On our last trip we fancied doing something different one afternoon so had a drive to the Lakeridge Winery near Clermont. It is about a 25 minute drive up H27 from its junction with the 192 and although you are still on a main highway you go through some pretty countryside, and even go up and down a few hills which make a change from the usual flat views.
The Winery itself is well worth the trip, and is one of the biggest in Florida. They offer a tour of the Winery and vineyard which is very good, especially if you have not visited one before. You go through the whole wine making process, from the picking and crushing of the grapes, to the bottling and storage of the finished product. At the end of the tour there is a wine tasting where you can sample from the range of wines they produce. If you do not want to do the whole tour you can just join in with the tastings which are held at regular intervals during the day.
The whole range of wines is produced there although the main production is a great selection of reds. That being said, I can fully recommend their sparkling rose. Nicely chilled it goes down really well when sitting by the pool in the evenings after a long day at the parks.
Of course there is a shop, selling all the wines that they produce, so you have plenty of chance to stock up. They also sell a great range of dips for your chips and sauces for BBQ’s. We tried a few, and the horseradish dip takes some beating, if a bit hot. The shop also has a range of the items that wine buffs love to collect, with a range of strange corkscrews, bottle stoppers, aprons and the like.
As a great wine fan, and having visited several vineyards in France that do things the old fashioned way, it was very interesting to see the ‘New World’ way of doing things.
The Winery organise lots of weekend events during the year, so it may be worth checking before you go as there may be something extra on as well.
It is probably not a trip for those with young children, as there is not a lot for them to do, but if you parents fancy a pleasant afternoon out, it is well worth the trip.
The Winery itself is well worth the trip, and is one of the biggest in Florida. They offer a tour of the Winery and vineyard which is very good, especially if you have not visited one before. You go through the whole wine making process, from the picking and crushing of the grapes, to the bottling and storage of the finished product. At the end of the tour there is a wine tasting where you can sample from the range of wines they produce. If you do not want to do the whole tour you can just join in with the tastings which are held at regular intervals during the day.
The whole range of wines is produced there although the main production is a great selection of reds. That being said, I can fully recommend their sparkling rose. Nicely chilled it goes down really well when sitting by the pool in the evenings after a long day at the parks.
Of course there is a shop, selling all the wines that they produce, so you have plenty of chance to stock up. They also sell a great range of dips for your chips and sauces for BBQ’s. We tried a few, and the horseradish dip takes some beating, if a bit hot. The shop also has a range of the items that wine buffs love to collect, with a range of strange corkscrews, bottle stoppers, aprons and the like.
As a great wine fan, and having visited several vineyards in France that do things the old fashioned way, it was very interesting to see the ‘New World’ way of doing things.
The Winery organise lots of weekend events during the year, so it may be worth checking before you go as there may be something extra on as well.
It is probably not a trip for those with young children, as there is not a lot for them to do, but if you parents fancy a pleasant afternoon out, it is well worth the trip.