A HISTORY OF WINEMAKING: Local author pens regional wine and travel guide

Local author Pam Watson has penned a book that should thrill all Florida wine lovers and those who come to visit.

"The Northwest Florida Wine Tour" is a travel guide for wine lovers who are interested in Florida wineries.

In addition to featuring vineyards throughout the state, Watson included nearby attractions, eateries and places to stay.

The book is a travel guide, a wine tasting, and history lesson all in one and aimed at wine lovers and weekend travelers, said Watson.

Filled with wine facts, recipes, information about regional wine festivals, events, and contact information, the book is an informative guide full of useful information.

Such as … "Many people don't realize that wine was first made in this country in Florida, along the St. John River in the 16th century," said the author.

There are a total of 34 wineries in the state, but not all of those grow their own grapes.

For ease of navigation, Watson divided the state into four sections: northwest, northeast, central, and south.

The Tampa Bay area is home to 10 wineries and there are 10 in the southern part of the state; there are eight in the northeast, and in Northwest Florida alone, there are seven wineries, of which, six are certified farm wineries. Interestingly, Walton County's own Chautauqua Winery in DeFuniak Springs is one of the oldest in the state at 25 years old.

Watson said she is seeing a resurgence of wine making in the state and there is a new winery that just opened in Crestview — The Yellow River Winery.

“There is so much history of wine making here and this new breed of winemakers is growing a new industry right in our own backyard. Besides that, visiting wineries is fun,” said Watson.

Watson said she felt there was a need for such a book, mainly due to her own fondness for wine and visiting wineries.

She enlarged on the experience by including more than 50 black-and-white photos, attractions, nearby bed and breakfasts, out-of-the-way cafés, each winery's wine list, and fun things to do along the way in the book's 114 pages.

The "Northwest Florida Wine Tour" is the first in a three-book installment Watson plans to release.

Watson also wrote about the Carolina wine industry while living there in 1999 with “99 Fun Things to do in Columbia and Boone County,” and “Carolina Wine Country The Complete Guide.” She is also the co-author of the 13th and 14th editions of the “Insiders’ Guide to North Carolina’s Southern Coast and Wilmington,” and a contributor to “Forgotten Missourians Who Made History.”

Watson enjoys traveling and visited many wineries throughout her travels. She has worked as a freelance writer for 35 years, beginning with the Plant City Courier in 1978. As an army brat, she calls herself "a sorta Florida native." She has lived in the South Walton area for four years.

The Northwest Florida Wine Tour is available at area wineries including Emerald Coast Wine Cellars in Miramar Beach, Chautauqua Winery in DeFuniak Springs, Seabreeze Winery, as well as on the website at www.northwest-florida-travel.com, at amazon.com, and at Sundog Books in Seaside for $11.95 plus tax.

Explore the Northwest Florida website at www.northwest-florida-travel.com.