Many of us RVers like to have a good time as we travel — and sometimes that includes having a drink or two or a sip of something new as we learn about various beverages.

Winning Wine Regions

Most of us know about the famed Wine Country regions in California, and Oregon also has quite a reputation. Fewer travelers know about Washington state wine regions, many clustered in the southeastern corner of the state near Walla Walla and Prosser.

Tasting at the Cooper Vineyards in Louisa, Virginia. Photo: USDA

But the Midwest — yes, the Midwest — also is a great wine touring area. Led by the Traverse City area of Michigan, which is on the same parallel as Bordeaux in France, the Midwest boasts more than 20 different AVAs, or American Viticultural Areas. The shoreline of Lake Michigan has been dubbed the country’s “third coast,” with the lake offering early and late season protection for the vines. Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, and Merlot are among the varieties offered.

In addition, Indiana and Illinois have long histories of producing wines. They are each home to more than 100 wineries, as is Missouri, which actually received the first AVA designation in the country. Napa Valley came second. Ohio boasts nearly 300 wineries that produce mainly sweeter wines, some based on fruits other than grapes. And Wisconsin, known for its beers, also has a growing wine industry. You’ll even find some great wineries in Virginia (see photo above).

Photo: Caroline Attwood

Look online for various wine-tasting trails that run throughout the region.

Spirited Beverages

But not all tasting trails feature wine, and many epicureans prefer something different. For spirits, look no further than Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail — the “Grandaddy” of spirits’ tasting trails. With 46 member distilleries across six regions, some planning is required, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail website — kybourbontrail.com — offers a wealth of information. Craft distilleries formerly had their own trail, but now large and small distilleries are combined on one trail, with more distillers added yearly.

Barrels aging along the bourbon trail. Photo: Andre Machado

There’s a reason bourbon proliferates in this region. The origin of bourbon generally began with European settlers — especially those from Ireland and Scotland — bringing distilling knowledge to the region in the mid-1700s. The soil in what would become Kentucky was fertile, ideal for growing corn, and the limestone-filtered water was essential in the fermentation process.

While the exact origin of the name is debated, the first commercial distillery was established in 1783, and the whiskey gained national recognition by the mid-19th century. Key developments include the Bottled-in-Bond Act.

The tasting room for Old Forester Bourbon. Photo: Alek Olson

Thousands of distilleries followed — until Prohibition dealt a blow to legal sales, but gave rise to the bootleg trade. (Women reportedly were among the most successful bootleggers because many state laws forbade male police officers from searching women.) The resurgence began in 1933.
Bourbon today is a Distinct American Product as declared by Congressional Resolution in 1964. To be a bourbon, the spirit must be aged in a charred oak barrel, must contain at least 51 percent corn, cannot be distilled above 160 proof, cannot enter the barrel with more than 125 proof, and cannot enter the bottle with less than 80 proof.

But then the skill of each distillery master takes over, and the variables chosen – such as the water used, the char of the barrel, addition of other grain mixtures, and years of aging combine to create the final elixir that makes one bourbon stand apart from others.

Parks Welcoming RVers to Wine and Spirits regions:

Illinois

DraftKings at Casino Queen RV Park in East St Louis

Kentucky

4 Guys RV Park in Slade
Elkhorn Creek RV Park in Frankfort
Jellystone Park at Mammoth Cave in Cave City
Outpost RV Park & Campground in Salt Lick
White Acres Campground in Bardstown

Washington

Horn Rapids RV Resort in Richland
HTR Door County in Egg Harbor

The post Drink to This: Wonderful Wine Country and the Bourbon Trail appeared first on RV.com.