Experiencing this world of wine is probably one of the richest, most consuming kinds of traveling ever. It is more than mere tasting as it turns a vacation into a multi-sensory journey to place, culture and history. When we visit a wine region we are touching the heart of the ground we are treading, the same earth that nurtured the vines, the same sun we feel and the air we breathe. Every glass is a narrative of the land terroir of the year weather, and of the warm engrossed human fingers which coerced the fruit off the vineyard and into the bottle. This wine loving journey to wine lovin can start in our own sun drenched backyard and continue on to the oldest and regarded vineyards all over the world with the American traveler. It can be mind boggling with so many valleys and appellation all competing to be heard. It is a travelog that is selected to reflect the interests of the American approachy and palate, a barometer to the best wine zones of the global wine world, not to mention the habitual wineries of our personal West Coast as well as the celebrated chateaux of France and extraordinary terrains of the Southern Hemisphere. It is an adventure that is meant to tempt one to savor a journey, some adventure and discovery of the tales that sit in the glass.
We have to start, as so many people to whom wine is something special, in the green, sun-bathed valleys of California, the unquestioned centre of American wine. This is the pilgrimage within the country and in the middle of it, it has the world famous Napa Valley. A trip to Napa would be a cultural form of experiencing the epitome of American culture of wine, a land of refined opulence, stunning buildings and world renowned wines. A winding along the historic Highway 29 or the quieter Silverado Trail and you have a who is who of American wine royalty on either side of you. The valley is best known by its robust, rich Cabernet Sauvignon a grape that attains a ripeness and richness in the valley that now has become an International standard. Together with it, the buttery, full-bodied Chardonnay that attained popularity in the 90s continues to reign. A visit to Napa can be a highly prepared and arranged affair; the best estates in the valley are all but a few, where the history and grandeur of a grand old yet still-living winery and wine business–like Robert Mondavi winery–the modern revolutionary spirit of a winery like Opus One or the unadulterated fantasy of the Castello di Amorosa, are all worth planning a few days visits in advance. It is not only about wine. It is related to Michelin excellence restaurants in such places as Yountville, luxury spa retreats that are perched on the slopes, and the very feeling of being at the heart of gastronomic traditions of the United States. It is a refined, classy, and at times costly ritual– the wine version of a visit to Disneyland in the eyes of those adults who know.
Napa has its more informal, relaxed and perhaps more diverse sister, Sonoma County, just on the other side of the Mayacamas Mountains. Whereas Napa is a single-minded, well-defined valley, Sonoma is a large, diversified county that covers a wide range of unique microterritories and terroirs. The variety is its biggest asset. A tasting visit here gives a much wider experience. You will be able to tour the fog-cooled Russian River Valley with its most sublime Pinot Noir and cool Chardonnay. Short drive north in the Dry Creek Valley, and you have taken yourself into the wilds of old-vine Zinfandel, a pure American grape making spicy, robust red wines. The atmosphere in Sonoma is undoubtedly laid back as compared to that of Napa. The rural back rooftop country roads take you to smaller wineries many of them founded by families where the man serving your wine may very likely be the winemaker himself. Less emphasis is made on big architecture but rather agricultural reality. Cute towns, such as the stylish Healdsburg or the antique Sonoma Plaza, are the centers of amazing farm-to-table restaurants, trendy stores and an actually friendly neighborhood. The visit of Sonoma is more of a personal discovery, rather than the normal tour.
Although California could control the face of American wine, the nation produces some of the most exciting and unique wines only one state over in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. To Pinot-Noir lovers the region is heaven. The valley just 30 minutes south of Portland in a beautiful drive, the rolling green hills and cooler temperatures produce the ideal setting of this notoriously fickle grape. The Pinot Noir in this region is frequently contrasted with the Pinot in its a parent region that is located in Burgundy, France known to have those qualities of being elegant, complex, and earthy and red-fruity as opposed to the larger and more robust type that is more common in warmer regions. Producing clean, perfumed Pinot Gris and elegant, unoaked Chardonnay are also the specialties of the region. Willamette Valley has a freshly unpretentious tasting experience. It is a society of craft obsessed vintners who are rooted to the land. Tastings tend to be small, instructive, emphasizing single-vineyard renditions and negotiant farming methods. The atmosphere is relaxed, the setting is stunningly green and the emphasis is neatly on the audit-approved quality of the wine in the bottle.
