Connoisseurs may say that wine is an acquired taste. But you'd agree than once acquired it is tough to give up on it. Be it the full-bodied Merlot or the zesty Chenin Blanc, wines have something for everyone. In a way, even for travellers who seek fine wine with unique travel experiences. Here's a list of five places from around the world that every wine lover must visit:
Champagne, France
Champagne vineyards in the Cote des Bar area of the Aube, Champagne-Ardennes, France
While Bordeaux could be the most celebrated wine-producing region of France, Champagne has earned the distinction for producing ne plus ultra of luxury beverages and its namesake—the famous sparkling white wine. Though many other regions in the world take pride in producing excellent sparkling wines using the traditional method, champagne, became synonymous to the classy, celebratory sparkling wine not only due to its high quality, but also high prices it commands, making it an exclusive, and centuries of intelligent marketing. The most widely-used variety of white grapes for making champagne are Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, in the same order, and the process is called Méthode Champenoise, which translates to “fermented in a bottle”. The method was born in Champagne, before it started being copied across the world. While all champagnes are sparkling wines, all sparkling wines are not champagnes as, according to European law, the only labels that are legally allowed to be called 'champagne' come solely from the Champagne region.
The historic province in the northeast of France, Champagne is just 140km from Paris. Besides breathtaking scenic beauty, the region is known for its traditional houses and cellars. It joined UNESCO's prestigious list of world heritage sites in 2015 after the United Nations announced Champagne's vineyards, cellars and sale houses to be culturally significant; a reason enough to include Champagne hillsides in your France-tour itinerary.
Tuscany, Italy
Chianti vineyards near Lilliano, Tuscany, Italy
The land of rolling hills, lush vineyards and olive groves, medieval villages and historical towns, Tuscany holds a place of pride in Italian history and landscape. Regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, Tuscany was home to many famous artists, including Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. The charm of the bygone era and unparalleled scenic beauty continues to bring people from all over the world to this region of central Italy.
Especially for red wine lovers, Tuscany could be an ethereal combination of abundant beauty and unforgettable taste. Predominantly red wine producing region, Tuscany boasts of some of Italy's best red wines: Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and Bolgheri. While the names of the latter two wines is enough to tell you about the destination towns, know that Chianti vineyards are spread all over Italy. For a memorable experience of exploring miles of Chianti vineyards and historic castles, one of the preferred destinations is Greve, a small town in the Chianti region, less than an hour's drive from Italy's art capital, Florence.
La Rioja, Spain
The Marques de Riscal winery, designed by superstar architect Frank Gehry, in Basque Country, Spain
Rioja wines are synonymous to Spanish wines. Set in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains, close to the French border, La Rioja is the most productive wine producing region in Spain, active since the times of ancient Romans. The 1,40,000 acres of vineyards in La Rioja mostly grow a typical variety of black grapes, Tempranillo, used for making full-bodied red wine. The grape derives its name from the Spanish word 'temprano' which means 'before expected', owing to the fact that this variety ripens weeks ahead of other red grape varieties grown in the region.
La Rioja has come far from being a quiet wine country with traditional Spanish bodegas (cellars) and miles of picturesque vineyards winding along the Ebro River to a place fast evolving as a wine tourism destination with modern architecture and extravagant travel experiences. Recently, the region has witnessed a surge in the arrival of superstar architects such as Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid and Santiago Calatrava, known for their gravity-defying buildings, to build modern wineries, and uber-luxury hotels to promote tourism.
Sonoma County, California, USA
Vineyards near Sebastopol in western Sonoma County, California, USA
Located just 45 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sonoma County is a traveller's dream destination. Rolling hillsides, miles of Pacific coastline, beautiful redwood forests, farm-to-table dining, exquisite country cuisine and iconic Pinot Noir from the region make it one of the most sought-after destinations for wine lovers. To add to the experience, Sonoma County boasts of extraordinary wine tasting rooms ranging from rustic to elaborate wine castles.
Although Sonoma County is known for producing some of the country's best known wines, including Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, the region is equally popular for the traditional food and wine pairings.
If you love beer as much as you love your glass of wine, or more, Sonoma County could give you a reason to prolong your visit. The region is also known to be a craft beverage paradise. Besides, if you plan to visit the place during winter months, then look out for grey whale sightings, as the whale migration along the Sonoma County coast peaks during that time of the year.
Mendoza, Argentina
Vineyards on the foothills of Andes mountains in Mendoza, Argentina
The largest wine producer of Latin America, Argentina relies on Mendoza to produce the best wine in the country. Set in the foothills of the Andes mountains, Mendoza is an ideal travel destination for wine lovers. In addition to more than 1, 500 wineries, Mendoza is famous for its beautiful landscape and traditional cuisine, perfectly paired with home-grown wines.
The region is known for growing the purple-coloured Malbec grapes. Although originated in France's Bordeaux region, Malbec grapes reached the pinnacle of popularity after it was introduced in Argentina in 1850s. Like all other grapes used for making wines, Malbec grapes requires specific soil and climatic conditions to reach its full expression, which it found difficult to achieve in France. However, in Mendoza, the terroir with its dry climate, sunny weather and high elevations assists the grapes' growth and ripening so well that it lends rich colour, tannin and spicy characteristics to the wine made from it.
In addition to some amazing wine-tasting tours, Mendoza offers ample opportunities to indulge in exciting adventure activities in the Andes.
