Sunday, February 28, 2016

Endless Summer Vineyard & Winery, Ft. Pierce, Fla.

Ft. Pierce, Fla.—Endless Summer Vineyard & Winery makes Florida sourced wine. This 10-acre vineyard, owned by Gary Roberts, started crafting and serving blended wine to the public just seven years ago. Back then all their wines were made with grape juice sourced off property because their vines were not mature enough to produce the needed juice.

Inside tasting room, Endless Summer Vineyard & Winery, Ft. Pierce, Fla.
Copyright 2016 by Helen A Lockey
Today, they have two Family Estate Reserve muscadine wines that are Vine-to-Bottle style made with the grapes from their fields. They also continue to make blended wines made with grape juice from north Florida vineyards and other areas around the country.

I got to taste their wines earlier this month while touring the countryside on the Gold & Treasure Coast Slow Foods U-Drive Farm Tour.

Not Starboards, fortified port style Muscadine dessert wine,
Endless Summer Vineyard & Winery, Ft. Pierce, Fla
Copyright 2016 by Helen A Lockey 
My favorite was, “Not Starboards,” a brandy fortified, port style Muscadine dessert wine that was 18 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). It has a silky mouth feel and flavors of caramelized raisin, smoky leather and toasted coconut. It reminded me a lot of rum & raisin ice cream.

Next on my list of favorites was a white called, "Beach Nut," made with a blend of Chardonnay and Carlos Muscadine grapes. It was lightweight semi-dry wine that started off fruity and finished dry.

Of the reds, I liked, "Rated Arrr," because it had a surprisingly complex tannin profile and rich flavors. It finished deliciously drier than I expected. It was made with a blend of Merlot and Noble Muscadine grapes.

Muscadine grape vines at Endless Summer Vineyard
& Winery, Ft. Pierce, Fla.
Copyright 2016 by Helen A Lockey
I was not a fan of the Family Estate Reserves wines but other people on the tasting tour enjoyed them greatly.

This vineyard is definitely worth a visit.

Endless Summer Vineyard & Winery is located at 4200 Johnston Rd., Ft. Pierce, FL  34951

Their phone is (772) 460-0500

They are closed on Mondays, but open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues. to Fri, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. sat, and 12 p.m.-5 p.m. on Sun.