Do You Love Wine & Need To Get Away? Are You On A Budget? This Wine Tour Is The Answer…

Do you have cabin fever to the max?

Here is the perfect, COVID-19 safe mini-trip to take with a few girlfriends to get you out and about without going TOO too far.

It is a winery tour in Jamesport, New York!

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Myself and my two best friends, Genesis and Nadia, took a trip this past weekend and I have to say...if you love wine, are on a budget and NEED to get out for the good of your mental health, this is the answer.

The drive is just under three hours and will fly by once girl talk ensues.

We booked a basic room at the Shorewood Inn that is located right in the middle of all the wineries we were going to visit. We didn't need a suite....we were going to sleep in the room and that is about it.

Here is the cool part: we booked a driver for the day so no one had to be the designated driver.

The company is called North Fork Designated Driver (YouDrinkIDrive.com) and for just $40 an hour plus tip, someone will come pick you up at your hotel, drive you and your friends around  in your own car to the different wineries and then drop you off.

They were pretty flexible too. We ended up extending our original reservation so we could have the driver bring us to the beach, to dinner and of course, the liquor store!

Now let's get to the juicy part: the wineries we visited.

FYI: Some wineries were closed because of the pandemic and of course, there were restrictions and safety protocols in place. Just be aware that many places require a reservation.

First, we visited Raphael Winery.

The three of us split a white wine flight for just $25 which automatically came with a small snack pack because you can't order booze without food in NYC. This stop was light because it was only the first one but the interior was gorgeous!

Unfortunately this spot only offered indoor seating to minimize the number of staff but out back, there is a 1-mile walk around the winery that you can take if you wish.

Next we visited Sannino Vineyard.

This location was a solid 10/10. There was indoor and outdoor seating available but I was so thankful to be out in the sun so we could show off our outfits.

They offered an elite wine flight ($45), a red wine flight ($35) and a white wine flight ($35) -- and yes, we ordered all three. The sun, the wine, the view and the company made this spot a relaxing little getaway all on its own.

We also ordered their warm, soft pretzel with mustard for $18.00 but for an additional $5.00, we tried this sriracha honey that was sweet but spicy. I strongly recommend.

The final spot Shinn Estate Vineyard.

This spot I would have to say was my favorite.

Nadia and Genesis tried two different flights of wines that included whites, reds and roses. I believe one cost $40 and the other cost $35.

I, however, decided to go for a homerun and ordered a bottle of rose that we all ended up sharing for $42. The food purchase here was pretzel nuggets with hot cheese dip for $13. It hit the spot.

The set up offered both indoor and outdoor seating but once again, so glad we were able to enjoy the sunshine.

We also asked our driver to bring us to a close by beach before calling it for the day and it was SO relaxing. Maybe not as warm as we would have hoped but I think we made out like bandits for it being the end of March.

And just to put it into perspective, this was the view as we were being driven back to our hotel at the end of the day.

I would say between the three of us, the total amount spent was between $350 to $400 each which is a chunk of change but is a steal for the royalty treatment we received.

Not to mention, there was only three of us.

If you have four, five or even six people in your group total, that cost can easily be cut in half.

The most expensive part is going to be the wine and food at each winery so you can also cut the cost by minimizing your number of stops or the amount of wine you drink. But who on earth wants to go on a winery tour and limit your wine intake?! NO ONE!

I have been very open about my COVID-19 Fatigue and how I have been struggling -- but this little getaway really helped me to escape and relax.

And like actually relax....like I did not have a care in the world and I did not realize how much I needed it until I was there.

So it might be worth making a reservation, taking the drive to get dressed up with those who are close to you.

To learn more about North Fork Designated Driver, CLICK HERE.

To learn more about Raphael Winery, CLICK HERE.

To learn more about Sannino Vineyard, CLICK HERE.

To learn more about Shinn Estate Vineyard, CLICK HERE.

I hope you enjoy! And remember....pinky out.