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I enjoy a good glass of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Montepulciano, or any other outstanding wine. When I travel to a new country for a wine tasting, I enjoy visiting top wine regions. I am still able to ensure that my drinking habits are neither unhealthy nor worrying.
I like to take one or two bottles home with me as well. The scene is a little different when you return home. You won’t have a view like Vesuvius, and neither do I, but you can go anywhere with a little imagination.
Turn up the heat and sip a glass of your newly purchased wine, and you’ll be whisked away to romantic Italy! The World’s Best Wine Regions are highlighted below and are highly worth visiting!
ITALY’S LOMBARDY WINE REGION
The small wine region of Franciacorta is located in northern Italy, near Milan’s chic boutiques and restaurants. Best Italian sparkling wines come from Franciacorta wine country. It’s Italy’s best-kept secret! The wines of Franciacorta are made in the same style as Champagne, using the classic process and varieties like Chardonnay, Noir, and Pinot Blanc to replace Pinot Meunier wine grapes.
Wine lovers can get high-quality wines for much less. Valtellina, north of Milan, is also becoming a Nebbiolo wine powerhouse, producing dry, fruit-forward reds that rival Piedmont’s Barolo and Barbaresco. Visit Lombardy in the spring or the fall when the harvest is in full swing.
SOUTH AFRICA’S WESTERN CAPE REGION
I’ve always wanted to go to Cape Town for wine tasting. This region is known for sauvignon blanc, but it is also producing other fine whites. Beautiful chenin blanc varietals from new producers like Alheit Vineyards, Craven, and Thorne & Daughters have caught my eye in this wine country.
Minerality, fresh stone fruit, and a generous spirit make this beloved Loire grape a new archetype. Spend a few days in Cape Town before heading to the Cape Winelands, South Africa’s most famous wine region. To see everything in one trip, plan your wine tour around the wineries you want to see.
OREGON’S WILLAMETTE VALLEY REGION
Willamette Valley is not new to the wine tourism market, but it has led the way in more eco-friendly winemaking practices with wine country. I would welcome the opportunity to visit tasting rooms in Hope Well Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills. Mimi Casteel’s regenerative farming practices are revolutionary, and the wines reflect this. Her pinots are as delicate and ethereal as some grand cru Burgundy.
The Willamette Valley has many more sustainable wineries to visit despite Hope Well not having a tasting room. Maggie Harrison’s Antica Terra produces small-lot organic chardonnay and pinot noir, and Sokol Blosser is a lovely family-owned pinot noir grower in Dundee. The Willamette Valley, less than an hour from Portland, is beautiful all year, but summer and early fall are the best times to visit.
ITALY’S SICILY REGION
Sicily is currently one of the world’s most exciting wine regions. Twenty years ago, no one thought of it as a wine country destination. Today’s region has some fantastic protagonists who are pushing the region to improve and try new things. While known for its marsala dessert wine, the region has been industrialized.
Marco De Bartoli revived artisanal marsala production and now produces a complex wine. A delicious red made from pinot and Nebbiolo with a hint of smokiness and minerality, Etna Rosso is made by Girolamo Russo. May is a more relaxed month in the vineyard, giving you a better chance to speak with the winemaker.
CANADA’S NIAGARA PENINSULA REGION
As strange as it may sound, I believe Toronto is one of the most exciting culinary and wine destinations in North America, and the Niagara Peninsula is a wine lover’s dream. Aside from sampling ice wine from renowned producers like Inniskillin, you’ll find dry whites like Riesling and pinot noir, as well as reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Gamay.
This region is basically on the opposite side of North America compared to Napa Valley. However, it would be well worth the trek if napa valley is in your backyard.
A drive around beautiful Lake Ontario in the autumn will reveal some of Canada’s most intriguing wineries. Don’t miss Pearl Morrissette’s simple barn and excellent wines. As a result, the winery also has a fantastic new restaurant.
PORTUGAL’S ALENTEJO REGION
Best wine regions in Portugal include Porto and the Douro Valley, but Alentejo in the south is a must. Getting to Lisbon and the Algarve’s famous rocky beaches takes only 1.5 hours. Mainly made from local grapes like touriga nacional, aragonez and alicante bouschet, the wines and wineries are the main draws. Alentejo has some of Europe’s most stunning, design-forward wineries, from Herdade do Freixo to Quinta do Quetzal.
Herdade do Arrepiado Velho made some of my favorite wines. Their touriga nacional is complex, mineral, and structured. It’s one of my favorite cabernet sauvignon pours; they’re amazed. However, there are many other excellent winemakers in the area. The quality is superb and the prices are ridiculously low compared to other wine producing countries.
Final Thoughts About The Best Wine Regions
It goes without saying that I enjoy a good glass of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Montepulciano, or any other excellent wine. Although my drinking habits are neither unhealthy nor alarming, I enjoy visiting wine areas when I travel to a new country for a wine tasting.
I also enjoy taking one or two bottles home with me. When you get home, the scene is a little different. You won’t have a view like Vesuvius, for example, and neither do I, but with a little imagination, you can go anywhere. Turn up the heat, take a sip of your recently purchased wine, and you’ll be transported back to romantic Italy!
