If a trip to California doesn't suit your budget or time constraints, try looking closer to home. There are plenty of up-and-coming wine regions in other parts of the United States that are well worth the trip.

"People shouldn't neglect to look in their own backyards; there are new and exciting wineries popping up all over the country," says Levi Hensel, a wine industry consultant and assistant wine maker at A Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley, Calif.

Live in the Northeast? Try the Finger Lakes Wine Region in upstate New York or North East Ohio wine country, where ice wine festivals have become popular in the wintertime, says Hensel. Or, for warmer climes, try the wine regions popping up in the Willcox region of Arizona or the Rio Grande in New Mexico.

Another hotspot: the Pacific Northwest. My No. 1 recommendation is to get to Washington State and taste some of the amazing wines coming from this emerging region, says Gary Vaynerchuk, director of operations at Wine Library, a wine shop in Springfield, N.J., that offers online sales. Oregon, too, is gaining a solid reputation among wine experts, especially for its Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, says Brian Smith, professor of wine studies at the Culinary Institute of America.

See six lesser-known wine regions worth visiting.

1. The Finger Lakes Region in Western New York

Home to more than 100 wineries along the Seneca, Keuka and Cayuga lakes, the vineyards here account for 90% of the wine production in the state. Riesling and Chardonnay are the two most planted varietals. Try tastings along the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail in Ithaca, which takes visitors past several local attractions and 16 wineries. Visit Finger Lakes Wine Country, a tourism web site, to find out more.

2. North Eastern Ohio

Residing on the southern shore of Lake Erie, this region is known for its cool-clime varietals like Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Gris. It's also gaining a singular reputation for its ice wine, a sweet dessert wine crafted from grapes left to freeze on the vines before being picked and crushed. For more information on Ohio wine country visit Ohio Wines, an association of winemakers and wine growers.

3. Willamette Valley, Oregon

Among oenophiles, the Willamette Valley is fast becoming the spot to find great Pinot Noir, its most planted varietal. Try Boedecker Cellars, says Vaynerchuk, where some of the best domestic Pinot Noir I've tasted come from this up-and-coming producer, who just launched a new urban winery in Portland. For more on visiting Oregon s wineries, visit the Oregon Wine Board, a semi-independent state agency.

Photo credit Frank Barnett courtesy of the Oregon Wine Board

4. Walla Walla Valley, Washington

Washington s wine industry has exploded in recent years the state now has over 600 registered wineries, compared to just 155 in 2000. Most of the production comes from Columbia Valley, but the Yakima Valley and Walla Walla regions are also producing great wines, says Smith. Try Dusted Valley Vitners in Walla Walla, which has some of the best overall values coming out of Washington State, says Vaynerchuk. For more information on visits, tasting and tours, visit Washington Wine Commission, a state-supported group that promotes the Washington wine industry.

5. Willcox, Arizona

Microclimates where the climate differs from the surrounding area -- allow vineyards to thrive in the normally arid regions of the Southwest. First planted in the early 70s, the relatively young wine country now boasts 38 wineries that account for $2.9 million in annual wine sales. Vaynerchuk recommends Caduceus winery, which is owned by heavy metal rocker Maynard James Keenan, and has a tasting room in central Arizona. For more information about visiting Arizona wineries, visit Arizona Wine Growers, a nonprofit trade organization of local growers.

6. Rio Grande, New Mexico

Vineyards flourish along the rivers in the Rio Grande region of New Mexico, which hosts 26 wineries that produce almost 350,000 gallons of wine a year. And there's a variety of wines to choose from. Among several other varietals, there's Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Riesling. For more information visit New Mexico Wine Growers, a nonprofit organization of area growers.