Wineries in the 1000 Islands

Wine, craft beers and distilleries are prominent in the St. Lawrence River Valley, and back from our castle tour, we have the afternoon available to visit a few. The wine here is produced from special cold-hardy grapes, as you might expect this far north.

Our first stop was Northern Flow Vineyards, established in 2015. Located on a farm by the St. Lawrence,  its cold-and disease-resistant grapes were developed by the University of Minnesota, one of the nation's leading grape research programs. They maintain more than 12,000 experimental vines on 12 acres.

We have a tasting at one of their outdoor tables, beside a trellis that fronts their vintage. As is our usual, Pam goes bolder reds and I opt for the sweet flight. We relax and soak up the moment under the shade of a wide umbrella. Life in the 1000 Islands is good indeed.

Our next stop is Coyote Moon Vineyards, which we noticed also maintain a tasting room on the river walk near the hotel – and where they also offer boat wine cruises from the pier. Their family-owned vineyards are located some four miles away on 400 acres that once was an abandoned farm. Inside, we find a safety-conscious stuffed coyote on the bar wearing a face mask.

Coyote Moon also produces their wine from cold-hardy grapes, and we enjoyed it so much we bought a bottle of their LaCrescent, a white wine with “strong citrus notes and a hint of sweetness.” Like many of their wines, it features distinctive label artwork by the owner’s wife, Mary Randazzo.

Join us for a tasting...

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Photos by North Palm Beach Life