How to Beat the Summer Heat in Europe

Thinking about planning your next vacation to Europe? There are many reasons to visit this second smallest continent, as it offers a wide variety of fun, interesting, and educational things to see and do. The fact there are a total of 44 countries within Europe, makes it a good idea for you to learn more about them so you can create a travel itinerary that will provide you with memories that will easily last an entire lifetime. Read More

Malibu Wines, Malibu California, including Wine Safari

Enjoy tasting wines? Love new and exciting adventures? Then taking a trip out to Malibu Wines in Malibu, California is a definite must! You can choose to only invite your special someone, or you can invite a large group of your closet family and friends. You can even book your next big event at Malibu Wines, a great idea for true wine lovers.

Malibu Wines

Ready to experience all of the diverse wines that can be experienced at Malibu Wines? All of the grapes used to make Malibu Wines have been sourced from the vineyards of Saddlerock Ranch. The family owned Ranch is situated high above the coastline and has been operating since 1978. It’s perfect location allows for the most incredible tasting wines, which is directly attributed to all the elements that come together to make a soil that produces the most immaculate grapes.

Tasting Rooms

There are three different tasting rooms available for wine lovers to choose from, making it convenient for them to try a variety of wines at different locations.

 

  • Malibu Tasting Room – Located on Mulholland Highway, this location offers a casual, fun and relaxing atmosphere. Live music on the weekends makes this a regular event for many locals.
  • Queen Mary Wine Tasting Room – This only Malibu Wines Tasting Room located on water allows tasters to walk the halls of this historic cruise liner while enjoying their wines.
  • Malibu Wines and Beer Garden – Located in West Hills, tasters can choose to taste wine or beer.
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    America’s Most Visited Winery, the Biltmore Winery in Ashville, NC


    While winery destinations are quite popular amongst wine lovers, the Biltmore Winery is a place where visitors get to feel like they are royalty. The winery is part of the Biltmore Estate, which was built in 1895 and covers more than 8000 acres. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, it is currently the largest privately-owned mansion in the United States. Because the estate is so large it is recommended that visitors spend at least one full day here in order to enjoy all of the many benefits that this beautiful wine estate has to offer.

    The Biltmore House, Estate

    Self-guided tours are available for the Biltmore House, which includes a variety of priceless antiques and art pieces. Taking a relaxing walk through the estate’s gorgeous and lush gardens is a favorite pastime for visitors. Hiking trails, biking trails, a conservatory and a pond all found here make for great photo opportunities. Segway tours, river trips, fly fishing, carriage rides and horseback riding are all outside activities for visitors to enjoy.

    America’s Most Visited Winery

    It’s easy to see why the Biltmore Winery is America’s most visited winery as it truly offers quite the unique experience. Visitors are able to explore the entire historic Biltmore estate while learning about their wine making process, which currently makes at least 20 handcrafted vintages under the Biltmore name. Red wines, white wines and rose´ wines are all available, allowing visitors to find the perfect wines to share with the friends and family. New wine choices as well as limited release wines are also available.

  • Wine Tour. The self-guided wine tour is a must! Be sure to check the schedule as a variety of cooking demonstrations and special wine classes are always being given.
  • Tasting Room. The large tasting room allows visitors to sample many different wine varieties. Because there tends to be at least 50 different types of wine available for tasting everyone is surely to find a few they like.
  • Wine Seminars. Attending some of the educational wine seminars is a great way for visitors to learn more about wine. For example, one of the seminars is titled Wine and Chocolate, which teaches visitors how to pair the right wine with the right food.
  • Biltmore Inn. The Biltmore Inn offers guests the gracious hospitality they deserve as they are known for providing exceptional guest services.
  • Biltmore Shopping, Dining. Shopping and fine dining are all part of the Biltmore Winery experience.
  • The Stable Café is located in the Stable Courtyard, a perfect place to stop for refreshments after doing some local shopping.
  • The Bistro specializes in using regionally sourced ingredients.
  • The Smokehouse offers southern favorites, including barbecue.
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    The Wine Regions of Portugal


    Wine lovers often choose to travel to various wine regions around the world so they can experience some of the best wineries the world has to offer. The wine regions of Portuguese are a top wine destination spot as this area offers a number of unique wines, making visiting this particular wine region a true wine lovers dream!

    The Wine Regions of Portugal

    Want to visit some of the best wine regions in Portugal? Great! The Portugal wine country is able to offer visitors some of the most flavorful wines found in all the world, which is due to the many different types of grapes grown in Portugal. The fact that there are many grapes that are native to the Portugal area means that wine lovers will get to experience a variety of new wines that simply can’t be found anywhere else. Nice!

    Now that you’re ready to explore some of the most beautiful wine regions in all the world, check out some of the following more popular wine regions of Portugal, of which all are able to offer visitors a truly exceptional wine experience. Be sure to sign up for the wine tours!

    Douro Valley Wine Region: Located in northern Portugal, the Douro Valley Wine Region is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world, making this a must-see for wine lovers.

    Dao Wine Region: Mountains on all sides protect this wine region from the cold rains that fall on the beach, making this wine region one that offers ideal wine-growing conditions.

    Alentejo Wine Region: This Portugal-based wine region covers nearly a third of all Portugal, offering visitors a variety of rich and fruity wines.

