The Texas Hill Country is the top-rated “hidden-gem” wine region in the United States, according to travel planning site Away.com.
Away.com provides information on more than 35,000 global destinations.
The Hill Country, the region just north of San Antonio, is one of America’s fastest-growing wine destinations. The Hill Country is home to 24 wineries along the Texas Wine Trail. State tourism and agriculture officials have been working heavily in recent years to promote the Hill Country to wine aficionados. Texas is the fifth-largest wine producing state in the country, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture.
The Hill Country ranked first on the Top 10 list. Bloomington, Ind.; Cape Cod, Mass.; Botetourt County, Va.; Long Island, N.Y.; Arkansas River Valley, Ark.; Cleveland; Yakima Valley, Wash.; Traverse City, Mich.; and Brandywine Valley, Pa., rounded out the list.
The Top 10 “Hidden Gen” wine regions were selected by Away.com’s staff of editors and travel writers and are based on the research and opinions of the staff.
“Most people tend to associate vineyards with California, forgetting some equally lush, yet budget-friendly wineries right in their own backyard,” says Away.com Senior Editor Kate Chandler. “Away.com’s list of undiscovered spots in America’s wine country highlights its geographic diversity, and their proximity to metropolitan areas makes them an ideal detour.”
Away.com is owned by online travel agency Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE: OWW) in Chicago.
