By Eric Miller
In California's Napa Valley, wine tasting means driving around and visiting vineyards. In Grapevine it can mean a stroll along Historic Main Street to visiting tasting rooms. Some make the wine on premises from grapes grown in California and elsewhere, and some make it from grapes grown in Texas.
One winery is Su Vino Winery (120 S. Main Street), a custom winery founded in 2003. Su Vino means “your wine” in Italian and Spanish. Su Vino makes its own wines and provides special opportunities to participate in the wine-making process by bottling and corking. It even offers personalized labels.
Grapevine was named for the wild Mustang grapes that were abundant when the settlers first arrived. Texas is now the fifth largest wine-producing state in the country. One winery which uses grapes from Texas is Homestead Winery (211 East Worth Street). The original facility at the family farm in Ivanhoe, Texas, as well as a tasting room in Grapevine offer sampling opportunities. It is situated in a 1890s Victorian home just off historic Main Street. Ask to taste Santa's Nightcap - a crisp, spicy, sweet white wine introduced for Christmas in 2010.
Farina's Winery and Cafe is located in the heart of Grapevine's Historic District. Unlike many of the tasting rooms in town, Farina's has a full-service restaurant. Farina’s Winery makes two wines, a red and a white, both using Texas Texas grapes from Lubbock. The wines are produced in Frisco.
Other wineries to visit on your walking tour are D'Vine Wine at 409 South Main Street and with a little bit of a walk, you'll find La Buena Vinyards at 416 East College Street. Also don't miss Off the Vine, a wine and gift store with around 200 labels! Off the Vine is located at 324 S. Main Street.
Photo by Eric Miller