7 Tips For Planning The Perfect Wine Trip

By Author: Nicole Greentree
Total Articles: 2
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1. CONSIDER THE TIME OF YEAR

Planning the perfect wine trip means considering the seasons. It may sound obvious, but vineyards are constantly changing. This also means the landscape; the views and winery activities change accordingly.
Are you keen to walk amongst the lush green vines for a stunning insta worthy pic? Then best you visit in the spring or summer months when the vines are full of leaves and fruit.
Or are you planning to cozy up by an open fireplace with a cheese board and a bottle of wine? An autumn or winter trip might best suit you. Keep in mind that as the temperature drops, the vines become bare and dormant.

2. PLAN AHEAD
Visitors to wine country often ask how wineries to visit in one day may. On average, plan to visit 3–4 wineries in one day so you have plenty of time to enjoy the experience, talk to the staff and learn about the wines.
It is recommended that you organize a wine tour ahead of time. This way the staff can ensure you are well looked after, and accommodate your group.
Make sure you enjoy a good breakfast prior to heading out for your wine tasting ...
... trip and pack a large bottle of water to keep you hydrated.
To stay safe on the roads, be sure to assign a designated driver or book a local driver or tour bus. Plan to start your wine tasting day in the morning. It can seem strange tasting wine straight after breakfast, but this way you will be ahead of the afternoon crowds.

3. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE
The charm of visiting wine country is to get up close and personal with the winemakers, hear their stories, feel their passion and ask them questions. Wineries and cellar doors all pride themselves on being unique, and love to educate visitors on what makes their wine special.
Cellar doors tend to offer a range of different tasting experiences, from the public to private tastings and vineyard tours. Be sure to check out the restaurant if they have one onsite. It’s common for the head chef to create a seasonal menu with locally sourced produce, matched perfectly with the wine.

4. TRY NEW THINGS
Most wine regions specialize in 1 or 2 grape varieties. However skillful winemakers can turn the same grapes into different styles of wine.
Just because you’ve tried Chardonnay in the past and not enjoyed it, doesn’t mean you won’t like Chardonnay in the future.
Be open-minded and try different styles of wine. Talk to the cellar door staff about your preferences and dislikes. Often they will be able to suggest new wine styles for you to try — you might just be surprised.


5. EXPLORE THE REGION
Every wine region is unique in its own way. Variations climate, topography, soil conditions and aspect will all affect the vineyard and its fruit.
Is it a warm climate with cool sea breezes? Is it a continental climate with vineyards close to a river? All these variations will have an impact on the type of grapes grown and the end product in your glass.
By exploring and learning about the region, you’ll gain insight into what makes the wine special. Take note too of the food culture, as it’s said that ‘what grows together goes together’.

6. TALK TO THE LOCALS
While it’s important to do your research and plan ahead, it certainly pays to speak to the locals when you arrive.
Online reviews may be out of date, or the venue may have changed ownership. Chat to the winery or accommodation staff about where the best pub or local lunch hangout is. Can they suggest any secret picnic spots? Local knowledge is always valuable.

7. TAKE WINE HOME WITH YOU
Many cellar doors will charge for tastings, but refund the fee if you purchase wine on your visit. This great deal and is a win-win for both. The beauty of buying wine at the cellar door is that you can often pick up wine that is not available elsewhere. Plus it’s a memento from your trip.
If you are buying a wine that is drinkable now, but will age, try buying a minimum of three bottles — one to drink now, one to age for five years and one to age for longer.
Depending on how many bottles you buy, you may wish to ask the winery to ship the wine back home for you. Alternatively, you can send your wine back home DIY with Australia Post.

For more blogs like this, please visit winetravellr.com

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