Top 10 Best Spots for Wine Tasting
Words: Gentleman's Journal
Everybody’s a wine expert nowadays, but it’s all very well knowing your Chardonnay from your Chenin Blanc; to really get under the grapeskin of a wine means travelling to the vineyards themselves. So much the better, then, that the most famous wine regions in the world also happen to be in such completely beautiful locations.
BORDEAUX, FRANCE
, Starting with the blindingly obvious, Bordeaux is unquestionably the most famous wine region in the world, and home to more drop-dead chateauxs than a revolutionary French peasant could shake an stick at. The under-rated city of Bordeaux itself, made wealthy by the wine trade, is worth exploration, and the food with which to compliment your vintage merlot or cabernet sauvignon is often impeccable.
WINELANDS, SOUTH AFRICA
, It’s hard to drag yourself away from a city as pretty as Cape Town, but the Cape Winelands region centred around picture perfect Franschhoek is worth the detour for Cape Dutch architecture, beautiful mountain backdrops and, most importantly of all, some excellent tasting opportunities. After many happy days sampling, I’d recommend Vergelegen and Meerlust as two of the great producers, and a vineyard riding tour as a neat way to get around without drink driving.
RIOJA, SPAIN
, In my humble opinion, Rioja is a pretty safe bet as a go-to red wine. It may not reach the dizzying heights of a classic claret, but nor do you often get dizzying hangovers either. With that in mind, head to northern Spain to see for yourself, and while you’re there, stay in the truly bizarroworld Marques de Riscal (one of the region’s key producers) hotel from Frank Gehry, creator of the nearby Guggenheim Bilbao.
NAPA & SONOMA VALLEYS, USA
, Napa gets name checked, but Sonoma is as lovely and together these valleys are the flagship wine region in the US. Anyone who has seen Sideways will know how beautiful this place is, and there are several spectacularly good restaurants in which to enjoy a long, long lunch. Perfect in combo with San Francisco, just two hours to the south.
TUSCANY, ITALY
, Tuscany is super, as are the Super Tuscans, the top dollar wines either made using the classic Italian Sangiovese grape, or a Bordeaux blend of Cab Sauv and Merlot. Whichever you gravitate towards, it will invariably be enjoyed in beautiful surroundings in a region with six, that’s six, of its very own UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Show offs.
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
, There are plenty of reasons to visit Argentina – the beautiful girls, the steaks, Buenos Aires, Patagonia, did I mention the girls? – but now we can add another string to the bow – the wine. The epicentre of the Argentine wine industry is Mendoza. Try to time your run to coincide with vendimia in March, when the region hosts parades and parties to celebrate the grape harvest. Ps – there will be girls there.
MAIPO AND OTHER WINE REGIONS, CHILE
, Across the border from Mendoza lies Chile, Latin America’s other big wine producer. The best vineyards are in striking distance of the capital Santiago, so you can take in a few wineries in a day trip or stay at a lovely hacienda hotel. Wherever you stay, sample the carménère red wine, originally from Bordeaux but now almost exclusive to Chile and which your wine bore mates will definitely not have tried.
ALENTEJO, PORTUGAL
, Time was when the Alentejo was famous for good quality cork oak forests (from which wine corks are made) and bad quality wine. Now the tables have turned as more and more wine producers turn to screwcaps while the region’s wines have improved dramatically. Base yourself in one of excellent boutique hotels near Evora (L’And or Ecorkhotel spring to mind) and spend a day or more sampling the region’s delicious reds.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA
, Big country, big wine producer, and the single biggest regional producer is South Australia, home to the insanely popular Jacob’s Creek and the insanely good Penfold Grange. ??Marlborough, New Zealand?One of the great pleasures of a road trip in New Zealand is that you travel from wine region to wine region, but the pick of the bunch is Marlborough, famed for beautiful landscapes, fab food and world famous sauvignon blanc, best drunk alongside the local speciality of enormous green-lipped mussels.
Written by Tom Barber, the co-founder of multi-award winning Original Travel (020 3582 4990, originaltravel.co.uk) and Travel Editor of Esquire Magazine.
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