The Southernmost Winery in America Will Amaze You

Who knew the southernmost winery in America is located on Hawai’i Island, a/k/a Big Island? I didn’t even realize they could even make wine in Hawaii. But when you stop to consider what makes good wine, things such as elevation and coolness and rich soil, coupled with ocean air, it’s not so surprising.

This was part of our Fissure 8 Tours all-day adventure, which ended at the Volcano Winery in Volcano. The artist Keeth, who painted my coveted orchid, used to live in Volcano before he moved back to the Mainland. There are lots of artists and creative types in Volcano.

This was our host for the wine tasting, talking to the photographer who used to work for National Geographic. Volcano Winery works with a lot of tour companies, I guess, but in particular with Kapokohine Tours. You can tell by the type of food they serve. It is the same as the lunch we had while riding ATVs on Big Island.

BBQ chicken and spareribs, corn (with parsley for some reason), cole slaw. At lunch we had sparkling wine or beer, pop and water. But for dinner at the southernmost winery in America, we could choose our wine.

One of my favorites was the Volcano Blush, such a great summer wine, but it works all year round. I also really enjoyed the guava and grape selection. Pinot Noir was OK but I can get Pinot all day long out of Napa. A delightful dessert wine, although, it is so good you could probably drink it anytime, is the Macadamia Nut Honey wine, and at only $20 a bottle, it’s a bargain!

I bought a case of wine, of course. Because my favorite is the Volcano Red. It is bursting with juicy fruits, rounds out the tongue. Grown right here on Big Island at the southernmost winery in America! The Volcano Red is also Volcano Winery’s best selling wine, so no secret there. Try it, you’ll want a case yourself.

That is Loli in the photo drinking wine behind the kapu sign. She insisted I shoot this photo of her, so you can see why I like this woman.

By the time we finished the wine tasting, followed by dinner, we had a short tour before the sun dropped into the sea. The Volcano Winery looks like most other wineries. Roses in bloom. It is the wine that is different and very Hawaiian.