Whether you begin in Bordeaux or Bruges, Tuscany or Tasmania, your first wine tour is certain to open you up to a whole new world of taste and temptation. Below are five expert tips to help you make the experience as full as the flavours you’ll encounter. Are you looking for business translation services? Contact Translation Services UK
- Awaken your senses – It ought to go without saying, but our taste buds are the most important tools a wine lover possesses. Keep yours fresh and ready during the tour by avoiding strong flavours like coffee, tea and tobacco, which might otherwise hinder their ability to taste. Smell is also crucial, so don’t wear any heavy fragrances, such as strong perfumes or aftershaves, that could distract your nose from the delicate scents in the glass
- Pace yourself – We will be trying lots of different wines each day on tour, and if you want to enjoy the last as much as the first you’re going to need to pace yourself. It may seem criminal to spit out the good stuff, but making use of spittoons during tastings will allow you to experience a full sense of the flavour without being gradually weighed down by alcohol content. Fear not: there will be ample opportunities to enjoy a full glass (or several) with our meals!
- Ask the experts – There’s no need to read up on where you’re going before you arrive – unless you have the time and inclination. Our expert wine guides are trained to know all the ins and outs of our featured wineries and vintages, so if you have a question about what you’re drinking, don’t be afraid to ask them
- Save some space on the wine rack – When it comes to quaffable souvenirs, prepare to be spoilt for choice. If room in your suitcase is tight, the vast majority of our winemakers on tour will happily arrange overseas delivery to your home, with crates and bottles for sale at cellar-door prices
- Enjoy it – With all our wine tours featuring luxurious accommodation, delicious meals, fascinating talks, and friendly faces aplenty, you’re in for a heavenly holiday like no other. Leave the stresses at home and get set for a fabulous time.
Our Favourite
In the third and final part of our series on the world’s best wine destinations (follow these links for rosé and white wine if you want to catch up), today we get deep and focus on ravishing reds.
Whether you prefer to sink into a full-bodied Syrah, or take the plunge with a bold Pinotage, the following destinations all welcome red-wine lovers with open arms and some of the most inviting tastings on the planet.
Australia
Most frequently known for its Shiraz, the best red wines of Australia are as breath-taking and diverse as the country that produces them.
Austria
Look beyond its famous Rieslings and you’ll find that around a third of Austria’s wine is red, with two indigenous varieties, acidic Blaufränkisch and fruity Zweigelt, making up the majority of vintages.
Visit: the innovative Höpler Rooms near Vienna, in which visitors are led on a sensory journey through the world of wine, taking in some of Höpler’s own Blaufränkisch along the way. Known as one of the “Top 10 Wine Travel Destinations”.
France
An undisputed mecca for admirers of vin rouge, who will want nothing more than to make a bee-line for the two big Bs: Burgundy and Bordeaux.
Visit: Château Pichon Longueville Baron in Bordeaux, for famous fairytale architecture and a trio of long-lasting reds including the Merlot-based Tourelles de Longueville.
Italy
What better to go with a crisp and melting pizza, or a prime cut of roasted beef, than one of Italian’s wonderful home-grown reds? Italy cultivates many red grape varieties that cannot be found elsewhere – a great excuse to pay a visit, if any excuse were needed.
Visit: Tenuta San Francesco, an ancient estate revived on the Amalfi Coast in 2004, which offers three lovingly-crafted reds, produced with minimal chemical interference.
