Experts say about 90 percent of wine produced in the United States comes from California. That does not mean that California is the only place good wine is made in the country. There are at least 40 states with a viable wine industry and all of them have independent wineries, most of which host tours and tastings.

The way to find the best place to visit domestic wineries on a local wine tour is to look at the climate. The best wines are grown in temperate climates such as those in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Grapes grow best where it is not too hot or cold and where there is sufficient rainfall. Any viticulturist will admit most of the trick to producing good wine is in growing the grapes.

Regional Tours

As with the great wine regions of Europe, a good way to experience domestic wineries is to pick an area for a vacation, then find the vineyards. The most obvious choice here would be to go to San Francisco and, while there, tour Napa Valley. Just about any West Coast tour company probably already has such a package.

Still, do not overlook a place such as Connecticut, which has a wine region of its own. In Connecticut, 14 vineyards are included on the Connecticut Wine Trail, which takes a page from the famous wine country "roads" in France and Germany. All tourists have to do is follow the road signs from one historic town to the next and one wine tasting to the next.

Popular Wineries

Tourists also can find popular individual local wineries that offer daily tastings and tours of the vineyards. A state such as North Carolina or Virginia has a surprising number of wineries and a number of these are located near tourist attractions, or are tourist stops themselves.

For instance, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is a prime tourist location in the western part of the state where summer temperatures are mild enough for producing good grapes. The main attraction of the estate is the magnificent mansion and its wondrous gardens once owned by the Vanderbilt family, but it also includes a working winery that offers tours. The winery will be glad to sell you a few bottles also.

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