The First Coast is a virtual treasure trove of delicious wine finds for any enthusiast. Local distilleries and vineyards offer a huge variety of wines matching every profile. If you’re not sure where to begin, check out these local favorites or sign up from one of the popular winery tours that will take you through St. Augustine wine country with a great group of friends:
San Sebastian Winery
The San Sebastian Winery is one of the largest wineries in the First Coast area, and their tours include a complete history of their company as well as a walkthrough of their 18,000 square foot facility. You can sample some of their most popular flavors and learn a ton about the history of winemaking and the area. One of the best parts is keeping the souvenir glass at the end! You will love exploring this amazing facility and learn how they have become an award-winning winery since 1996. After sampling a few wines, head upstairs for a bite to eat paired with your favorite wine and enjoy live entertainment on select nights. You can find the San Sebastian Winery in the historic district of St. Augustine. This is a short drive from Beacher’s Lodge.
Gifted Cork Wine Tasting
If you prefer tasting wine over touring the vineyards, The Gifted Cork is a great choice for you. The Gifted Cork has brought together a huge selection of wines from Florida and and around the world. The Gifted Cork has a daily tasting where you can sample 4 wines for $5 and keep the Souvenir Gifted Cork glass. The unique wine boutique has events throughout the month with various themes for their wine tasting events.
Custom Wine Tours
If you want a more intense experience, you can enjoy several different First Coast local wine tours. You and your friends can jump on a bus and ride around to the area’s most popular wineries. You will have downtime at each winery so you can explore, taste, and take in the scenery before hopping back on the bus and heading to the next location. This is one of the most affordable and efficient ways to see as much of the wine country as possible. Plus, you don’t have to worry about getting behind the wheel at the end of the day. There are also wine tours that allow you to walk to various stores that offer wines and allow you do a little extra shopping along the way.
Hammock Wine and Cheese
If you are looking for a more secluded area, we would suggest heading a few miles south on A1A to Hammock Beach. There you will find a quaint little spot called Hammock Wine and Cheese. This cute little spot offers live entertainment as well as imported wines and beers, gourmet cheeses, cigars, as well as adorable gifts for you to take home.
After exploring the wines and finds of St Augustine’s First Coast and our surrounding areas, relax and pop open the bottle of wine you chose to bring back to Beacher’s Lodge. Unwind on the balcony as you swirl away your worries in a Beacher’s Lodge wine glass, perfectly paired with your gourmet cheese and enjoy a private wine tasting on a Beacher’s balcony just for you.