While known for all things alcohol, it wasn’t until recently that Vegas got its own winery. A short (20-minute or so) drive from the shots and decadence of the Las Vegas strip. Vegas Valley Winery is located in the heart of “Henderson’s Booze District.” The “district” offers a variety of breweries and a distillery nearby. While it isn’t a winery Napa Valley or Santa Inez Valley wine lovers are accustomed to, it is well worth the stop.
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As you enter the unassuming location, an intimate tasting room and knowledgable sommelier greet you with a vast tasting menu and optional snacks. A tasting room and menu are not what make this winery unique. Some vines are located in Nevada while other grapes are shipped in to make these Nevada wines.
Its uniqueness is the ability to make your own wine. Cue the thoughts of Lucille Ball stomping grapes, but no feet are involved here. Vegas Valley Winery’s sister company, Grape Expectations, is the only winemaking school of its kind in Nevada. You begin by choosing a Social Barrel or Private Barrel. For reference, a barrel of wine is equal to 240 bottles/20 cases.
Regardless of your choice, you will have four winemaking sessions over the next nine months. Beginning with The Crush. The fun of the crush is met with the science of winemaking as the inoculation of grapes begins the fermentation process. One week later, you will return for the messiest process, the pressing. This is the process of placing the wine into a 53-gallon American oak barrel. Approximately four months later, you return for the racking. Pumping the wine from its oak barrel home to a stainless steel tank. In another four months, your “Wine Graduation Day” arrives and it is time to bottle. Fun naming and labels are up to your own creativity.
Wines always have a story, what will your story say?
Check out our tips for your next wine tasting trip too!
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