As summer winds down, it’s the perfect time to embark on a last-minute adventure that celebrates the season’s final moments. Read on for a exclusive selection of travel destinations tailored for wine and spirits enthusiasts. These handpicked locales offer breathtaking landscapes, immersive experiences, and a delightful array of wines and spirits to savor.
USA
Sonoma-Cutrer Winery, Sonoma County, CA
Sonoma-Cutrer has been crafting wines since 1981 in the esteemed Russian River Valley growing region of Sonoma County, California. The sustainable winery brings together passionate, imaginative folks who proudly uphold a winemaking approach that marries Burgundian traditions and California ingenuity. Today they are known for their award-winning Chardonnay and Pinot Noir produced by a female-driven winemaking team. Experiences include:
- During your visit, choose from a range of tasting experiences such as the Heritage Tasting
- Enjoy outdoor seating overlooking the vineyard to discover their Russian River Ranches Chardonnay, The Cutrer Chardonnay, Vine Hill Pinot Noir and Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: 2021 Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge’s Best of Show Red
- Through the tasting of these 4 wines, you will note each vineyard’s unique characteristics and terroir of each wine. Don’t skip on a game of croquet from their on-site courts!
Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY
The Woodford Reserve Distillery, tucked in the heart of thoroughbred country in Versailles, Kentucky, is a National Historic Landmark which represents craftsmanship with a balance of historic heritage and modern practices. It opened in 1996 and was among the earliest distilleries that welcomed tourists, ultimately helping to launch the famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail. While the distillery remains closed to visitors during the pandemic, it is slated to reopen its doors by Summer 2021. The retail shop and bar are currently open to visitors.
- Visitors will begin at the Welcome Center, which includes a main hall with seating, a ticketing area, restrooms, a bar, and outdoor entertaining spaces. The artwork featured in the main hall are all originals by mostly Kentucky artists depicting the Kentucky landscape.
- From there, guests will board a bus to go across the street, where they will experience fermentation, distillation, maturation and bottling at the distillery before heading to the Visitor’s Center for their tasting.
- The Visitor’s Center houses the gift shop and a cocktail bar.
For tour updates and reservations, visit https://www.woodfordreserve.com/our-distillery/tour-our-distillery/.
Shiner, Texas (Shiner Beer)
The town of Shiner, Texas welcomes visitors to the Spoetzl Brewery, home of Shiner Beer, the no. 1 craft beer in Texas. Founded in 1909, the Spoetzl Brewery is Texas’ oldest independent brewery. They still practice the art of brewing, hand-crafting each brew one at a time, and then aging each Shiner Beer naturally for no less than thirty days to guarantee its exceptionally smooth taste. In the tradition of Bavarian Brewmaster Kosmos Spoetzl, the brewery proudly produces Shiner Blonde, Shiner Bock, Shiner Light, and several other specialty brews, depending on the season.
Visitors are welcome to tour the brewery and are treated to an interactive tour to learn the history of the town, check out the bottling process and taste some of Shiner’s top-selling SKUs. The tour is FREE and ends with free Shiner samples in the hospitality suite. For more information on the tour and a direct link to booking, check out the Shiner Beer website.
Tour Packages:
- $20-“Brewery Tour”: A half-hour tour with brewery swag and beer samples.
- $50- “Cooler Tour”: This upgraded option gives you a tour of our brewery, beer samples, take-home beer and a soft-sided cooler bag.
- $100-“Original Brewhouse Tour”: The exclusive VIP tour is a behind the scenes look into the original brewhouse and comes with upgraded merch and beer samples.
- The Hamptons, NY (Talkhouse Encore)
Located on the east end of Long Island, Stephen Talkhouse is a one-of-a-kind dive bar meets music venue known for iconic performances, intimate ambiance and great drinks. This family-owned community staple is unique to its home in Amagansett, NY – but the experience of a legendary night with memorable music and freshly crafted cocktails is a beloved American tradition understood nationwide. Few sensations can compare to the moment those first few notes of the headliner wash over you as you’re sipping an impossibly refreshing drink with bold yet familiar flavors, surrounded by friends you know and those you haven’t met yet.
