Discover WV’s best sips along 8 new Wine & Spirits Trails

 

Discover West Virginia’s best vineyards and distilleries along the state’s 8 new wine and spirits trails.

Follow the trails by either region or style with digital (and mobile-friendly) maps. You can also find interesting activities and attractions near each wine or spirits stop, so you can create your own custom trip itinerary.

Moonshiner roots run deep in West Virginia, but wine is a newer artistry. Some people are surprised to learn that these central mountain wineries are earning national acclaim.

The climates of the state don’t easily allow for grape growing, but some innovative vintners have redrafted traditional farming to create competitive, world-class flavors. And others went a different route, using the natural flavors of the Appalachian forest to bypass grapes altogether.

Here’s a quick overview of the 8 ways to explore West Virginia’s best wines & spirits:

Travel by Region:

  • North Country Classics–  Sip your way through the North’s old-world inspired flavor with timeless wines, generations-old moonshines and old-fashioned meads.
  • Eastern Farm-to-Flavor– Head on down to the farm for some homegrown tastes in the eastern panhandle, handcrafted from start to finish.
  • Western Wine Country– Follow the state’s own little wine country in the west, focusing on fine flavors, and punctuated with a fruit-forward traditional moonshine distillery.
  • Bold Southern Sips- Swing through the south for some loud tastes, from wild forest wines to exceptionally smooth spirits to hard-bitin’ moonshine.

Sip by Style:

  • Heritage Drinks– Drink like the olden days with heritage-style ciders and meads.
  • Moonshiner’s Run – Today’s best of this long-time mountain tradition.
  • Wild Mountain Flavors- Truly unique tastes— onion, ginseng, paw paw fruit and the like. 

A printed pocket guide for the trails will be available soon. Travelers who fill them out with tasting notes can earn a special-edition West Virginia wine & spirits collectible sticker, part of an upcoming series of collectible sticker badges for West Virginia travelers.

Drink lovers— stay tuned for the West Virginia beer trails (and collectible stickers for local brew fans).

Which West Virginia wineries and distilleries have you tried, and which are you excited to discover?

Explore WV’s wine & spirits trails >

 

*In order to be included on the wine & spirits trails, vineyards and distilleries must be open to the public for tours or tastings.

This post was last updated on July 21, 2020