    Lisbon Wine Region: Also known as Estremadura, this wine region offers a variety of wine types and wine qualities.

    Algarve Wine Region: Located in southern Portugal, the Algarve Wine Region is considered to be a newer wine region that includes a few small independent wine producers who for the most part offer visitors the best red wine choices.

    Tavora e Varosa Wine Region: Lots of culture can be found in this high-altitude wine region that offers a variety of soils that can make for a unique wine selection.

    Vinho Verde Wine Region: The largest wine producing region in Portugal, Vinho Verde is located in the northwest region where the weather is cool and the vines are fertile.

    Trás-os-Montes Wine Region: Extended summers that bring hot weather mixed with long-lasting winters that bring with it icy cold weather makes this northeast area of Portugal a unique wine region.

    Travel Makers MD

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    Touring the champagne region of France

    travel makers mdYou pop the bubbly on New Year’s Eve or on any special occasion. If you love champagne, then the place you need to vacation is the champagne region of France. Here you can tour the cellars of the leading producers in the world of the bubbly.

    Ruinart: Tour the Ruinart wines in the Crayères, chalk mining pits that have been designated Unesco World Heritage and Historical Monuments since 1931. Ruinart is the oldest established Champagne house, producing champagne since 1729. The two-hour tour includes a guided tasting of two cuvées. If you plan on visiting the region, please note that the Crayères are closed from November 10, 2016 to March 13, 2017, but it’s a great time to at least start planning your trip.

    Domaine Pommery: Take a guided tour of these Elizabethan-style estate that was built in the 19th century. Take a full sixty-minute tour of the cellars and the chalk pits and see the exhibition of contemporary art. You will also learn about the techniques used to craft the Champagne wines.

    Moët & Chandon: This is one of the most popular champagnes in the world. Located in Epernay, Champagne, north east of Paris, there are a variety of Moët & Chandon tours you can take. You can enjoy a 45-minute traditional tour followed by a tasting of Moët Impérial, a champagne that was created in 1869. Other visits include a comparison tasting as well as a private grand vintage visit.

    Veuve Clicquot Champagne: Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin is a French champagne house based in Reims, specializing in producing luxury champagne since 1772. Discover a one-hour or 30-minute tour of the cellars and the champagne making process followed by a tasting of our Yellow Label cuvee. On the two-and-a-half-hour tasting of the Brut Yellow Label, you will also sample four vintages including two rare vintages, accompanied with unpasteurized cheeses.

    Mumm Champagne: Don’t keep mum on how much you like this champagne, especially when you see the 1-hour tour in Reims. At the G.H. Mumm Champagne house you can go on a guided tour of more than 25 million bottles of fine Champagne. And, yes, don’t worry, you will get to taste as well. Choose between two tours to taste different varieties of champagne. Choose either the Cordon Rouge Champagne, the house’s signature drink, on a ‘Cordon Rouge Experience’, or taste two delicious cuvées on the ‘G. H. Mumm Experience’ cellar tour.

    Cheers!

    Travel Makers MD

    Finger Lakes & Wines

    travel makers wineThe Finger Lakes are located in Central New York and home to some of the tastiest wines in the state. Depending on what time of the year you visit, you can enjoy a full day or half-day tour of specific vineyards. For example, The Cayuga Wine Trail West Taste & Learn is a half-day fully guided and narrated wine tour that features three Cayuga Lake vineyards, including Cayuga Ridge Winery, where the owner, will take you on a private, behind-the-scenes tour of the wine-making process. At Hosmer Winery, you’ll taste two of the vintages of the same wine, side by side, as well as enjoy a chocolate pairing featuring locally-made chocolate paired with one of the Hosmer wines.  Finally, it’s to the Sheldrake Point Winery, where you’ll taste their Rieslings and Ice Wine.

    The Finger Lakes also offers a by-request-only Murder Mystery Wine Night called “In the Distill of the Night” where you, as a detective, or a suspect, unravel a mystery while you taste wine and tour vineyards, including Frontenac Point

    If you want to explore on your own and at your own pace, here are a few vineyards to get you started:

    Standing Stone Vineyards: Founded in 1991, Standing Stone Vineyards makes approximately 8000 cases on their 41 acres of vineyards. The wines are made and sold in renovated barns. You can taste Chardonnays and Cabernets right out of the barrels.

    Damiani Wine Cellars: Located on the shores of Seneca Lake, Damiani Wines highlights some of the region’s finest vinifera reds, including Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Bordeaux-inspired Meritage. One tour combines chocolates with the Damiani wines.

    Fox Run Vineyards: The 55 acres produces a Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Lemberger (Blaufrankish). The Vineyards also produce a Meritage blended from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc plus a Blanc de Blancs sparkler made from estate Chardonnay. There are also several wood-aged fortified wines. There are a variety of activities, including tastings, 45-minute tours of the winery every hour, food and wine pairings, and an annual garlic festival.

    Fulkerson Winery: This family owned farm was established in 1989 and produces over 25 varieties of wine that are bottled on site. In the fall, 30+ varieties of fresh grape juice are available for home winemaking. (For beer lovers, they also carry what you need for making your own beer too!)  They offer an annual winemaker’s dinner and, if you want to stay and explore the region, their traditional four-bedroom farmhouse is available as a rental.

    Travel Makers MD