5 Most Charming Wineries to Visit this Fall

Could there be anything more appealing than taking a vacation to one of North America’s many alluring wine regions – in autumn, the best time of the year? (And if there is, well, who’s keeping that particular secret?) Historic properties, estates with awesome views, award-winning labels – you’ll find all of this and more at some of the most charming wineries to visit this fall.

Brotherhood Winery, Washingtonville, NY

Set amid the bucolic beauty of one of America's most historic wine regions, this Hudson Valley institution lays claim to being the oldest operating winery in the US. Brotherhood produced its first commercial vintage in 1839, and its original underground cellars are still in use today, housing more than 200 oak barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, and White Zinfandel. The winery, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, spotlights a 19th-century Dutch Colonial-style mansion, salon, and chapel, all surrounded by the Hudson Valley’s gorgeous rolling hills and picturesque woods. Brotherhood Winery, one of dozens of wineries in New York’s Ulster and Orange Counties, is also just a few miles from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Foley Sonoma, Sonoma Valley, California

The estate is stunning – a modern, state-of-the-art winery designed in harmony with the serene hills of Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley and shadowed by the nearby Mayacamas Mountains, all just 80 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. The award-winning varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Sémillon, Tannat, and Zinfandel. The hosts are most welcoming for tours, tastings, picnics, weddings, and other events. It’s also a great venue to see the winemaking process in action, viewing barrels as they’re racked in the aging cellar and watching how grapes enter the crush pad for sorting and de-stemming.

Vineland Estates Winery, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

“A wine region of depth, diversity, and distinction,” according to The New York Times, Canada’s Niagara Wine Country includes the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, which is home to Vineland Estates Winery, one of the region’s most picturesque. Centered on a stone tower overlooking a 19th-century Mennonite homestead with panoramic views of vines that descend to a valley overlooking Lake Ontario, Vineland is tailor-made for weddings and other special events. Take some time to try their Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Becker Vineyards, Stonewall, Texas

The rugged Texas Hill Country has a singular beauty all its own, and Becker Vineyards has claimed 56 spectacular acres of it to produce acclaimed Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Dry Riesling, and other wines. Tasting rooms and gardens, picnic areas and an 1890s homestead log cabin are surrounded by lavender fields and seasonal flower plantings, native wildflowers, orchards, and cornfields, an ideal vantage point for gorgeous sunsets.

Jarvis Estate, Napa Valley, California

Perched with views of the trademark sun-kissed hills of California’s famed Napa Valley, the 1,350-acre Jarvis Estate is the first US winery built entirely underground, occupying 45,000 square feet of caves tunneled into the scenic Vaca Mountains, an eco-friendly facility that houses fully operational wine production and cooperage operations. The estate vineyards are located high above the city of Napa, planted in gently sloping meadows in the beautifully rugged mountains between Mt. George and Milliken Canyon. A unique experience, the tasting tours introduce you to their Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Tempranillo specialties.

No matter where you seek the grapes of your palate’s dreams, your travel consultant can help ensure that you get the most possible from every experience along the way.