One more glass please!

Interest in wine tourism as a unique and educational way of spending holidays continues to increase every year. Wine farms and vineyards are no longer isolated ecosystems, they are actively developing tourist infrastructure, including tasting rooms, exhibition galleries, shops, restaurants and hotels. Traveling to explore the wine region and its traditions can be both the main purpose of the trip and a wonderful addition to a cultural or beach holiday. In this article, we will talk about five countries where you can get acquainted with the culture of wine production and consumption.

France

France invariably attracts the attention of any wine lover. The country has such a diversity of grape varieties, wine regions and wine traditions that wine tourism has become an integral part of French culture and actively attracts tourists from all over the world.

Regions such as Bordeaux and the Loire Valley have already become wine pilgrimage centers for travelers, and local wineries are now real tourist attractions. We recommend taking a trip along the so-called Alsace wine road - more than 170 kilometers of hills through magnificent villages surrounded by vineyards. However, no matter how magnificent the landscape is, the real treasure here is the wine. In Alsace, winemakers offer to visit their cellars, open from Monday to Saturday, where wine tasting is free for individual visitors. Try Riesling, the king of Alsatian wines, Pinot Noir - the only red wine of Alsace, Pinot Blanc, Muscat d'Alsace, Gewurztraminer and sparkling Cremant.

Italy

An article about wine tourism would not be complete without mentioning Italy. Italians not only make perfect wines - they also drink it perfectly and are happy to share this knowledge with tourists. With the development of eco-tourism in Europe in recent years, vacations in vineyard hotels have become very popular, especially in the Tuscany region, where you can walk along the winding paths of grape bushes that go beyond the horizon, taste wines from 12 am and relax with a delicious dinner, enjoying a creamy sunset of Italian sweeps of meadows. You do not even have to leave the territory of the winery!

In Tuscany, precisely the city of Montalcino, Castiglion del Bosco winery is located. Since 2002, it has been owned by the Ferragamo family, who are known for their influence in the fashion world. Prior to this, the winery, founded in 1100, was owned by the famous Santi family in Italy. In the process of creating Tuscan wines, including those produced at the Bosco winery, the main emphasis is on the use of Sangiovese or Brunello grapes. Tours of the vineyards and production facilities provide an opportunity to learn about the intricacies of oxidation and fermentation of this variety, which contributes to the achievement of a balanced taste and delicate aroma. During the tastings, you will have the opportunity to independently evaluate the results of the work of winemakers. The winery also offers club membership for wine lovers and those who are just getting started with wine culture.

Portugal

If you are a true connoisseur of wine, then you should definitely visit the Douro Valley in Portugal. Located just a few kilometers from the country's second largest city, Porto, this region is one of the oldest wine-growing areas in the world, with a history dating back to 1756. Porto started to be produced exactly here, and over the millennia, local farmers and winemakers turned the natural hills of the Dora Valley into stepped terraces, which led to the inclusion of the whole region in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Porto has a very interesting history of creation. It is known that in the 17th century the British, having once again quarreled with the French, began to look for new wine-producing regions - and arrived in Porto. They really liked the unusual drink, generously flavored with cognac spirit, which could get to distant England by ship and not deteriorate during transportation. And so began the worldwide popularization of this drink. Initially, cognac spirit was added to wine in order to increase its strength and prevent spoilage during long sea transportations. The technology for enhancing the drink during the fermentation process, as well as the exact proportions between wine and alcohol, were developed only in the 19th century. Until 1956, wines from the area were transported to Porto along the Douro River in colorful boats, where they were then aged in the historic cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia.

The Douro Valley region is commonly associated with sweet fortified porto (such as golden, vintage or LBV) due to their sweet and strong character. This rich wine region offers not only red ports, but also white, red and rosé wines. Tinto Douro is a rich red wine made from the same red grapes as Port. Douro Branco is a light white with a delicate fruit flavor and a high level of acidity.

South Africa

The conditions of the local climate are ideal for the cultivation of grapes, which are used to create red and white wines with a deep, bright taste and delicate aroma. At the same time, the panoramic views from the tasting terraces surpass in their magnificence any landscapes that can be seen from the wineries on our list.

Among influential people and especially fashion houses, having your own winery is considered a good addition to the main business. In this context, it is worth noting the Delaire Graff Estate winery, which belongs to the world-famous jewelry brand Graff. This winery is located near Stellenbosch, a city in the Western Cape of South Africa. The choice of Lawrence Graff in favor of this region is not accidental: the culture of cultivation of vineyards has been going on here for about five centuries since the first French and Dutch settlers brought the first vineyards here.

The attitude to wine here is the same as to diamonds - all vineyards are well-groomed, each bush is simply bursting with juicy berries, and production is verified with jewelry accuracy. You do not just taste a drink from this region, you get the opportunity to plunge into the world of high art, enjoy unrealistic views, visit Graff boutiques and relax in a local spa hotel.

Georgia

We want to complete the list of the best wine-growing regions in the world with Georgia - it marks the spot where wine culture was born more than 8,000 years ago. The uniqueness of the Georgian approach to winemaking lies in the traditional method of aging wine in earthenware vessels known as Qvevri. Since the 19th century, Georgian wines have been produced using European methods, not forgetting the ancient traditions. Also, in recent years, the Georgian government has developed a project to promote wine tourism in the country and built signs along national roads to mark the wine route.

We definitely recommend visiting the Kakheti region, where Chateau Mere is located on a mountain slope - a winery built in the style of French Provence, from whose territory a magnificent view of the Alazani Valley and adjacent mountain peaks opens, and the restaurant serves traditional Kakhetian cuisine and wine of own production. Of course, it is worth starting the tasting with the king of Georgian wines - saperavi.

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