Talkhouse Encore Spirits-based canned vodka sodas are as close to that feeling as you can get. With options appealing to every palate, each cocktail is made with premium ingredients including real spirits and fruit juice, without added sugar or artificial flavoring. Talkhouse Encore is currently available in 5 fruit-forward flavors (Orange Tequila Soda, Cranberry Vodka Soda, Grapefruit Tequila Soda, Lime Vodka Soda and Hampton Mule). With new innovations in the works and plans to expand distribution far and wide, we’re just getting started.
Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont (CO) and Brevard (NC)
Oskar Blues is proud to have two breweries and taprooms across the country where visitors can come to enjoy a variety of Oskar Blues beers including their flagship Dale’s series lineup: Dale’s Pale Ale, Dale’s Light Lager and Double Dale’s. The brand’s original brewery is located in Longmont, Colorado, with an additional location in Brevard (North Carolina). Each brewery offers a variety of events each week, including live music and trivia. See below for more details:
- Longmont, Colorado – Located alongside their main Colorado production brewery, The taproom kicked its doors open in Longmont, Colorado in 2008. Stop by for one of your favorite Oskar Blues core beers or a taproom-only limited release and enjoy the large patio deck.
- Brevard, North Carolina – Oskar Blues brewed up its first NC-batch of Dale’s Pale Ale in 2012 and has been crankin’ out fresh beer for the East Coast ever since. With an outdoor patio bar, the taproom in Brevard, NC is open daily, with the Oskar Blues CHUBwagon food truck on site serving up CHUBurgers and fries to fill your belly. Pisgah National Forest is a 10-minute bike ride away, so go get rad and meet back at the brewery for a pint.
Just off Christopher Park, in the heart of the West Village, award-winning chefs Rita Sodi and Jody Williams share the arte del bere at Bar Pisellino. Pisellino serves espresso and aperitivi alongside bomboloni alla crema, panini farciti and spuntini in celebration of the classic Italian bar. Dedicated to the country’s art of drinking, Bar Pisellino specializes in wine and cocktails from a collection of amari and vermouth. Enjoy your apertivo al fresco on the sidewalk or al banco atop a curved marble counter at the perfect height for standing with their maestro bartenders.
- West Village, Manhattan: 52 Grove St, New York, NY 10014
Established in early 2011 by Chef Jody Williams, Buvette Gastrothèque is inspired by European traditions that honor a history of craft and design, where each detail evokes a sense of story, place and delight. Part restaurant, part bar, part café, Buvette combines the elegance of an old world café with the casual nature of a neighborhood eatery. It is a light filled space for an early morning espresso or a long lunch of shared dishes, even a spot for a late night digestif.
- West Village, Manhattan: 42 Grove Street New York, NY 10014
- Menu HERE
Inspired by both her childhood growing up on a little farm north of Florence, Italy, and the travels of her adulthood, Chef Rita Sodi created Isodi 15 years ago and immediately became a Christopher Street staple. The iconic restaurant recently relocated to Bleeker Street for a bit more elbow room and an enchanting 17th-century-inspired garden, but its warmth and intimacy remain the same, with each dish serving as a love letter to Rita’s rural Northern Italian upbringing.
- West Village, Manhattan: 314 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014
- Menu HERE
The Commerce Inn is a Shaker Inspired Early American tavern and cookery from esteemed West Village chefs Rita Sodi and Jody Williams celebrating craftsmanship, community and heirloom recipes while honoring the history and architecture of the 1900’s West Village. Nestled on the quaint corner of Commerce and Barrow, the interior imbues Shaker sensibilities of utility and material honesty – a passion for the essential. With a focus on fresh and straightforward fare inspired by heritage recipes: piquant pickled oysters in bread and butter brine, comforting rarebit, fortifying pot pies and uncomplicated vegetables, their menu is always prepared simply and served casually with a spirit of care and warmth. Their Tavern pours crafted cocktails, perfectly clear milk punches and smokey spirits while their wine list features small American producers from the Finger Lakes to the Sierra Foothills.
