighthouse wine in the lighthouse shaped glass bottle… it’s produced by Lakeridge for San Sebastian. This wine is a favorite of many tourists and visitors not just for it’s delicious taste but also for the bottle itself.
Visit their official website for location, hours of operation, tasting information or to buy their wines directly: San Sebastian Winery St. Augustine
There is no shortage of places to stay in St. Augustine. It’s such a fun town, and well worth visiting. It’s great for a romantic getaway, for families with kids, and it’s also fairly dog-friendly too! There’s so much to do here – add visiting San Sebastian Winery to the list! And don’t forget
See my St. Augustine Travel Guide blog that includes information on best places to stay, beaches and attractions to visit, and don’t forget to take a ghost tour!
Keel & Curley Winery - Plant City
Keel Farms Keel & Curley Winery is located on a beautiful property in southwest Florida west of the Tampa area. They offer tastings and tours. They also have a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. *We recommend the outdoor seating on a nice day, it’s lakefront and beautiful.
Founded in 2003, it all started with blueberries! Keel farms is a large active farm and if you visit during season, you can u-pick some for yourself!
Besides their delicious blueberry wines, they produce other delicious wines like peach chardonnay, key lime, black raspberry and many others. Also, they produce ciders also available at tastings and in their store.
Keel Farms and Keel and Curley Winery are known for their commitment to sustainable, farm-to-table practices. All their blueberries are grown on-site and other fruits are sourced locally whenever possible.
Visit the Keel Farms official website for their location and directions, information on tours and tastings, events, and to purchase their wines directly.
Plant City is small and very rural, there are just a few hotels close by. Here’s the Hampton Inn & Suites Plant City, which is normally very well priced and has exceptional reviews.
Bunker Hill Vineyard & Winery
Bunker Hill Vineyard & Winery is located in a small rural town, Duette (near Bradenton and Tampa). They offer a wonderfully unique selection of more traditional grape wines as well as tea, fruit and vegetable wines (seasonal), plus jams and jellies, Red Cedar (Florida) Christmas trees. They even have a ghost tour! Get more information on their official Bunker Hill Vineyard website here.
Where to stay when visiting Bunker Hill? It’s in a very rural area with no hotels in the immediate area, so the best (most fun) places to stay are roughly 30 minutes east in Bradenton, like the very reliable and top-rated Hampton Inn Ellenton Bradenton (roughly 30 minute drive). You’ll be near to Siesta Key, well worth a visit! Here’s my blog 12 Best Things To Do in Siesta Key Florida here.
If you stay in the Ellenton/Bradenton area, make sure you eat a meal at the nearby Woody’s River Roo Pub and Grill, see why you don’t want to miss this place on their official Woody’s River Roo website here.
Schnebly Winery - Miami
One of Florida’s oldest wineries, Schnebly Redland is known for making a variety of distinct and delicious wines from tropical and exotic fruits including pineapple, avocado, passion fruit, mango and many more. They are also committed to sustainable practices.
Located in the south end of Miami, in an agricultural area known as “Redland”, Schnebly sits on one of the most picturesque places where waterfalls cascade over natural coral rock into a large koi natural basin with huge colorful koi.
There is a fantastic restaurant open Friday thru Sunday, and they also host weddings, parties and community events.
Visit the official Schnebly Winery website for more information on their hours of operation, the restaurant, tastings and tours or to buy their wines directly.
If you’re planning a road trip or plan to fly into Miami International Airport, you’ll drive south to almost the end of Miami, and you’ll be well on your way to the Florida Keys at that point! Make it an epic road trip and continue on US1 south all the way down to Key West! From Schebly’s in the south end of Miami to Key West will take you roughly three hours drivetime. This will surely be one of the most beautiful, unique, and memorable road trips. Check out my blog on visiting Key West’s Mallory Square at Sunset here!
To spend a nice night near Schnebly’s Winery in Miami, eat a nice meal in their restaurant and enjoy the beautiful location and natural koi grotto and waterfall… you may want to stay at the highly-rated The Hampton Inn & Suites Homestead Miami South. It’s close, and offers a very clean stay with a lovely pool, free breakfast, and great room rates. And this hotel makes the perfect launch point to your epic road trip south to the Florida Keys and Key West. Once your at this Hampton Inn… you can’t get lost… just one road leads you all the way to Key West!
More Wineries and Vineyards to Look Out For
Here are more Wineries in Florida to consider visiting, or look out for their wine products in local stores:
Use this convenient Expedia tool to help find hotels nearest to the wineries you want to visit, with reviews and room rates and more photos.
Planning Your Florida Winery Visit
Florida’s wineries offer a variety of tasting experiences, from casual walk-in tastings to guided tours and reservations. Here are some tips for planning your Florida winery tour:
- Do your research: Check out winery websites and social media pages to see what they offer and plan your itinerary.
- Make reservations: Some wineries, especially those with limited space, require reservations for tastings.
- Choose your transportation: If you plan on visiting multiple wineries, consider hiring a designated driver or using a rideshare service.
- Enjoy the experience: Don’t be afraid to ask questions and learn about the winemaking process. Most importantly, have fun and savor the unique flavors of Florida wines!
With its beautiful scenery, delicious wines, and welcoming atmosphere, Florida is a great destination for a memorable wine tasting adventure. Make it a road trip and don’t rush! The rural areas of Florida these wineries are located off the beaten path of theme parks and night clubs… and are well worth visiting.
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