Alabama Wine Trail: Part Two -
Montgomery and Mobile
Welcome to Part Two of our Alabama Wine Trail Journey!
As we discussed in Part One, much of Alabama's wine country is located in the central part of the state, where the hilly terrain is conducive to vineyards and grape growing. South of Birmingham, it's a downhill run to Montgomery, the state capital, and Mobile, a lively port city hugging the Gulf Coast.
For the entire trip, you'll navigate Interstate 65, which cuts a north/south path through the heart of Alabama. Travel is a breeze and most attractions are easily accessible off the highway. Currently, there are three wineries in the southern half of Alabama, so when you combine winery visits with the friendly cities of Montgomery and Mobile, you've got the makings of an ideal 3-4 day getaway.
Planning The Route: Two I-65 Wineries
Our plans called for a mid morning departure from Birmingham with an overnight stay in Montgomery. Then, a half day's drive to Mobile and the subtropical climate of Mobile Bay and the Gulf Coast. Two Alabama wineries sit along the I-65 corridor between Birmingham and Montgomery, which are 90 miles apart. And so, after a light breakfast in Birmingham we headed south on I-65 with our sights set on Vizzini Farms Winery. Located only 1/2 hour south of the city, Vizzini is open daily at 10 a.m. and is easy to find right off exit 234.
Vizzini offers an onsite deli and outdoor patio where you can enjoy lunch overlooking the vineyards. We arrived at 10:30, too early for lunch, although we did snack on freshly baked bread and local cheese from the deli counter.
You'll have your choice of about a dozen Vizzini wines, made from a combination of west coast and Alabama grapes. If you're familiar with our travelogues, you know we like to "drink local" and sample wines made with local grapes. At Vizzini Farms Winery, that means a terrific Cabernet Franc, whose smooth flavor compared favorably to Virginia or California wines of this style.
Sensing how much we liked the Cabernet Franc, our tasting guide suggested the Sangiovese, a red Italian table style wine that had us thinking of a pairing with barbeque. Among others we liked were a Pinot Noir, Blush, and a pleasantly surprising Riesling that was right in our sweet spot. We aren't sure where the grapes originate for Vizzini Farms' Riesling, but we recommend it as a "must try". Crisp and a bit sweeter than many Rieslings, we wish we'd bought more than one bottle.
Less than 10 minutes away, only a mile off exit 228 near the town of Calera, is the beautiful and welcoming Ozan Vineyard and Cellars. If you're pressed for time and can only visit one winery in Alabama, Ozan is a good choice. Situated on a 24 acre estate in the midst of Alabama wine country, this relatively new winery boasts a continually expanding vineyard with emphasis on the Norton grape.
Ozan's Wine Train
One of Ozan Vineyard's more interesting projects is their monthly wine train excursion, which combines wine tasting with a leisurely train ride through the countryside. Operating from April through November, each trip offers a different environmental focus, depending on the season. These Saturday journeys last three hours and include wine tasting, gourmet box lunch, and theme narration. See Ozan's website for more details.
We settled in for a taste of Ozan's Norton Red Label. Norton wines are fast becoming our red wine favorite, having been introduced to the style in Missouri and southern Illinois. We weren't surprised to see it here, as the countryside reminded us of central Missouri. This wine is big and bold, with an appealing black cherry flavor and mildly oakey finish. Also try the Reserve Merlot, vinted from local grapes and aged for 16 months.
For something sweeter, there's Ozan Peach. Peach wines are big in Alabama and this one is really good! Very pleasant and well made, it's not overwhelmingly sweet and has the aroma and flavor of farm fresh peaches.
There are almost a dozen wines to try here, with special releases planned through 2009. Only minutes off I-65, it's an ideal stop between Birmingham and Montgomery. Ozan is a big supporter of the Alabama Wine Trail and helps enhance promotion of the Alabama wine industry. They're open Fridays and Saturdays, 11-6.
Down I-65 To Montgomery
Less than an hour from Ozan is Alabama's historic state capital, Montgomery. We'll introduce you to this fascinating little city in a few moments, but seeing as we arrived during the lunch hour, let's head straight downtown to a Montgomery landmark, Daisy's Diner.