Via Carota is the West Village trattoria of cherished downtown chefs Jody Williams and Rita Sodi. Inspired by the 17th-century villa in the hills near Florence which Sodi once called home, Via Carota honors old-world Italian roots, lifestyle, food and décor. Their Village trattoria is thoughtfully renovated: wooden floors reclaimed from an old gymnasium, vintage chapel chairs from England and rustic wooden cabinets filled with heirloom china. Servers wear crisp white shirts and long linen aprons, there are communal tables and even a private room tucked away amongst the wine bottles. Baskets of crusty bread and bowls of oranges are scattered throughout the sun drenched space. For bel tempo pleasure there are eight outdoor tables on the tree-lined sidewalk.
- West Village, Manhattan: 51 Grove St, New York, NY 10014
- Menu HERE
ITALY
Castello Banfi, Tuscany
Meet one of the rare destination resorts that marries rich cultural heritage with luxurious accommodations: Castello Banfi in Montalcino, Tuscany. Castello Banfi is a fully-functioning winery and 14-room Relais et Chateaux, , boutique hotel situated on 7,100 sprawling acres of vineyards and olive groves, originally built as a fortress between the 9th and 13th centuries.
A pioneer of the Brunello category, Banfi was once dubbed the “Builder of Brunello,” as the award-winning winery estate is credited with bringing the industry’s attention to this southern Tuscan region and elevating its production methods to today’s modern standard. Today, it is a sustainably farmed agricultural estate and a true oasis of food, culture, and discovery.
There’s nowhere better to explore the wonders of Tuscany than Castello Banfi. Take a look at some of the activities you can book with the Castello below:
- Plenty of itineraries for walking, running, biking, or exploring on e-bikes
- Horseback riding
- Cooking classes
- Helicopter Tour: Autumn is the best time to bear witness to the Val d’Orcia’s sprawling golden vineyards (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), which is of course, best viewed by helicopter.
- Flavors of the Castle: a tasting of all things Tuscan paired to wines, as well as educational tours of the winery and vineyards
- The Balsameria, where Castello Banfi has been making traditional Balsamico Etrusco for over a century
- Bottle & Glass Museum, an on-site exhibit that illustrates the various eras of glass production in Tuscany and includes items found on the property dating back to the 5th century BC. It represents the world’s largest private collection of glassware.
- Truffle hunting followed by farmhouse lunch: The truffle hunting experience takes place in San Giovanni d’Asso, about 30-minute drive from Castello Banfi. It consists of a walk (approximately 2hrs) in the woods with a guide and a trained dog.
- Banfi also offers 2 restaurants (including Michelin starred La Sala dei Grappoli)
Additional Castello Banfi tour info HERE.
Donnafugata, Sicily
Donnafugata is a family-owned winery and leading example of authentic and sustainable winemaking in Sicily. Donnafugata produces tailor-made wines at the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship, focused on small, prestigious productions from unique territories and vineyards across the island of Sicily. Their trademark labels illustrate the vibrant, colorful culture and storied history of Sicily in a distinctive and sensual style that makes their wines a natural choice for those drawn to the world of art.
With the same passion, they welcome travelers to their Marsala, Pantelleria, Etna and Vittoria wineries.Through guided tours, professional tastings and refined pairings, they will lead you in the discovery of their wines. Experiences include:
- Vittoria: #Donnafugatatime Vittoria – An ideal experience for those who want to end the day immersed in a bucolic and relaxing setting. The visit begins with the discovery of the origins of Cerasuolo di Vittoria (the only Sicilian DOCG ) and continues in the winery. The experience ends with an al fresco tasting of 3 wines offered in combination with 3 local specialities.
- Etna: Donna Vulcano – The experience begins with a walk in the vineyard, following a visit of the winemaking cellar and the barrel room with a view of the Etna steaming top. The itinerary ends with the tasting of five wines paired with refined local dishes. Three iconic Donnafugata wines for tasting: an Etna cru, Mille e una Notte and Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria.
- Marsala: Donna Gabriella – The journey begins with the tour of the historic cellars, passing from the underground barrique cellar to Sala delle Botti. It continues with the tasting of 5 wines paired with 5 classics of Sicilian cuisine. For extra virgin olive oil lovers, their Milleanni, a blend of autochthonous cultivars, is on the table. The tasting includes two Donnafugata iconic wines, Mille e una Notte and Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria DOC.
