The North Alabama Wine Trail consists of six wineries located in the hills and valleys of beautiful north Alabama.
You can pick up a passport at any of the wineries and get it stamped at each stop. When your passport is complete, you’ll get a gift. I recently did the trail, and you should take the time to do it too!
First stop was Jules J. Berta in Albertville.
Also known as the “mad Hungarian winery,” this stop features various wines, including a great red blend that the owner referred to as their pizza wine! I’m not a fan of anything super sweet, which they had, but they also make wines that you may typically associate with other regions. It turns out that those grapes will grow here in Alabama. Gift shop, event space, and much more.
Next up is Wills Creek Winery in the Duck Springs area (Attalla).
A little off the beaten path, they have beautiful grounds and a gorgeous back deck. In addition to over twenty wines to sample, they offer a monthly winemaking class (I’ll be doing that soon and will give you all of the details!), winemaking supplies, and a spacious event venue down the road.
On to Maraella in Hokes Bluff, which is another surprise.
From the mighty Muscadine to a Reisling to a Cab, there’s plenty to taste and sample. At this point in your wine trail journey, you may be ready to stop and hang out for a while. If so, you’re smack dab in the middle of the Greater Gadsden area, a great stopping point and place to stay.
If you insist on pressing on, you’ll find White Oak Vineyards up next, and then you’ll make your way to High Country Cellars in Heflin, which has the most extensive selection of flavors of wine I think I’ve ever seen! Seriously, from Jalapeño to Pomegranate to Charred Merlot to Chocolate Covered Cherry, the choice is impressive. They’re happy to share some recipes as well. I’ll be using the Cranberry for my Thanksgiving dinner this year!
Last, or first, if you go the opposite direction, you’ll make your way to the Fruithurst Winery.
Little side note here, on the way to Fruithurst, I spotted a distillery! It turns out that the same family runs it as the winery, and they’re making moonshine. I stopped (you should too) at Raven Rock Distillery, but I digress.
The cousins who run Fruithurst stick to the muscadine wines, but if you think they’re all really sweet, you’ll be surprised by some of the dry and semi-sweet offerings available. I was fortunate to meet the cousins who offered a most entertaining history of both the business and the area. They even signed a bottle for me!
I highly recommend the North Alabama Wine Trail.
The passports don’t expire; you can take your time. All of the wineries are located within 75 miles of each other. Make a weekend out of it!
I loved sampling all of the wines…who wouldn’t? And especially enjoyed meeting and talking to all of the great folks on the trail. The North Alabama Wine Trail is a blast! But don’t take my word for it. Make plans to visit and see for yourself.
Let me know what your favorite is! Hours of operation may vary – be sure and call before you visit to avoid disappointment.
As always, thanks for reading! XOXO
Check out the prologue from my upcoming book about my transformative year on the trails HERE.
Can’t wait for the book? Get started living your own story on the trails and transform your life. Join our Facebook Group here.
Keep up with the adventure with the 52 Weeks 52 Hike Journal. Grab your copy HERE.
[ctct form=”1329″ show_title=”false”]
