Summer is upon us and there is no better place to be than exploring wineries and sampling their fine craftsmanship. While wine is famous around the globe, some of the best wineries are available just a short flight away within North America. While Genesis Aviation can fly you anywhere in the world, this month we want to feature 4 easy-to-travel-to locations by private jet. So gather your friends and family, bachelor or bachelorette party crews, or enjoy a couples getaway, and hop on a short flight to one of these vineyard destinations. We’ll have you sitting on a patio, overlooking the vineyard with a flight of wine in front of you, in no time!

Willamette Valley, Oregon

This beautiful region located along the Oregon coast, is considered the best producer of pinot noir in the world. With its close proximity to Portland, this entire area is full of spectacular restaurants, charming B&B’s and high end boutique hotels. In 2021, this region was formally recognized by the European Union through Protected Geographical Indication Status. This milestone recognizes the quality of the wines in this area, an honor limited in North America to only Willamette and Napa. If you visit, make sure to visit the following wineries for an extraordinary experience: 

• Domaine Roy & fils – You’ll be transfixed by the 4 ancient olive trees at the entrance.
• Soter Vineyards – Soter has some of the best wines in Willamette Valley and puts on a show-stopping private tasting.
• White Rose Estate – Visit White Rose for impeccable service and stunning wine.

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Canada is home to some exceptional wine. The Okanagan Valley, located near trendy Kelowna, amidst spectacular lakes, is an easy adventure with endless winery options. The region produces a variety of grapes with lots of crisp whites and elegant rose, but is most famous (at least outside of Canada) for its ice wine. This area is perfect for private air travel. The flight is so short from many locations in western Canada and the US that it’s ideal to avoid all the line-ups and wait times of commercial travel. Here are some places you won’t want to miss:

• Frind Winery – If you’re looking for a super casual winery experience, this winery is for you! The winery is accessible by car, or boat, and has a beach for families, space for kids to run, and a wood-burning pizza fire, hot and ready to feed the masses.
• Mission Hill – This is one of the oldest and most spectacular wineries in the region. Located just outside West Kelowna, the grounds and castle-like buildings are as famous as the fabulous wine.
• Blasted Church Winery – Travel further south past Okanagan Falls and visit the cutest winery with incredible views. Blasted Church has a unique goal of pairing wine with art, which is easily seen through their labeling artwork.

Niagara, Ontario

Moving East, Canada has a second wine region, located in the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario. This beautiful area has exactly what winemakers need – warm sunny days and crisp cool nights. Niagara has many small wineries, where wines aren’t mass produced and are often not available in liquor stores. So consider it treasure hunting: if you find a wine you love, buy a bottle (or case) or two. A private charter can easily fly you in for winery exploring in Niagara. Here are some you won’t want to miss:

• Hidden Bench Winery – Hidden Bench is dedicated to producing ultra-premium wine. Their tasting room has beautiful views, along with some very limited edition chardonnays and pinot noirs.
• Jackson-Triggs Winery – One of Canada’s more well known wineries, established in 1993, this winery has many fan favorites and has won many Canadian and international awards. Fly in during the summer to catch a Summer Series concert in their stunning outdoor amphitheater.
• Inniskillin Wines – It wouldn’t be a true Canadian wine tasting tour if you didn’t try some of our most famous ice wine, located at Niagara-On-The-Lake.

Napa Valley, California

The most famous wine-producing region in North America is, without a doubt, the Napa Valley of California. Some of the world’s most famous “new world” wine comes from this region. More than any of the other regions, Napa has an enormous selection of structured wine tours for you to experience, as well as the best of luxury hotels, high end restaurants, and renowned event venues. Our team knows this area well and can happily manage all your private air travel plans to this region, so you maximize every minute of your stay. There are so many wineries it’s hard to narrow down a few recommendations. But here are some that won’t show up on a typical top 10 list, but have affordable and exceptional tasting experiences:

• Brendel – This small, boutique, contemporary winery has amazing “cool” factor and all organically-farmed wines.
• JaM Cellars – This winery blends in a music studio and has live music throughout the week, open late for a perfect end to a day of tastings.
• Vineyard 29 Tasting Room in downtown Napa has a chic mid century-modern vibe and offers wine tastings for under $50.

There you have it – a guide to 4 locations in North America that you can easily access by a private charter . If you are interested in knowing more about how private air travel could elevate your next wine tasting vacation, contact us at  Genesis Aviation | Available on Call 24/7. It is our privilege to help create a custom private air travel solution for each of our clients.