What are the best wine travel experiences on Earth? It’s a tricky question. But, undaunted, we decided to find the answer. After all, if Decanter can’t, who can?
We’ve been inspiring readers with our wine travel ideas in print for nearly 50 years, and on decanter.com since it was launched 20+ years ago. So whether you’re looking for last-minute inspiration, planning the trip of a lifetime or just dreaming, Decanter is here to help.
We ranked every travel feature on decanter.com according to popularity over the past year (the previous couple of years were rather atypical, for obvious reasons). For the sake of simplicity we’ve stuck to regional guides, rather than include city, restaurant and wine bar guides.
So here are the 50 best wine trip ideas, as ranked by you, our readers. We’ve picked an excerpt from each to give you a flavour, but you’ll find the complete versions of all these articles on our specially created hub page: decanter.com/top-50-travel-2023
So keep your finger poised over your travel agent’s ‘book now’ button, and enjoy our reader-curated choices.
50 The wineries of Kent
‘Southeasternmost county Kent is often described as the Garden of England. Stretching from the Thames estuary to the English Channel, you’ll find a verdant landscape of rolling hills, blossom-filled orchards and white-cowled oast houses. It gets more sunshine and higher temperatures than most of the UK, which explains why it’s famous for fruit. In places, you would be forgiven for thinking you were in France’s Champagne region – you don’t have to divert far to find patches of vines shimmering in the breeze on southfacing chalky slopes. Output is growing, with warm summers spelling bumper crops, and demand high. Little wonder Kent winemakers – namely Biddenden, Chapel Down, Domaine Evremond, Gusbourne, Hush Heath, Simpsons, Squerryes and Westwell – have redubbed this the Wine Garden of England (winegardenofengland.co.uk).’
Fiona Sims
49 Lambrusco landscapes
‘With under-explored cities of art, supreme sports cars and glorious countryside, a trip through the land of Lambrusco is a must. Today’s Lambruscos are shedding the stigma of cheap-and-cheerful predecessors thanks to a new wave of small, independent wineries. In Modena (Emilia Romagna) – home to Ferrari and balsamic vinegar – Lambrusco is present everywhere. There is a huge sculpture of grapes made of Murano glass (on the main roundabout along the Via Vignolese towards Vignola), as well as restaurants and bars including Lambruscheria, on Calle di Luca in the city (lambruscheriamodena.it). North of Modena, pale Lambrusco di Sorbara is traditionally made as a field blend of the Sorbara grape and Lambrusco Salamino. Across the regional border in Lombardy, Franco Accorsi at Fondo Bozzole named his Giano wine (£18 Villeneuve Wines), a 100% Lambrusco Salamino with notes of black cherry and chocolate, after Janus, the god of new beginnings.’ Sarah Lane
48 Franciacorta’s fine views
‘Blending rural charm and tradition with vineyard-lined hills, Franciacorta is prime sparkling wine territory in Lombardy, northern Italy. Any tour should include a visit to wine town Erbusco, between Brescia and Bergamo, where Vittorio Moretti – a leading player and former president of the Franciacorta consorzio – is a reference for the area at Bellavista (bellavistawine. it). This first-class winery is named after the location of its vineyards on top of the Bellavista hill. Besides the splendid views, the blend of art and sculpture (plus a waterfall and swing) is enchanting.’
Alessandra Piubello
47 Piedmont: truffles, castles – and wine
‘At the foot of the Alps in northwestern Italy, Piedmont’s landscapes look like a living painting. The region is famous for its ‘Three Bs’ – Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera. The first two, made from Nebbiolo, are the most prestigious wines. UNESCOlisted Langhe e Roero, with its bucolic landscape dominated by vineyard hills, offers white truffles as well as wine; Alba town holds a truffle festival each autumn. Wander among the castles, through the villages and museums (particularly the WiMu wine museum and Corkscrew Museum, both in the village of Barolo), and take in the panoramic views over the Langhe. Another World Heritage Site, Monferrato is famous for its hand-dug cellars, and is home to Barbera and sparkling Asti.’
Alessandra Piubello
46 Cycling in Rioja
Rioja is an ideal destination for any keen cyclist. With scenic views flanked by the Cantabrian mountains, rural roads and paths negotiable by bike, and providers such as La Rioja Bike Tours (lariojabiketours.com) happy to deliver to your accommodation – hybrid bikes or e-bikes are recommended – it’s the perfect way to take in many of the most famous names in Spanish wine and the sea of vines that surround them.
‘Logroño, the capital of Rioja, makes an ideal starting point. It has the charm of any historic Spanish city: labyrinthine alleys leading to vast open plazas, an enchanting mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, plane trees reaching to the skies. However, there is one street in Logroño that makes any visit worthwhile. As evening comes, Calle del Laurel erupts into life. On the stroke of eight, locals of all generations burst onto this alley, for this is when the pincho (like tapas) bars open. They aren’t designed for lingering; enjoy your pincho and small drink and move on to the next. It’s a sociable, gastronomic pleasure and despite the spectrum of local wines on offer, 99% of locals drink Rioja crianza. There is a mild adjustment as you get used to the red wine sitting on ice (to combat the ever-present heat), but this is about living like a local, and you quickly get used to it.’
Ewan MacCormick
45 A weekend in the Jura
‘Neighbouring Burgundy may seem the more obvious travel choice, but Jura has its own delicious flavour. Driving is your best bet for exploration. Head straight for Arbois village to intimate chambre d’hôtes Closerie les Capucines, refurbished by importer Neal Rosenthal. Evening aperitifs await at Le Bistrot des Claquets, a no-frills wine bar (a favourite with local producers), and dinner at Le Bistronôme (le-bistronome-arbois. com). Next morning head southwest to the scenic Château- Chalon or L’Etoile area for a breathtaking drive to local wineries such as Domaine de Montbourgeau or Domaine Berthet-Bondet. Later,
