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The U.S. is home to well over 8,000 wineries spread across nearly 250 American Viticultural Areas (AVA). And many of these facilities aren’t just making wine; they’re offering behind-the-scenes tours, hosting tastings and even partnering with chefs to run some of the nation’s top restaurants.
10Best wanted to know which wine regions, tours, tasting rooms, festivals, winery restaurants and wine country hotels are the best in the U.S., so we asked our readers to vote for their favorites.
Click on each category below to see the full list of winners:
Best Tasting Room: Corner 103 in Sonoma, California
Corner 103 takes the intimidation out of wine tasting — Photo courtesy of Corner 103
Lloyd Davis, founder of Corner 103, created this Sonoma tasting room for all those people out there who might feel a little intimidated by the wine world. The staff ensure an educational and comfortable tasting experience that includes wines from Corner 103 and the rest of the Sonoma County American Viticulture Areas.
Full list of winners: Best Tasting Room »
Best Wine Club: NakedWines.com
This is the second win for NakedWines.com — Photo courtesy of NakedWines.com
NakedWines.com invests in independent winemakers, so customers get insider prices to exclusive wines. Customers, known as Angels, deposit a monthly membership fee into an Angel account, which can be used to order wine from indie winemakers at any time.
Full list of winners: Best Wine Club »
Best Wine Country Hotel: Inn at Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay, Michigan
Michigan wine country is just outside the door of this winning hotel — Photo courtesy of Inn at Black Star Farms
The Inn at Black Star Farms puts guests in the heart of the Traverse Wine Coast, with easy access to wineries and tasting rooms on the Old Mission and Leelanau Wine Trails. Each stay includes a daily breakfast, nightly hospitality hour with wine and small bites, a bottle of house wine and an exclusive barrel room tasting.
Full list of winners: Best Wine Country Hotel »
Best Wine Festival: Kapalua Wine and Food Festival in Maui
Winning festival will celebrate its 40th year in 2021 — Photo courtesy of Kapalua Wine and Food Festival
The 2021 Kapalua Wine & Food Festival will be the 40th installment of the annual Maui event. Attendees have the opportunity to mingle with Master Sommeliers, chefs and winemakers, learn about wine in educational seminars and sample the bounty of the Hawaiian Islands.
Full list of winners: Best Wine Festival »
Best Wine Region: Walla Walla Valley, Washington
Walla Walla is home to more than 100 wineries — Photo courtesy of Visit Walla Walla
Italian immigrants began growing wine grapes in Washington’s Walla Walla Valley in the 1850s. Today, this region features more than 100 wineries producing a range of varietals, most popularly cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, cabernet franc and malbec. The American Viticultural Area spreads across the border into Oregon as well.
Full list of winners: Best Wine Region »
Best Wine Tour Company: Grapeline Wine Tours in Temecula, California
Explore California Wine Country with this winning company — Photo courtesy of iStock / Feverpitched
Grapeline Wine Tours offers both group and private tours of some of California’s top wine regions, including Napa Valley, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, Sonoma Valley and Temecula. Classic Wine Adventures include tastings at three area wineries, as well as a behind-the-scenes vintner’s tour, while a Vineyard Picnic Tour takes guests to four wineries and includes a catered picnic lunch.
Full list of winners: Best Wine Tour Company »
Best Winery Restaurant: Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants (Multiple Locations)
Winning restaurant serves contemporary American fare with suggested wine pairings — Photo courtesy of iStock / Inside Creative House
Cooper’s Hawk brings a Napa Valley wine and food experience to more than a dozen locations around the United States. The menu features contemporary American fare; each seasonal dish on the menu indicates a suggested wine pairing.
Full list of winners: Best Winery Restaurant »
Best Winery Tour: Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen, California
Winning tour gives visitors a look at biodynamic farming — Photo courtesy of Benziger Family Winery
Visitors to Benziger Family Winery in Sonoma have five tour and tasting options to choose from. The exclusive Tribute Estate Tour takes visitors behind the scenes for a close-up look at the biodynamic vineyards and winemaking facilities, with a barrel tasting along the way. Visitors can also take a tram tour of the vineyards to learn more about biodynamic farming.
Full list of winners: Best Winery Tour »
Congratulations to all our wine country winners! Remember to vote in more Readers’ Choice contests daily on 10Best.