Located in the heart of Montgomery's downtown a few short blocks from the Alabama River, Daisy's Diner is southern cooking personified. Nothing fancy here, but then again, the best southern cooking is always welcoming and unpretentious.
There's a set menu at Daisy's, and daily specials, usually focused around a "meat and three". This means you'll get one meat and three side dishes. From the moment we walked in, we were mesmerized by the scent of fried chicken, which was nothing short of outstanding. The outer breading was crisp and tasty, the chicken itself moist and tender. We also ordered a plate of meatloaf, with buttered corn, squash casserole, and turnip greens on the side. What a delicious introduction to Montgomery!
Refueled and recharged, it was time to explore and immerse ourselves into Montgomery's culture and pulse.
Montgomery: Alabama's Proud Capital City
With just over 200,000 residents, Montgomery isn't particularly large. It's easy to navigate, especially the walkable downtown area. The city is rich in history, with numerous civil rights landmark sites. The best place to start is historic Union Station, an 1890's era building housing the Montgomery Visitors Center. We viewed a short video overview of the city and visited "The Depot", Montgomery's official gift shop. You can also buy $1 all day passes to the Montgomery Trolley System, which will transport you all around the downtown area.
From here, your choices are many. Visit and tour the Alabama Capitol, explore historical sites, or spend an afternoon amidst the speciality shops on Mulberry Street. This is a government town, so the downtown is bustling, especially during the day.
Much like Birmingham, Montgomery boasts dozens of local restaurants, ranging from traditional southern fare to upscale gourmet. There's Sophia's BBQ, actually a great place for breakfast or lunch, where two eggs with bacon and toast will only set you back $3.50. Or, wander over to Chris' Hot Dogs, a Montgomery staple since 1917. Get a (very good) hot dog for $2, loaded with mustard, onion, sauerkraut, and Chris' famous chili sauce. Insider tip: the hot dogs aren't overly big, so they're a perfect late afternoon/happy hour snack. Chris' Hot Dogs is open until 7 p.m. during the week.
For dinner and live music, there's the Montgomery Brewing Company, affectionately known as "The Brew Pub". Housed in an historic former warehouse building built in 1913, it's located downtown on Jefferson Street, about two blocks from Daisy's Diner. We stopped in for dinner and particularly enjoyed two of the house brews, Riverboat Red and Wipeout Stout. You'll love The Brew Pub's grilled black angus rib eye with chipotle cream sauce and the parmesan crusted trout. Or, tickle your southern taste buds with made-from-scratch soups and a delicious Creole gumbo. This is a fun place with a gregarious crowd and rollicking live music later in the evening.
We enjoyed meeting some local Montgomerians, who were delighted we were spending some time in their city. They claim many tourists bypass Montgomery on their way to the Gulf Coast and never experience the city's charms. We enjoyed our visit very much, and recommend a day or two stay for anyone traveling through Alabama.
On The Road To Perdido
Our next morning's agenda pointed us south on I-65 for the 170 mile ride to one of our favorite seaside destinations, Mobile. About 30 miles outside of the city, you'll find Alabama's oldest and southernmost farm winery, Perdido Vinyards. This was our first stop of the late morning.
Since 1983, Perdido Vineyards has been a stalwart of the blossoming Alabama wine industry. Open six days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Perdido welcomes visitors and offers winery and vineyard tours to individuals and groups. They specialize in muscadine table wines but also produce a surprising array of other wine styles.
Perdido is a great place to get acquainted with muscadine wines. This prolific grape is common in southern states and is a traditional sipping wine enjoyed by generations of southerners. If you like sweet wines, they're right up your alley. We found Perdido's to be very well made. Muscadine wines are a bit too sweet for our liking, but that's not a knock on them at all. After all, the best wine is the one you enjoy the most! As our tastes trend toward semi dry wines, we'll like some wines you won't, and vice versa. Taste, compare, enjoy, and tell your friends. That's what wine travel is all about, right?
For our palate, Perdido's Demopolis Ecor Blanc was a fine discovery. This semi dry white has mild tropical fruit flavors and an extremely well balanced finish. This one came home with us, as did Delta Bouquet, an enjoyable blush wine with just a tinge of sweetness. And if you're headed out to the Gulf Coast beaches, don't pass up Perdido's Wine Coolers, the newest addition to their product line.
