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: Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga, Calif.
Sip wine inside a European-inspired castle — Photo courtesy of Castello di Amorosa
Wine tasting at Castello di Amorosa transports you to a European-style castle, where visitors sample wines at the main tasting bar, underground Knight’s Hall, Grand Barrel Room or the Royal Apartment tasting salon.
Full list of winners: Best Tasting Room »
Best Wine Club: NakedWines.com
Winning wine club specializes in indie winemakers — 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: Hotel Walloon in Walloon Lake, Mich.
Guests of winning hotel enjoy easy access to Michigan’s Petoskey Wine Region — Photo courtesy of Hotel Walloon
This boutique hotel in Northern Michigan features just 32 guest rooms in a lakeside setting that’ll make you feel like you’re stepping back into the early 20th century. Nearby Walloon Lake Winery is one of many options in the Petoskey Wine Region.
Full list of winners: Best Wine Country Hotel »
Best Wine Festival: Philbrook Wine Experience in Tulsa
Tulsa wine event benefits the Philbrook — Photo courtesy of Philbrook Wine Experience
This biennial fundraising weekend benefits the Philbrook. Festival attendees can meet with international vintners, sample bites from regional restaurants and bid on hard-to-find bottles in a wine auction.
Full list of winners: Best Wine Festival »
Best Wine Region: Finger Lakes, N.Y.
Winning American wine region produces top-notch riesling — Photo courtesy of iStock / Verducci2
New York’s picturesque Finger Lakes region is home to three distinct American Viticultural Areas: Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake. Visitors to the area will find more than 130 wineries, many specializing in riesling.
Full list of winners: Best Wine Region »
Best Winery Restaurant: Restaurant at Niner Wine Estates in Paso Robles, Calif.
The menu at this winery restaurant highlights local ingredients — Photo courtesy of Niner Wine Estates
The open-kitchen lunch served at Niner Wine Estates takes inspiration from all things local. The culinary team sources ingredients from area farmers, butchers and artisans, ensuring the highest quality dishes make it to the table. The restaurant mills their own olive oil and raises their own chickens for farm-fresh eggs. Each dish on the menu has its own suggested wine pairing.
Full list of winners: Best Winery Restaurant »
Best Winery Tour: Cline Cellars in Sonoma, Calif.
Winery tours at Cline Cellars show off Sonoma scenery — Photo courtesy of Megan Cline / Cline Cellars
Visitors to Cline Cellars can choose between a private tour and tasting through the historic estate or the Syrah Hill Experience, which includes a trip to the top of Syrah Hill for views over the surrounding scenery.
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.