Wine Routes

All You Need to Know for Planning a Wine Route Holiday

It’s a devoted companion of lonely nights, romantic dates, perfect meals, hard day’s night, and romantic comedies. As you can guess, you can put wine, one of the most ancient beverages, in the centre of your next trip. Around for nearly ten thousand years, the oldest evidence of wine is from China. The remains are from 7,000 BC. Georgia (6,000 BC) and Iran (5,000 BC) are other countries that discovered ancient remains of wine. So, the Western civilisation is not the pioneer of wine production, contrary to the common belief. The oldest wine evidence in Europe is from Italy and can only be traced back to 4,000 BC. For the most part of history, ancient Greeks were also known for their good wines. So, wine has been a part of people’s lives for thousands of years. In other words, wine has been a global phenomenon for a long time. As a result, nearly every country has a rich history with wine. You can visit plenty of countries, even small towns, to discover unique and delightful wine worldwide. There are literally thousands of different wines in the world. So, if you think about a theme for your next journey, you may want to consider a wine route holiday. But, before that, let’s just get into some essential cultural facts about wine. How are these wines named? How can you recognise a quality wine?

How Do Wines Get Their Names?

Even though there are many methods, wines are mostly named according to the grape used or where the wine was created. During your trip, the most frequent names you will encounter will be cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, merlot, shiraz, riesling, albarino tempranillo, malbec, chardonnay, etc. These are the types of grapes used for the wine. You can learn more about their taste through general research. This is vital for you to develop a taste for wine.

What Determines a Good Wine?

The keyword here is “subjective.” Everyone’s may prefer their wine to a particular taste. However, there are some fundamental standards of good wine. Firstly, a good wine must be produced in a vineyard. The nostalgic is better than industrial alternatives. Another quality of good wine is the balance of taste. For instance, red wines should have the ideal balance of tannins, alcohol, and acidity. On the other hand, white vines should balance the sweet and the sour. Sugar and acid. Perfect wines should be clear and multilayered. Creating a balanced taste from many ingredients indicates an expert for wines. Therefore, a good wine should give you a clear taste of every different flavour in it. The final aspect of great wine is taste. Perfect wine’s aroma would linger in the mouth. Moreover, they can be associated with a place or the culture with its distinctive taste. Now you know the qualities of the perfect wine. It’s time for preparation.

How to Prepare for a Wine Route

You should educate yourself first. As mentioned above, learn the types. Learn the wine. Taste some of your own local wine beforehand. Learn the basics such as avoiding things like perfume not affect the sense of smelling or eating beforehand. This is crucial for the wine tasting process. Then, start researching your route. You should pick places where the vineyard culture is highly developed. There are many vineyard hotels in the world to choose from. You can actually witness the wine production rather than just tasting it. This will make your trip quite remarkable.

The Best Countries to Visit for a Wine Tour

After marking the exact places you will visit, you are ready to go. Here are a few wine route holiday suggestions.

Italy

You have almost infinite options when it comes to picking a fantastic wine route in Italy. Furthermore, there are many wine hotels, which makes the country a perfect destination. One of the most famous wine trails is Prosecco Wine Route, with countless vineyards and historic castles. You can even accommodate one of them—Castel Brando in Cison Di Valmerino. The route passes by the Valdobbiadene region, one of the most valuable vineyards globally. The famous Superiore Di Cartizze DOCG is made here. The most famous wine route in Italy is Chiantigiana Road in Tuscany, probably the most renowned wine region on Earth. The route starts from Florence and extends through Siena. One of the stops, Castello Di Brolio (Brolio Castle) of the Ricasoli Family, has the oldest winery in Italy. Lastly, you should also check the Etna Wine Route if you like a bit of adventure. The biggest active volcano in the world hosts many vineyards on its slopes. Mount Etna’s occasional eruptions do not stop the residents from producing Etna Rosso wine. There are further options to choose from in Italy. In short, Italy must be on your bucket list if you consider yourself a wine-lover. Since Romans believed that wine was a daily need, Italians also thought highly of wine. That is why the wine culture in Italy remains unmatched.

France

Wine is vital for the French. Every part of the country produces various wines. Therefore, the daily life of French people is highly integrated with the wine culture. Or wine is blended in everyday life. Both are true in their own respected ways. As a result, wine tourism is profoundly developed in France. You can book a room in a wine hotel almost anywhere in France by holiday packages. The vineyard tours, wine tasting sessions, wine-oriented cooking classes, and local market tours await you in nearly every part of the country. Moreover, you can visit various wine museums in France. The country has been the biggest distributor of wines in the last couple of centuries. Therefore, these museums can enlighten you about wine culture. The most famous and the oldest wine road in the country is the Alsace Wine Route. You can also try Burgundy wines during your trip to the Burgundy Wine Trail. Bordeaux is another region of the world where is one of the global wine capitals. Saint-Émilion is among the most popular wine route starting point in the region. Another region worth mentioning is Champagne. Furthermore, “Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars” are on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2015. So you can chalk up two items at once from your bucket list: having a wonderful wine route holiday in France and seeing a UNESCO World Heritage site in France. Everything you see in a single journey is just a glimpse of what France offers. So you might want to come back after returning from your first vacation.

