Top reasons to take a wine-tasting holiday
If you’re a wine lover, a wine-tasting holiday can be an amazing experience. A trip to one of the world’s premier wine regions is the perfect romantic getaway for you and your lover boy, and it will allow you to not only taste the best the province has to offer, but could give you a newfound appreciation for your favourite tipple after you see how it is made. Here are the top reasons why you should take a wine-tasting holiday.
See how your favourite wines are produced:
A wine-tasting trip will give you the chance to witness first-hand some of the world’s best wines being produced. You’ll get to experience everything; you will see how the grapes are grown, and you’ll be taken on a tour of the vineyards. You may even get a chance to meet the growers themselves, and your tour of the vineyard is sure to end with a tasting. This in itself can be worth the trip — to have someone who knows the wines you’ll be tasting inside out explain them to you can be a totally enlightening culinary experience which could change your relationship with wine forever.
If you have a favourite wine producer, a tour of their vineyards could give you an even better appreciation of the drink you already love. To make sure you’re as prepared as possible for the tasting and you get the most from it, take a look at the Wall Street Journal’s excellent guide to attending a wine tasting.
Pair the region’s finest drinks with local delicacies:
A visit to your favourite wine province will give you the chance to enjoy the wine as the locals do: alongside the region’s delicacies. Ask sommeliers for the best pairings of food and wine, and enjoy them together to bring out the best of both. Relish in the region’s culinary delights, and take the best ideas back home with you to use in your own cooking.
While it’s always a good idea to ask the sommelier for their recommendation for pairings, you can also read up on the best pairings with this wine and food matching guide from BBC Good Food.
When you return home, every sip will take you back to a sunny day at a quaint café or rustic restaurant. You’ll also come to appreciate the wine experience so much more, as you’ll have seen the grapes growing on the vine and seen the winemaker at work.
See some of the most beautiful places in the world:
Wine regions such as Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Napa Valley are some of the most picturesque areas in the world. These rustic retreats feature rolling hills and luscious countryside, and sitting outside a restaurant or bar with one of the region’s best wines will be an absolute treat.
You may want to explore the culinary history of a country you’re already enamoured with, and a tour around the region’s vineyards will not only reveal the rural areas of your favourite country, but also how the locals live. For example, this Provence to Burgundy trip from The River Cruise Line follows the prestigious Burgundy and Beaujolais wine routes, and allows you to explore picturesque vineyards, learn about the wine-making process, and no doubt pick up that perfect bottle of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir.
So whether you prefer a red, white or rosé — sparkling or still — there’s a wine holiday for you. There’s no better way to enjoy your favourite tipple than in the region it was created, alongside perfectly paired local food.