The other of America emerging wine regions, across the other end of the country, the Finger Lakes in upstate New York, is filled with still more winemakers. It is an area characterized by drama of steep, slate-lit hillsides and deep glacially created lakes. The above cool climate setting has surprisingly been an ideal place to produce wines of international standards Riesling being among them. The wineries of the Finger Lakes region are largely concentrated along the shores of three lakes, Cayuga, Seneca and Keuka, and here Riesling is grown in all its forms, bone dry and minerally through to voluptuously sweet ice wine. Other aromatic white grapes such as Gewurztraminer and an increasingly high quality range of sparkling wines also are produced there. Finger Lakes is the classic American road trip destination. The wine trails are well sign posted, easily negotiated and scenic and the feel is relaxed and friendly. The Finger Lakes is more rustic, down to earth when compared to the high-end glamour of Napa and wines can be tasted very cheaply. The natural beauty of the area, such as the natural waterfalls and gorges of the many parks in the area, the Watkins Glen and natural waterfalls, is therefore placed in the ideal point of countering up the wine tasting, therefore making it a highly suitable place to have a relaxing yet nice summer or fall vacation in.
To the American businessman or woman who is willing to see the world, Europe or the “old world” wine producing regions are where they must go to travel back in time to the beginning of wine culture. The number one in this tradition is Bordeaux, France. A visit to Bordeaux is a visit to the gold standard of most of the collected and ageable red wines in the world. The zone is a lesson of terroir and tradition, well partitioned by the Gironde estuary, with the Left Bank and the Right Bank. Cabernet Sauvignon on the Left Bank, in such sub-regions as the Mdoc and Graves, is king, and wines made of it are structured, with a big tannin component, and can age many decades. In well-known villages on the Right Bank such as Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, Merlot is king, giving more supple, lushish wines. The impression here is grandeur. You do not get a walk-in tasting, but pop over to ancient (often appointment only) “chateaux,” many of which must be arranged months in advance using a wine broker or specialized tour company. It is an ideal starting point, with the beautiful city of Bordeaux, itself the subject of UNESCO World Heritage status, its limestone buildings the location of wine bars, schools and fantastic restaurants where you can sample the produce of the local countryside.
Where Bordeaux is systematic and tradition, Tuscany in Italy is romantic and soulful. It is a trip to the Italian soul through wine, food, buildings and scenery. Tuscany The Sangiovese is the workhorse and the main grape of the feistier wines of Tuscany. A visit to this region is like a gourmand theoretical lesson in its numerous iterations: the rustic and cherry-scented Chianti Classico, rich and big Brunello di Montalcino, and the noble, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Tuscany also produced the so-called Super Tuscans, big powerful red blends which are no longer novels, but among the most demanded wine in the world. There is nothing quite like being trapped in Tuscany, wandering aimlessly around the serpentine cypress-shaded streets in a rented car, living in a lovely agriturismo (working farm with accommodation) and eating long, lazy dinners, where local wines were perfectly matched with home made pasta and grilled meats. Unless you are an art fan and Renaissance treasures in Florence and Siena also form your cultural point of reference, a visit to Tuscany is a treat to the senses.