Seafood, Mobile Style
From Perdido, it's about 1/2 hour to historic downtown Mobile. Along with New Orleans, Mobile is a culinary capital of the Gulf Coast. Great seafood is abundant, and influenced by various cultural cooking styles and techniques.
There are scores of restaurants here, not only in Mobile but also the outlying beach communities. A great choice for any first time or repeat visitor is Wintzell's Oyster House, a Mobile mainstay for 71 years. There are several Wintzell's outposts, but stick with the traditional downtown location in the midst of the action on Dauphin Street. We visited here for lunch and happily used a 2-for-1 lunch coupon courtesy of the Mobile Visitor Bureau's website.
Wintzell's is seafood nirvana. We dove into the grilled catch of the day (amberjack), and a shrimp po boy, in addition to a half dozen plump, juicy oysters. For a real bargain, visit any Wintzell's location during happy hour, weekdays from 4-7 p.m. Oysters are 1/2 price and draft beers are $1! It's almost enough to make one want to look at local real estate ...
We'll get back to some other Mobile food finds, but first let's get acquainted with the area and experience a few sightseeing destinations.
Mobile: Gateway To The Gulf Coast
When describing Mobile to friends, we often compare the city to its Gulf Coast neighbor, New Orleans. There's a similar pace and a wonderful mix of cultures in both cities. But as much as we enjoy New Orleans, we enjoy Mobile even more. Maybe it's the close proximity to such natural attractions as Dauphin Island. Maybe it's the safeness and walkability of the downtown area. And maybe it's because Mobile is a bit of the underdog, in the shadow of it's more prominent neighbor. Whatever the reason, if you like all the good things about New Orleans, you'll love Mobile.
Here's another parallel ... did you know Mobile is the birthplace of Mardi Gras in North America? Mobile first celebrated the Mardi Gras tradition over 300 years ago, in 1703. Every February, Mobile throws a huge two week party to celebrate the event, with parades and all sorts of revelry. In fact, Mobile is known as home to "America's Family Mardi Gras". There's even a special store devoted to the event, Toomey's Mardi Gras.
The city itself hugs the western shore of Mobile Bay, a large inlet that merges with the Gulf of Mexico 10 miles to the south. Ecotourism is big here, with all sorts of spectacular natural sights in this subtropical climate. Even in January, we enjoyed temperatures hovering right at 70 degrees with gentle breezes and flowers in bloom all around the city. Nature has truly blessed this area, making the Mobile area a one-of-a-kind waterfront destination.
Downtown Mobile
Mobile's center of the universe, so to speak, is its historic downtown. You'll experience unique, treasured architecture sprinkled with southern and Creole character. Also, you'll encounter great restaurants, lively bars, and time honored specialty shops. Start your visit dowtown, and you'll soon find yourself swept up in the "joie de vie" that's such a big part of Mobile.
We've introduced you to Wintzell's, but there's much more on and around Dauphin Street to explore. Stroll the area and enjoy a taste of Mobile at Three Georges Southern Chocolates, where you'll find delicious pralines and nougat filled cremes. Browse for hard-to-find books at Bienville Books, or stop for a snack at A+M Peanut Shop. Later on, enjoy a cold beer at Hurricane Brewing Company, or stay for dinner as we did. And if it's live music you seek, pop in at any of a number of nightspots, clubs, or jazz bars.
Downtown Mobile is adjacent to one of America's newest cruise terminals, and cruise lines depart daily for the Caribbean and other ports of call. Hotel rooms are plentiful here, and downtown is a good choice as a home base. You can walk to dining and nightlife destinations and enjoy easy access to interstates and expressways to explore other area sights.
Just outside the downtown, two great fish restaurants beckon with daily fresh catches and postcard views. Both Ed's Seafood Shed and Felix's Fish Camp are local favorites, with reasonable prices and comfortable, casual atmosphere. Either make an excellent choice for lunch or dinner.
Nature Calls ... Mobile Answers
When you visit Mobile, no matter the season, you'll have ample opportunity to explore the great outdoors. A favored destination is Dauphin Island, a 14 mile long barrier island sheltering Mobile Bay from the Gulf of Mexico. Reached by causeway, Dauphin Island is ideal for camping, sunning on the beaches, or exploring history and nature.
