Along our journey, we have visited so many wineries and vineyards that we began to wonder if this should have been our theme all along.  Seems we have found that states we have never thought about as being wine producing regions, are. Whites, reds, rose…. dry, sweet, dark, lush, semi-sweet…we have seen them all. From NC, Virginia, PA, NY, Massachusetts, Maine, Ohio, and Michigan.  We have estimated that we have visited over 30 wineries in our travels throughout this region of states and some we actually stayed at through the Harvest Host club.  Plus, the landscapes and views at so many are the best in the areas. So such a great place to just settle back in a chair and take it all in.  Some of our most favorites though were throughout the Finger Lakes, but I must say that many others were great contenders. So why do we visit wineries? Well, we do love wine, but many times visiting these wineries/farms give us an up-close way to learn about the owners, how they started and how each of the regions vary with what they grow as far as grapes. Some are also cideries as they can also grow apples, pears, and other fruits.  Many times, making them not just into hard ciders but into jams and jellies too.  With such varied weather patterns in the various regions also dictates when they grow the crops and when they harvest.  Some Vineyards are getting ready for their harvests now, but holding out just a bit longer since some areas have been very dry. We have been blessed to be able to experience the wines of Napa, Italy, France and so adding the knowledge now of these very surprising wines has been a fun adventure.  They are nice side trips for when we have hiked and biked ourselves out and just need a day to chill a bit. AND….most are dog friendly .  So, as we continue our journey across America, we will continue our “wine tour” as a secondary, but tasty mission. Cheers!!