If you’re anything like me, then you love enjoying a local glass or two of wine while you’re on holiday. It’s even better if you can stay at a vineyard or tour a winery while you’re there. So, where are the best countries for wine tours, and what makes them so good? Let’s dive in and find out.
France
Of course, we can’t have this list without mentioning France. Known as the home of classic wine, there are thousands of wine producers across the country. Due to its reputation and history with wine, it can often be expensive to do wine tours in France or get premium wines. However, due to the sheer amount of vineyards, there are always affordable local gems.
Some of the best places for wine tasting in France include:
- Champagne
- Bordeaux
- Alsace
- Burgundy
- Loire Valley
Italy
I’m a little biased because I love Italy so much, but Italian red wines always hit the mark for me. There are plenty of regions to explore around Italy, and often the wine is a lot cheaper than in France. While some regions are more established for wine tours, it’s also common to be able to message a single vineyard online and see if you can visit the cellar door for a tasting.
Some of the best places for wine tasting in Italy include:
- Tuscany
- Sicily
- Campania
- Veneto
- Puglia
- Piedmont
Portugal
If you’re looking for super affordable Old World wines, then you need to visit Portugal. Overall, Portugal is one of the cheapest countries to visit in Western Europe due to its low cost of living. It’s also got an amazing wine heritage, especially in the north around the former capital, Porto.
Of course, it’s known for its fortified wine, Port, and also Madeira wine, from its island in the Atlantic Ocean. However, if you want to avoid the strong stuff, you can still find beautiful wines, often for a fraction of the price in Spain or France
Some of the best places for wine tasting in Portugal include:
- Douro Valley
- Vinho Verde
- Alentejo
Spain
Another European heavyweight in the world of wine is Spain. Primarily known for Rioja, it’s a country full of beautiful wines that are perfect for accompanying tapas or pintxos depending on whereabouts in the country you are.
Of course, Spain also loves to mix up its wine consumption with cocktails like sangria and Calimocha which is red wine mixed with coke – don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!
Some of the best places for wine tasting in Spain include:
- Rioja
- Jerez
- Ribera del Duero
- Galicia
- La Mancha
Germany
While this might seem like a rogue choice, the light reds and fresh white wines of southern Germany have been popular for decades. The Rhinelands provide crisp white wine, especially producing Riesling, which has had a resurgence in recent years.
Some of the best places for wine tasting in Germany include:
- Moselle
- Rheingau
- Baden
- Pfalz
Switzerland
Given its position among major wine-producing powerhouses, it should come as no surprise that Switzerland has some great wineries and vineyards. However, as with everything in Switzerland, wine tours and buying wine in general can be very expensive, so this is not a budget vibe.
The mountain landscape provides amazing growing conditions with plenty of fresh water runoff, great soil, and a lot of sloped sunshine. Of course, a lot of the season here depends on the temperatures!
Some of the best places for wine tasting in Switzerland include:
- Valais
- Ticino
- Neuchâtel
- Lavaux
Montenegro
Now, Montenegro might seem like an odd choice for a wine tour, but many Balkan countries have lengthy wine-growing traditions. There are quite a lot of wineries for the size of the country, and local wine is freely available in Budva, Podgorica, and Kotor.
Wine tours in Montenegro are a growing industry, as many of the grapes and styles are very specific to southeastern Europe, so aren’t super well-known by the wider world. Many of the wines are light and fruity, and very affordable if you’re looking to try a lot of them!
Some of the best places for wine tasting in Montenegro include:
- Crmnica
- Lake Skadar
- Bjelopavlići
- Podgorica
Greece
Some of the oldest wines in the world are supposedly from Greece, and they have the wine traditions to prove it. After all, you can’t have a god like Dionysus if you don’t freely have wine available for the masses!
With so many islands, a huge mainland, and volcanic soil in Santorini, similar to the growing conditions in Sicily, there are so many different kinds of wine available across Greece. It tends to be quite light due to the warm weather, but it’s ideal for enjoying in the sunshine with some local seafood
Some of the best places for wine tasting in Greece include:
- Santorini
- Nemea
- Naoussa
- Macedonia
Georgia
Just as Greece claims to have the oldest wines in the world, Georgia has claims to match it. In fact, there has been a wine-making tradition in Georgia for at least 8,000 years, so there are some seriously historic practices and wineries all across the country.
This underrated destination in the Caucasus has some of the oldest varietals still available and there are plenty of vineyards to visit. From more European-centric regions to old school vineyards who want to try making wines in more traditional ways, you’ve got it all.
Some of the best places for wine tasting in Georgia include:
- Kakheti
- Kartli
- Kvemo Svaneti
- Imereti
UK
Okay, so the UK isn’t going to be replacing France or Spain anytime soon as a European wine hub, but the south coast of England is producing some seriously impressive sparkling white wines and still whites. So much so, they’re winning awards.
Due to climate change, the south of the country is now consistently getting temperatures and rain levels suitable for making wine. As a result, destinations further north are also getting in on the action, with new vineyards cropping up in North Wales!
Some of the best places for wine tasting in the UK include:
- Kent
- Sussex
- Hampshire
- Cornwall
US
If you’re more interested in the New World wines, then chances are good that you’ve enjoyed an American wine or two. While California has some of the most famous wine regions, you can find impressive Pinot Noir in Oregon and tasty boutique wineries in Texas.
As the US is so large, the flavors and varietals vary so much across the country, however, there is a shift towards low-intervention and natural wines, especially coming out of the Pacific Northwest regions.
Some of the best places for wine tasting in the US include:
- Napa Valley (California)
- Sonoma (California)
- Willamette Valley (Oregon)
- Lubbock (Texas)
- Yakima Valley (Washington)
- Paso Robles (California)]
- Finger Lakes (New York)
New Zealand
Having recently just got back from a wine-tasting trip in New Zealand, I can attest that it’s still one of the best places in the world for a wine tour. With several different regions that specialise in different grapes, there is a little something for everyone.
Given how remote and small people perceive New Zealand to be, many people are shocked at the sheer amount of vineyards available to visit across the country. You can even cycle between vineyards if you’re feeling active!
Some of the best places for wine tasting in New Zealand include:
- Central Otago
- Waiheke Island
- Marlborough
- Hawke’s Bay
Other Great Countries For Wine Tours
Let’s be honest, there are plenty of insanely good wine destinations around the world where you can try world-class wines.
Some other great wine countries that remain firmly on my bucket list are:
- Chile
- Argentina
- South Africa
- Australia
- Hungary
- China
Wine tourism is growing all across the world, so it’s never been easier to jump on a wine tour on your next trip.