Türkiye

A unique country with an even more distinctive culture, Türkiye is an underrated destination for wine enthusiasts. The country allows you to observe different stages of the winemaking process. For example, Türkiye is one of the most prominent grape producers. Therefore, every part of the country might surprise you with its wines. In Tekirdağ or Çanakkale, you can enjoy different types of wines with local grapes from the region. You do not even have to visit every vineyard around. Wine hotels in Türkiye are really developed in terms of service. You can find every local wine and participate in exclusive wine tasting sessions in these hotels. One of the most famous places for its wines in Türkiye is Cappadocia. According to the claims by evidence, the remains from 700 BC indicate a drawing of grapes in Ivriz Rock of Cappadocia. Furthermore, presumably in nearly 3000 BC, ancient kings were buried with golden cups filled with wines. Therefore, Cappadocia is a must if you plan on visiting Türkiye for a wince route. There are many local brands that produce wines from local grapes in Cappadocia. In addition, the place’s exceptional beauty will make your trip unforgettable. Another underrated wine of the world is from Mardin. The city keeps its ancient vibe intact with the stone houses from ancient times. Culturally, Assyrians still remain in Mardin. Moreover, Assyrian wine is the most famous wine of the places. Mardin has a similar vibe to Cappadocia in some ways, especially regarding its nature and climate. On the other hand, it’s a unique city with beautiful Assyrian wines. You can include a car rental in your vacation package and drive to Midyat to see Süryani Wine (a.k.a. Assyrian Wine) production facilities. Türkiye may not be an enough-appreciated destination by wine tourists. However, it means that the country has a true potential to explore for a wine enthusiast.

Spain

Spain is another beautiful country famous for its wine culture. There are over 60 wine regions in Spain. The most famous ones are Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Rioja even has the honour of being “Spain’s fine wine capital.” The wines produced by Tempranillo grapes—that are native to Spain—are the most renowned ones. Just an important note worth mentioning before your trip to Spain: Never ask for wine in nightclubs because it’s not served. Spaniards acknowledge wine culture so much that it’s not like another alcoholic beverage accompanying you while you entertain yourself. It may even be considered disrespectful to their wine culture. You can rent a car while you’re planning your holiday with vacation packages, book a room in a Barcelona hotel for a night or two, then hit the road for a joyous road trip to Rioja.

Austria

As a developing wine country, wine tourism is not quite ordinary in Austria. However, their limited wines are pretty delightful. Niederösterreich, Burgenland, and Steiermark are the three significant wine regions in the country. Two of the most famous Austrian wines are made from local grapes called grüner veltliner and riesling. All the wines mentioned earlier were red, but the duo from Austria’s wineries are made from white grapes. So if you fancy white wine, Austria might be the right destination for you. You can have your wine next to your local delicacies, such as Wienerschnitzel or Apfelstrudel. You can opt-in for a short stay in a Vienna hotel and a car rental with your vacation package, especially if you’re planning a tour in Niederösterreich or Burgenland. Both are a few hours of drive away from the Austrian capital. You can also enjoy the Austrian countryside landscape during your journey.

Mexico

The arrival of the Spanish and the French in Mexico is the milestone of wine production in the country’s history. So you may know Mexico by tequila—and you’re not wrong—, Baja California is the most famous and the largest wine region in the country. Moreover, it also has ties to Mexico’s colonial-era history. Once, the Spanish King prohibited wine production except for the church. It wasn’t until the earthly 19th century the Mexicans started winemaking for themselves and commercialise it. You can have a wonderful tour around the historic vineyards and wineries and try world-famous Mexican sparkling wine, Cava.

South Africa

There are only 17 wine routes in South Africa, but you can’t have a dreamy wine tour and an epic safari anywhere else on Earth. Before you think it can’t get better than this, you should hear that South Africa has the longest wine route globally, Cape 62 (a.k.a. Route 62). It’s a huge advantage that the route is in Cape Town, so you can easily arrange a transfer or rent a car with a package vacation plan. Therefore, you can have a legendary vacation in South Africa if you plan thoroughly. Other major wine regions are Stellenbosch, Durban, and Paarl. Even though South Africa is relatively new to wine culture, the exotic atmosphere of the region can take you to places that others cannot offer.

Australia

The Australian wine industry leapt a great distance in recent years. Its wine culture awaits like a secret gem. Most of the primary vineyards and wineries are around Adelaide. McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, and Adelaide Hills are just a few regions you can pick. Also, shiraz is the most popular wine among fellow Australians. If you prefer to stay close to metropolitans, such as Sydney or Melbourne, you can visit Hunter Valley Wine Region or Yarra Valley. It’s easy for a wine enthusiast to find good wine in the world. The hard thing is to pick from the many options out there. Whatever you think, you can plan with vacation packages.