How to get the most out of a wine tour

Now, if you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll know that I love a wine tour – even my site’s name is a testament to it – but not all wine tours are created equally. So, take advantage of my years of experience, and check out this complete guide to how to get the most out of a wine tour.

Different kinds of wine tours

Firstly, there are different kinds of wine tours.

Cellar door tastings
Vineyard tours and tastings
Multi-stop tours
Food and wine pairings

Each type of wine tour varies in budget, and time, and not every vineyard will offer every type of wine tour.

Cellar door tastings

These are probably the most cost-effective types of wine tasting, where you turn up to a vineyard, either with a booking or without, and ask to sample their wine. Most vineyards offer cellar-door tastings, but some will either require you to book in advance or will only offer tastings on certain days. It’s always best to check in advance.

Cellar doors are also often the cheapest and quickest ways to enjoy a tasting as you’re not being guided. It feels like you’re going to a vineyard-specific bar and trying 3-5 different glasses of wine. It’s very no-frills, which is sometimes exactly what you need.

For example, when I went on a day trip over to Waiheke Island in New Zealand on my own, I didn’t really have a plan, but I did know that Cable Bay had a cellar door tasting and the walk wasn’t too far from the ferry terminal!

Vineyard tour and tasting

Going one level up from a cellar door tasting, we have tours and tastings. These you tend to have to book in advance and include a tour of the vineyard and the winery. You can see the rows of grapes, and how they’re transformed into wine, and ends with a full tasting session.

Multi-stop tours

If you’re traveling around a wine region – like we did in California when we went to Sonoma – you can opt for multi-stop tours. These can be self-drive or with a chauffeur and essentially a tour company will organise cellar door tastings at a few different vineyards in the same area and you’ll be driven or drive yourself (with a designated driver) between each stop.

These can be pretty expensive, but if you want to make a full day of it, it’s the best option. It’s also a great option if public transport is an issue and you don’t want to draw straws for who’ll be the designated driver.

Food and wine pairings

Honestly, this is my favourite kind of wine tour because I don’t feel too buzzed by the end of it and I actually end up appreciating the wine a lot more. If you’ve read my blog about my trip to Naples, you’ll know all about the food and wine experience I had on the banks of Mount Vesuvius. For reference, this is the tour that I did with Cantina Di Vesuvio.

Essentially, a vineyard will also prepare a selection of snacks or meals that go well with their wine and you can taste everything together as a formal pairing. This can be as little as with cheese and oils, or it can be a five-course Italian meal, which is what we had in Naples, with five full glasses of local wine. You can see why I enjoy it so much!

Picking your wine tour

Choosing the right wine tour for you is important. If you’re short on time, a multi-stop isn’t going to work for you. However, if you want to explore the gastronomy of an area, the food and wine tour might be more appropriate.

Location and budget will probably affect your decision. If you can’t get there on public transport, you need to book a slightly more expensive tour that includes transport. Similarly, if you’re in an area that only has one or two vineyards, you probably won’t want to splurge on a multi-stop tour.

Top tips

Before you go, have a big breakfast or lunch. No one wants to be the slurring person at the tasting who can’t get home.
Don’t fall into the trap of buying bottles at the vineyard. Check online on websites like Laithewaites to see the prices and then work out if you want to buy it and drink it all before you have to fly home, or whether you trust baggage claim and your packing skills to keep your bottle safe.
Investigate the types of wine the vineyard specializes in. If you don’t drink red wine and prefer white or rose, you don’t want to visit a Malbec vineyard.
Take your time. This is an experience, not a bar crawl.
Make sure you can get back to your accommodation. Getting there on public transport might seem simple, but after a few glasses and later in the day, can you still get back? Many vineyards are in rural locations, so check the viability of taxis and transport both ways ahead of time, using Omio, or something similar.
Ask questions. Especially if you’re on a tour with the vineyard owners or wine experts, they love to talk about the process, their favourite wines, and more. Get as much knowledge out of this experience as possible!