Alaska is one of the most spectacular places in the world to visit, a region of immense contrasts, vast wildernesses, and surprising experiences around every corner. While many people start off their experience in the 49th state planning to discover Alaska’s striking glaciers and majestic wildlife cruising from Vancouver, it is amazing how often something else raises its head.
Glaciers
The opportunity to witness towering glaciers up close is one you will never forget. Coming face to face with these icy natural wonders is a thrilling and often unforgettable experience.
The glaciers in Alaska are magnificent. Towering over the surrounding seas, their steep inclines seem insurmountable, and the spectacle of seeing them up close is truly astounding.
Aside from the sheer wonder of seeing these colossal ice walls in real life, it is also an amazing experience to see the natural phenomenon of calving, when vast pieces of ice break off the main glacier and fall thunderously into the sea.
Alaska is home to the largest tidewater glacier in North America, named for Gardiner Hubbard, the founder of the National Geographic Society and National Geographic magazine. It is over 76 miles long, seven miles wide, and as tall as a 30-story building. Your first glimpse of this stunning natural wonder will genuinely take your breath away, and the overall experience will stay with you forever.
Grapes
But Alaska isn’t just wild adventures, ice, and epic wildlife encounters. There’s a hidden side to the Wild Frontier that many people don’t know about.
When you first tell people that there are grapes grown and wine made in Alaska, they assume you are joking around. And sure, it is hard to believe. While the summer weather in parts of Alaska is similar to that in Washington State and Oregon (two regions that excel at winemaking), unfortunately, the winter frosts are too fierce and too early in Alaska, freezing the grapes just as they are ripening. Historically, this has meant that the grapes don’t ripen properly and are too small and tart for winemaking, so beer has been the tipple of choice.
However, Alaska winemakers have proved that where there is a will, there is a way!
Alaska might not seem like an obvious wine-growing state, but when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. And, if you are in Alaska and berries are everywhere, then you make wine out of berries!
Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and even gooseberries go into Alaskan wines. There are red and black currant wines and wines with rhubarb. And, with the help of imported grape juice and local berries, Alaska now has a thriving production of delicious fruit wines.
There are also more traditional Alaskan wines, made from grapes. Because the climate doesn’t allow for the growth of Vitis Vinifera (vines), most Alaskan wineries don’t grow their own grapes, but import juice from other states to make Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Riesling. So Alaska wine usually refers to wine made in the state of Alaska, from out-of-state grapes.
And of course, some wineries also produce the famous Ice Wine. This is a dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, and create an amazing, rich, sweet wine that is famous all over the world. There are now around 15 wineries in Alaska located south of, and in Anchorage, the oldest of which opened in 1997.
So, if wine can be made even in the frozen wilderness of Alaska, who knows? Maybe it will be Sancerre next…
Daniel J. Morgan is the founder of Invidiata Magazine, a premier publication showcasing luxury living, arts, and culture. With a passion for excellence, Daniel has established the magazine as a beacon of sophistication and refinement, captivating discerning audiences worldwide.
