No grapes necessary
A few blocks east of the Everglades, in a man-made oasis filled with coral rock and koi ponds, sits the southernmost winery in the contiguous United States. And there’s not a grape to be found.
Beneath the intense Floridian sun, the only grapevines that can be grown and harvested are the extremely tart and acidic sea grapes indigenous to the area. Highly resistant to heat and salt, they’re found lining the dunes of Miami’s beaches. But making a palatable wine out of such a sweet-and-sour fruit is nearly impossible. Luckily, other fruits with greater sugar content, like mangoes and guavas, thrive in high temperatures and humidity. Best of all, someone’s figured out how to turn their nectar into wine way out in the Redlands.
Info
Address 30205 SW 217th Avenue, Homestead, FL 33030, +1 305.242.1224, www.schneblywinery.com | Hours Mon–Thu 10am–5pm, Fri–Sat 10am–11pm, Sun noon–6pm | Tip The winery is also home to Miami Brewing Company. Make sure to check out the brewing tanks and bottling machines, and perhaps grab a pint or two of their coconut ale.
Before there was a winery, there was Peter and Denisse Schnebly’s produce company, Fresh King. In the spring of 2003, their sommelier friend, Bill Wagner, came to town and hatched the idea to make wine from the tropical fruits they were harvesting. Months of fermentation and experimentation took place in the couple’s garage, to determine what varieties would yield the best flavors. That fall, the winery was born.
The subtlety of traditional grape-based wines may be lost, but skeptical oenophiles should reserve judgment until they’ve tasted the bold, brash character of these exotic fruit wines. The syrupy lychee wine is similar in profile to a moscato or marsala – a perfect way to drink your dessert. The flavor of the mango wine is like a trip to the tropics, smooth with an air of sweetness. The avocado wine has a unique pungent odor, but the wine’s pleasing nutty aftertaste more than compensates for it. The passion-fruit wine has the flavor of the infamous Warhead candy, featuring an intense sour kick followed by a sweet, fruity finish. The fragrance of the guava wine tickles the nostrils, an aromatic reminder that wine doesn’t need grapes to be savored.
Nearby
Back
To the online map