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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.
Fissure 8 Tours at Leilani Estates in Lower Puna
A few of the residents of Leilani Estates subdivision are none too happy that Fissure 8 Tours are now happening. Probably because they aren’t making any money from the tragic disaster and they resent those who do. Yet the individual whose private property we were invited to tour is such a sweet person. It shocks me a little that some of those residents are so hostile to her.
My friend Loli had an opportunity to book us as comped guests on one of the very first Fissure 8 tours, so I jumped on it. The police allow only residents and guests to enter Leilani Estates. We were guests of Pamela, a resident, arranged through Kapahokine Tours.
Residents in an SUV pulled up alongside our van and complained, saying it is against the HOA regulations to do business in Leilani Estates. Although, locals say most people run a business of some sort, from therapy, to massages, to housecleaning. Gigs are a fact of life. This disgruntled woman threatened to call the police which, of course, she was welcome to do. The police do not enforce HOA regulations. They cannot stop Fissure 8 tours.
People who are not from the Big Island may be unfamiliar with Fissure 8, but they certainly know that Kilauea erupted this spring, causing 2,000 people to lose their homes. Fissure 8 captured the attention of media because it is a 100-foot cinder cone that started as a crack yet blasted magma 200-feet high.
Fissure 8 is in Pamela’s back yard. Beyond is the ocean. Her entire property is still developing cracks. You can feel the heat in the vents. What was once a ravine is now filled with lava, and wild orchids grow off to one side.
This is one of the neighbor’s dogs. He has 5 or 6 of these beautiful creatures. I highly recommend the tour. It makes one reflect on what is important in life and puts our own lives in perspective. Our hearts go out to all those who lost their homes and everything they owned.
