The Best Winery Tour In America Right Now Isn't In California (Here's How And When To Visit)

Wine tourism is its own special form of travel, whether you prefer being in nature traipsing among the vines or spending time in elegant tasting rooms (or both). California's Sonoma and Napa Valley, which can transport you to Tuscany without a Transatlantic flight, are among the country's most famous wine regions, but the best winery tour in America right now actually isn't in California. Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyards in New York State's Finger Lakes region was recently voted the number one winery tour in the U.S. for the fourth year in a row by the USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. The winery is located in Hammondsport, NY, a village known for its fall foliage views and world-class wine.

A lake paradise considered one of New York's prettiest regions, the Finger Lakes region is especially known among wine aficionados for its top-notch Riesling. Dr. Konstantin Frank was a U.S. wine pioneer who saw potential in the Finger Lakes, with its unique, glacier-carved landscape. Besides Riesling, however, the region also produces exceptional wines from a variety of grapes, such as Cabernet Franc, as well as hybrid and native North American varieties like Cayuga White and Catawba.

The winning tour at the winery is called the 1886 Wine Experience, referencing the date of its founding as a winemaking property, predating the arrival of Dr. Frank himself. According to the Dr. Konstantin Frank website: "Our 1886 Wine Experience brings us back to our roots. Back to the days when every tasting was intimate and personal. When guests could take their time, learn, savor our wines, and experience the Dr. Frank legacy firsthand."

Depending on what day of the week you choose to visit the winery, the 1886 Experience takes different forms, all of which include a seated wine tasting with both savory and sweet small-bite pairings. On Thursdays and Fridays, guests can enjoy a tour of the vineyard to learn more about the growing process and practices used for the vines to produce high-quality grapes. On Saturdays, the tour focuses on sparkling winemaking, with a visit to the winery's cellar and sparkling wine facility. On Sundays, spend time in the rustic and romantic barrel room, where you'll have an opportunity to taste red wine pulled straight from the barrel.

Visits for the 1886 Experience are available by reservation only, and the tours take place May through November, at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. The experience lasts two hours and costs $75 per person (or $60 for winery members), which includes the particular tour experience, plus the seated tasting with pairings. If you're just looking to visit to buy a few bottles or participate in a simple tasting, the Dr. Konstantin Frank is open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the last seated tasting at 4:00 p.m.

If you're ready to start planning your visit to Dr. Konstantin Frank for the best winery tour in America, Hammondsport is located roughly a 4-hour drive away from either New York City or Cleveland. Nearby airports are in Rochester, about 90 minutes from the winery, and Syracuse, which takes just a bit longer at 1 hour and 40 minutes. An Amtrak train station is also available in Syracuse.