- Pantelleria: Brunch Pantesco – The tour begins in the vineyards, where we find the alberello pantesco (bush-trained) vines (UNESCO heritage), and continues inside the winery. The journey is completed with the tasting of 3 wines paired with 3 samples of the island’s cuisine. Among the wines tasted Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria DOC can’t be missed.
SCOTLAND
Benriach Distillery, Speyside
Following the completion of a six-figure investment project, Benriach Distillery just announced they will begin to welcome visitors through the doors of its first-ever official visitor center on Friday, May 21, 2021.
- The distillery’s visitor experience features a bar, tasting lounge and retail space
- Initially offering a variety of flavor-focused tastings following the easing of Scotland’s COVID-19 restrictions, visitors will be encouraged to discover Benriach’s multi-layered single malt and rich creative heritage dating back to 1898
- Initially the new visitor center will offer two tasting experiences which will appeal to both single malt lovers and those at the beginning of their whisky journey:
- Sense of Flavour Experience (£20, 6 visitors max from 2 household bubbles) will delve into the production process at Benriach, before zoning in on the distillery’s classic and smoky expressions at 10 and 12 years old. Visitors will also have the chance to explore their own flavour preferences with whisky by trying Benriach in simple cocktail serves.
- Barrels, Butts and Barriques Experience (£45, 6 visitors max from 2 household bubbles) is a deconstructed cask tasting for those who wish to dive deeper into the distillery’s creative heritage of eclectic cask maturation. Visitors will have the chance to taste five individual cask types, culminating in a tasting of the Benriach 21 Year Old – showcasing how Benriach’s Master Blender Rachel Barrie builds rich layers of flavor in a range of fruit-forward single malts.
- Distillery tours of the production site will return when it is safe to do so.
- The new visitor center has been built using natural materials from local suppliers wherever possible and has drawn from the natural color palette of Speyside to inspire its interior. External to the visitor building, one of the distillery’s most prominent warehouses has been whitewashed and branded to cement Benriach’s new identity – a practice traditionally adopted by ancient distilleries in Scotland.
The GlenDronach, Highlands
Nestled in the Valley of Forgue, deep in the East Highland hills, in Aberdeenshire, is The GlenDronach, one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland. In early 2020, it unveiled its recently renovated visitor center featuring a new tasting room, whisky bar, lounge area and retail space.
Tasting experiences include:
- Sherry Masterclass: Discover how The GlenDronach has mastered the art of sherry cask maturation since 1826. Delve into the rich history of sherry casks in Scotland in this tutored tasting, so that you too will leave a Master of Sherry. (Admission: £40)
- The Classic: Enjoy a tutored tasting of The GlenDronach, exploring the perfect harmony, complexity and texture of sherry matured whisky and chocolate. (Admission: £18)
At The Gift Shop explore a wide range of The GlenDronach Highland Single Malts and official merchandise. Why not bottle your own distillery-exclusive Handfill, directly from a choice of two casks! At the Tasting Bar discovers our full core range of fine Single Malts along with some of the oldest and rarest from GlenDronach. Choose from a specially curated selection of whisky tasting flights or enjoy a dram from our archive collection.
IRELAND
Glendalough Distillery, County Wicklow
Founded in 2011, Glendalough Distillery (pronounced glen-da-lock) began distilling the traditional Irish spirit Poitín and has since used the inspirational backdrop of the Wicklow mountains to become a purveyor of fine whiskey and gin. Glendalough gins are freshly distilled from hand-foraged, wild botanicals in the Wicklow mountains, while Glendalough whiskeys are the result of a relentless search for the finest, most flavorful species of oak in the world.
While the distillery is not currently open to visitors, guests can enjoy an educational foraging expedition with Glendalough’s head forager, Geraldine Kavanagh, from the Spring through the Autumn seasons. Born and bred in the ‘Garden of Ireland’ she will take guests on a journey through the beautiful countryside of Glendalough collecting a variety of botanicals which make our Wild Botanical Gin so special. The foraging expedition will teach visitors about the botanicals which are unique to Glendalough’s gin and how they change with the seasons.
