Destinations for a Wine Tasting Vacation

If you enjoy savoring the rich and varied profiles of a variety of different wines just as much as you love traveling to new and interesting places, you’ve probably considered (and if you haven’t already, we recommend you do) taking a wine tasting vacation. The problem is, of course, where do you go? You’re doubtless going to be limited both by time and finances, so you can’t just visit every halfway decent winery on the planet. Luckily, there are a few areas that are especially well-known for their vineyards, and Vine Vera can help you pick out your next wine tasting vacation destination by listing a few of them here. We’ve hand-picked a selection of areas from all over the place, so you can decide how far you’re willing and able to travel, and chose a destination accordingly.

Napa Valley, California, USA
California in general makes a great choice for both vacation and wine tasting. The area has an impressive number of beautiful vineyards that boast over 50 varietals of wine grapes for you to sip on. The area is also home to a couple caverns to check out if you want to try something different and interesting, and the valley’s only 66 miles north of San Fransisco, to boot! This means that while you’re in the area tasting wine and touring vineyards, you may as well make a trip into the big city and hit up San Fran for iconic locations like pier 39, a large number of fascinating museums (the exploratorium is great if you have little ones, or if you’re just young and inquisitive at heart yourself), and great shopping!

Also, if you have extra time while you’re in the general area, remember that the Sonoma Valley is just next door, so to speak, and boasts it’s own impressive and scenic collection of vineyards, in addition to great restaurants and hotels. It’s a great way to visit not one, but two fantastic wine-making regions that just so happen to be right next to each other!

Tuscany, Italy
Want to go abroad to seek out the finest wines and the lushest landscapes? Tuscany would be a solid choice for sure. Verdant and hilly, the region is certainly quite nice to look at, and a major draw is the chianti classico grape grown in the region. Check out Castello del Trebbio on the edge of Florence for some seriously delicious wine.

Loire Valley, France
France is known for some seriously good wine, and the Loire Valley region is brimming with beautiful vineyards that produce many varietals of fine wine. You’ll find vineyards dotting the banks of the serene Loire River, where everything from sauvignon blanc to muscadet to cabernet is grown.

Portland, Oregon
Oregon is known for some amazing pinot noirs with a smoky flavor unlike anything else. To get some straight from the source, you’ll want to head up to Portland, where you’ll various wineries’ takes on the popular varietal to be as numerous as they are smooth.