In a different location in the southern part, Rioja is the region of Spain and here your Old World charm is another atypical mixture of old heritage and incredible modernity. The grape of Rioja is the Tempranillo which creates red wines of savory cherry, plum and leather aromas, frequently marked by a characteristic aroma of vanilla and dill wine aged in American oak. It is important to know the age categories in the region: a young Crianza can be aged no less than two, Reserva no less than three and Gran Reserva no less than five, but each progression is a level of complexity. When you visit Rioja, it can be as though you go on a journey in time. You can visit the cool, mould encrusted cellars of a centuries old bodega in the pretty town of Haro, and then a few miles away be awed by the avant-garde titanium clad architecture of the winery of Marques de Riscal designed by Frank Gehry. It is also a gastronomic heaven where the lively culture of tapas (or pinchos) in well known cities such as Logroho are famous, with the locals dashing in and out of bars after a light snack accompanied by a glass of Rioja. It has quality of world-leading wines and wines experiences, at the value, which you are unlikely to grab in France or Italy.
To the curious American wine tourist, who is not afraid of a long distance flight, the wine regions of the Southern Hemisphere consists of wild, beautiful landscapes and exciting, robust wine cultures in newly hit wineries. Mendoza in Argentina is located in the foothills of the Andes Mountains and it would therefore be one of the most beautiful wine growing areas in the world. This is the king of Malbec in the world located at high altitudes and desert. The fruit is deep-colored, dark fruited and velvety due to intense solar radiation as well as cool mountain nights. Mendoza is a trip of great drama and fiery Latin culture. The activity that cannot be missed is a multi-course winery lunch, and you can spend the whole afternoon eating the authentic asado (barbecue) with a view of snow-capped mountains of the Andean foothills. The price is amazing, and the tasting fees and the prices of meals are a pittance of what you would pay in California or Europe.
On the other side of the planet, New Zealand Marlborough region, situated on the northern end of the South Island, presents an entirely different but equally convincing adventure. It is the area which placed Sauvignon Blanc on the international map leaving a recognizable, musty style with connotations of grapefruit, passionfruit, and fresh-cut grass and left the world breathless. It is a young area, lively and absolutely easy to tour around. Wairau Valley is a flat valley floor, ideal to rent a bicycle and cycle slowly to visit many cellar doors. The setting is informal and relaxed and the view is simply magnificent with the ladylike arrangement of vines that are stretched towards the dramatic mountains. Marlborough is also the ideal starting point to visit the natural beauty heaven of the Marlborough Sounds, where there is enormous pristine natural beauty, great boating, hiking and kayaking in ancient flooded river valleys. It is the ideal wine touring destination of active and outdoor oriented visitor.
Before planning the ideal wine tour there are certain logistical issues to consider. Most wine regions can be visited best in the spring, when it is mild and the vineyards are at their most lively, or during harvest period in the fall (usually September-October in the Northern Hemisphere, March-April in the Southern). Harvest is a throbbing time, there is a buzz that arises in the air and it is the busiest time of the year coupled with being the most costly making some winemakers too busy to entertain visitors. You need to chalk out your tasting strategy. The idea is not, and you can not make more than three or four wineries a day. In order to do it safely, you should have a designated driver, or at least, should employ a personal driver or participate in the small group tour. This makes everybody enjoy the chance and feel free knowing that they are not driving under the influence. Recall that in most top level wineries such as Napa and the Bordeaux regions as well as Tuscany, an advance reservation is not only encouraged, but required. And, lastly, in the event that you fall in love with a wine in a wine shop and that you wish to take the wine home, do not be surprised, there are complicated shipping regulations. Shipping wine back home can be a problem because of a network of state-by-state regulations in the US. The simplest, (but not necessarily the least expensive), alternative is to take advantage of the shipping services of the winery or a third party wine shipper which specializes in these matters and will be able to steer you through the legalities of the same.
Finally, a trip to some wine region is a trip of relatedness. It is time to take life a little slower, to use senses, to comprehend how simple agricultural commodity can possibly create the soul of a culture. No matter where you are, be it a historic cellar in Spain, long lunch under the Tuscan sun, or biking between vineyards in New Zealand you are engaged in something that is thousands of years old. Every bottle turns into a memento, a mugshot of a liquid postcard that can effortlessly take you to that very hill, this great dinner, this afternoon. Wine is a huge and story-rich world. The question is which of them shalt thou uncork first.
