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So you're a fancy adult, and you want to go on a holiday that involves fewer horrendous cheap-cocktail hangovers and more sipping on Pinot Noir while an expertly-coiffed sommelier asks you whether you taste the notes of sun-dried raisins. But you'd like to go off the beaten track a little, and put your passport to good use. Where do you head? The good news: the world is full of relatively undiscovered wine gems to suit every taste and budget, from locally beloved secrets to places that are bursting onto the wine scene. Wine country trips are available all across the globe, and we've rounded up a few of the coolest that you've probably never considered before.
If you're new to wine tourism, the news is good: many wine regions, even those that are off the beaten track, have their own wine routes and recommended paths to help you choose between your many options. But, as with all tours and packages, it's always wise to shop around and shape your experience based on your own tastes. If you want to go high-end, find a travel agent that can tailor your cellar tours to your needs and handle paperwork — and always check customs regulations about how much wine you can take home with you, and what it would cost to ship a box back to your apartment. You don't want to have to pour out that amazing Argentinian red at check-in.
1Porto, Portugal
Porto, after suffering pretty hard during the 2008 recession, is getting a lot more attention these days — it's on many must-visit lists this year, and its profile is rising. Which means you should get into its port scene quickly. Port, a fortified wine produced in the Duoro Valley, isn't just for grandfathers, and some of the world's greatest port exporters are in this steep riverside city, with in-house tours and tastings. Best of all, if you have a partner who can't drink or isn't much of a port person, some port houses will offer "paired" tastings: port goes very well with chocolate, and non-drinkers can nibble along as you imbibe.
2Barossa Valley, Australia
Antipodeans have known about the Barossa for ages, but the outside world is just coming around to the fact that Australian wines can be seriously delicate and intriguing. Wineries in the Barossa are easily accessible by car northeast of the city of Adelaide, in South Australia. Shiraz grapes are the best around this area, but you'll find something for every taste (and if you're keen to make an Aussie odyssey, pop down to the island of Tasmania, whose whiskies are winning worldwide awards).
3Sardinia
This Italian island is a well-kept secret among wine connoisseurs, but it's got lots to offer. The combination of sun and granite soil apparently create magnificent grapes, and the star is Sella & Mosca, a huge vineyard outside of the town of Alghero that produces some of Italy's best-loved wines. However, the most-loved variety is apparently Cannonau, a dark red wine that's hugely popular and is protected by DOC law, where it only deserves the official Cannonau name if it's grown entirely on Sardinian land.
4The Mendoza Wine Route, Argentina
A friend with years of experience in the wine industry put her hand up for this region, which apparently outpaces the rest of Argentina's formidable wine production areas by some measure. The Mendoza is the prize in Argentina's wine crown, and the star is Malbec, but there are red and white varieties aplenty to keep everybody happy. A local sommelier interviewed in Vogue in 2017 pointed out that Argentina's wine scene is unique, because European migrants brought the best of their own wine varieties to the country — and the result is stellar.
5The Alsace, France
It may not be the most prominent French wine region, but the Alsace has a serious hidden talent: dry riesling. Travelling through all the vineyards in this mountainous region would likely take you months, but there are cycling routes and guides to take you through the best of them, and there's a wine festival every October to get everybody into the spirit of the region's output. The wines of Alsace are commonly overlooked despite their outstanding quality, but that, connoisseurs point out, means that they're cheap and that you won't be bothered by crowds around the tasting table.
6South Africa's Cape
The Cape of South Africa is criss-crossed by suggested wine routes as fans of the country's grapes venture to wineries catering to their tastes. The big hits of the region are Syrah, a dark chocolate-y red, and Pinotage, which crosses Pinot Noir grapes with Cinsault. But any wine lover is encouraged to hire a car, get out of Cape Town and find their way to wineries, where bottles are notoriously cheap. Just make sure you have a designated driver.
7Georgia
World wine authorities have been sleeping on Georgia — which is unwise, because the Eastern European country is thought to be the home of some of ancient history's first cultivated grapevines, and its modern output continues to surprise. Many of the best wineries are centered around the eastern area of Kakheti, and Georgia's wine-making process, which involves storing it in clay jars called qvevri, was made a UNESCO item of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013.
Wherever you go, drink responsibly and make sure you devote at least some of your time to food. Why go with an empty stomach when wine goes so excellently with cheese?
