Gone are the times when wine tasting was limited to local wineries or national borders.
Today's consumers crave authentic wine experiences within the country where they’re grown.
In Europe, where the wine industry is predominantly export-oriented, tasting rooms are typically run by families. This means there may only be one person taking care of visitors and appointments are sometimes difficult to rearrange.
The United States, Australia and South Africa are taking a more open approach, constructing wineries geared toward tourism and visitors.
No matter where your wine journey takes you, consider these questions before you go:
- Which wine do you want?
- What variety of experience are you fascinated by?
- Do that you must make an appointment?
- Will there be food on site?
- How are you going to get there?
Old World Wine Tour
France
Of France's 11 wine regions, Bordeaux, Burgundy (or Burgundy) and Champagne are an important.
Bordeaux is thought for lush red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, while Burgundy is thought for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. In Champagne, sparkling wines are produced from the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grape varieties.
While in Bordeaux, visitors can stop on the Cité du Vin wine museum, explore elegant castles, and dine at Michelin-starred restaurants. Bordeaux is the one city in Europe with wineries throughout the city partitions. Some are accessible by bike or tram.
Burgundy is home to spectacular landscapes covered in vineyards and dotted with centuries-old castles. An area of his vineyards, called The Climats, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Champagne region is price visiting for greater than just its sparkling wines. Wine tours at a few of the older producers may include a have a look at the traditional underground cellars that served as an escape from German soldiers during World War I.
Most in-demand French tasting experiences require advance booking. In addition, opening times vary from region to region.
Travelers should consider hiring a driver in Burgundy and Champagne. Alternatively, river cruises akin to those on the Rhône are a superb strategy to experience these magnificent wine regions.
Italy
One of Italy's oldest wine regions, Tuscany is an attractive region of rolling hills, cypress trees, olive groves and vineyards.
Chianti Classico is the star attraction in Tuscany, but Montalcino's Brunello is an enormous draw for connoisseurs. Although each are produced from Sangiovese grapes, the flavour profiles are quite different.
Wine festivals are a simple strategy to enjoy local wine in Italy. In Tuscany, the village of Greve hosts the Chianti Classico wine festival in mid-September. Also in autumn, a particularly popular wine and truffle festival takes place within the town of Alba in Piedmont. Since parking will be difficult, visitors can carpool or take a taxi.
In Tuscany, hired drivers are really useful; The area is mountainous with many curves and narrow roads. Similar to France, visitors should book appointments prematurely.
Wine tour within the New World
Wine tourism within the New World is laid back and easy. Appointments are rarely required and most tasting rooms are open seven days per week.
The United States
California is thought for wine tasting, although almost every state within the mainland United States has a wine region or wine tourism area.
Napa Valley, known for its daring Cabernet Sauvignon, is the premier wine region within the United States. Visitors can drive between vineyards, bike the Napa Valley Wine Trail, or book a vintage automobile ride Napa Valley Wine Train.
Sonoma is an enormous region of rolling hills and 50 miles of rugged coastline – best known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, in addition to some Zinfandel in the hotter appellations. The tasting rooms are unfolded, requiring more time to explore.
The best strategy to visit each regions is to book a driver, ideally one with contacts on the wineries. While it was once common practice to make reservations prematurely, many visitors now stop by for a tasting. However, appointments are still preferred.
Other states with energetic wine tourism include Texas, Washington, Oregon, Virginia and New York.
Australia
Wine tourism within the country “Down Under” is state-of-the-art.
Most wineries and tasting rooms are known as cellar doors. Some regions to contemplate include the Yarra Valley in Victoria; Barossa Valley near Adelaide and Margaret River about two hours south of Perth.
Wine tourism within the Yarra Valley is convenient because the cellars are open day by day and the wineries are lower than a mile apart. Local dining and even overnight accommodations are common, making this area easy to go to.
Many major producers host concert events and outdoor events showcasing the region's Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a few sparkling wines.
Margaret River offers great browsing and wine tasting. Visitors can search for untreated Chardonnay and Bordeaux blends. The winding roads are known for frequent kangaroo crossings and driving is really useful.
Barossa is one among Australia's oldest wine regions, with around 200 wineries inside two hours of Adelaide. Here, wine tasting will be accompanied by sightings of koalas and kangaroos. Many grape varieties are grown within the valley – including Grenache and Riesling – so there’s something to suit every palate.
South Africa
South Africa could also be considered a brand new world wine region, but Constantia, a top wine tasting destination, is centuries old.
Opened in 1685, Groot Constantia is South Africa's first wine farm. It is situated amongst other vineyards that make up this Constantia Wine Routea 20 minute drive from Cape Town.
Stellenbosch is a well-liked region with a longtime and cycleable wine route. There are also top-notch restaurants in the world.
Certain wineries will be booked prematurely, but most are open day by day. The country's top grape varieties include Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage and Shiraz, which underline the variety of South African wines.
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