desolate spot, windblown and dry, with thirty-plus foot cliffs between the land and the ocean. It is a fairly common site during the summer to see divers jumping from the cliffs into the glass-smooth ocean below. Winter presents a very different face as the southern point of the island is buffeted by winter storms. It is not unusual during the winter for the seas to run twenty to thirty feet high, perpendicular to these cliffs. It is an amazing site! But don't fall in, there is no land between there and Australia.

About seven miles past the turn to South Point you will arrive at the small town of Na'alehu and the most southern U.S. bakery, Punalu'u. This should be a stop on the itinerary of anyone with a sweet tooth. The specialty of the house is their delicious Hawaiian breads and rolls. The bakery also sells an array of standard and Hawaiian style donuts, along with a full selection of sandwiches and salads and Ka'u coffees.

Another five miles drive along the coast brings you to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach. There isn't much here in the way of services, but the beach is picturesque and there is almost always a turtle sunning itself in the warm black sands. There are picnic tables and restrooms for a quick break from the long drive. From here it is just about 25 miles to Volcano National Park and the Volcano Winery. The road leaves the sea shore at this point, traveling through an island desert landscape which quickly climbs to almost 4,000 feet in elevation.

The winery is located two miles east of the entrance to the park, on Pi'imauna Drive. The road to the winery passes through a small subdivision and past the local golf course. The vegetation is surprisingly green and lush for the surrounding desert landscape. The region, located as it is on the flanks of the massive Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes, receives significantly more rainfall then the low lands as damp air and storm clouds rise off the ocean. Many people believe that there is no cold weather in paradise, however, when you find yourself at the 4,000 foot level in January, you will quickly see the fallacy of that thought. This is an area that can drop as low as 29 degrees at night, and not get out of the 40s during the day in winter.

There are currently six wines produced by winemaker Tim Kinney. They are: Volcano Blush, which is is a crisp, dry wine made from the Brazilian berry Jaboticaba and French Columbard; Symphony Dry, a white wine made from the Symphony grape; Symphony Mele, a lightly sweet wine made from the Symphony grape; Volcano Red, which is made from Carignan and Columbard grapes; and two dessert wines: Macadamia Nut Honey Wine made from the blossoms of Macadamia Nuts, and Hawaiian Guava which is made from Columbard grapes blended with Guava puree. Other than the Symphony versions, these wines have a definite tropical feel to them, and several have taken awards at major wine competitions across the United States. Not content to just produce just wines that are often considered non-standard by enthusiasts, Owner Del Bothof has spent much of the last five years experimenting with more common grape varietals to determine which best fit the terroir of these high mountain vineyards. Continued ...