To orient yourself, visit Dauphin Island's Audobon Bird Sanctuary. This 164 acre site consists of a maritime forest, dunelands, a freshwater lake, marshes, beaches, and some of the most acclaimed bird watching in the world. This is the first stop for migrating birds from south and central America. Dozens of species can be seen here, and there's an interpretive trail circling through the grounds. We spotted alligators lurking in the freshwater lake and a handsome giant turtle sunning in the swamp.
If you're a bicycle enthusiast, Dauphin Island is calling your name. There's a bike path stretching the entire length of the island, and you can rent a bike at one of the local watersport shops. You can also visit the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, a combination estuarium and public aquarium with numerous exhibits and a living marsh boardwalk.
"Damn The Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead"
If you've ever wondered where that phrase originated, it was here on Dauphin Island at historic Fort Gaines. This Civil War era fort gained prominence in the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864. Union Admiral David Farragut, seeking to break through Confederate defenses at Fort Gaines, uttered the famous phrase as his fleet steamed into Mobile Bay. Fort Gaines was in use through World War II and now stands as a National Historic Site. You can visit any day of the week, and there's a reduced admission coupon on the Mobile Visitors Bureau website.
While you're on the island, be
sure to stop for lunch at one of the local seafood
spots. We
like Pelican Pub for fresh fish
sandwiches and a great view of the marina and
Gulf.
Another to try is Barnacle
Bill's a casual friendly place with
daily specials and cold drinks.
Another of Mobile's famous attractions is Bellingrath Gardens, a horticultural treasure and one of America's preeminent gardens. Located 20 minutes south of downtown Mobile, Bellingrath Gardens is an ever changing 65 acre display of floral beauty in a natural setting of Spanish moss and oak trees.
Plan for about 1/2 day here. You can tour the Bellingrath Home, a 19th Century mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We also enjoyed a 45 minute waterfront cruise on the Southern Belle, observing wildlife along the way and learning about the Mobile Bay ecosystem. Butterfly, Rose, and Japanese gardens add to the ambiance, and a boardwalk through the grounds provides a close up view of deer, turtles, and the occasional alligator.
From Bellingrath, spend an afternoon shopping in the charming bayside village of Fairhope. An artists community of sorts, it's located on the east side of Mobile Bay. There are several small villages here, each with their own personality. One particularly enjoyable stop in Fairhope is the Eastern Shore Art Center, where you can view and purchase beautiful prints depicting scenic Mobile, the Bay, and the Gulf Coast.
Summing It All Up
We chatted with one of the shopkeepers about our Alabama wine travels, and she responded "Alabama is beautiful before a glass of wine, and after!". We couldn't agree more. This is truly an underrated vacation spot. If you're a foodie, you'll love the southern cooking, the barbecue, and of course the fresh seafood. If you're into history or the outdoors, Alabama has you covered with friendly cities, clean and clear mountain areas, and the compelling Gulf Coast.
And finally, if you're a wine lover, hopefully we've given you a glimpse into the Alabama wine industry. May you enjoy your Alabama travels as much as we did!
Until next time,
Cheers!
Montgomery Visitor Information: www.visitingmontgomery.com Mobile Visitor Information: www.mobile.org Dauphin Island Visitor Information: www.dauphinislandcoc.com Food And Drink:
Hurricane Brewing Company: www.hurricanebrewing.net A+M Peanut Shop: www.ampeanutshop.com Ed's Seafood Shed: www.edsshed.com Felix's Fish Camp: www.felixfishcamp.com Three Georges Southern Chocolates: www.threegeorges.com Montgomery Brewing Company: www.montgomerybrewpub.com Wintzell's Oyster House: www.wintzellsoysterhouse.com
Sights And Shopping:
Bellingrath Gardens: www.bellingrath.org Dauphin Island Sea Lab: www.sealabestuarium.org Downtown Fairhope: www.fairhopemerchants.com Eastern Shore Art Center: www.easternshoreartcenter.com Toomey's Mardi Gras Store: www.toomeys-mardigras.com Bienville Books: www.bienvillebooks.com
Vizzini Farms Winery: www.vizzinifarmswinery.com Ozan Vineyard and Cellars: www.ozanwine.com Perdido Vineyards: www.perdidovineyards.com
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