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Seven best travel destinations for true oenophiles

travel destinations for true oenophiles

Oenophilia means a passion for wine – one of the healthiest, tastiest and classy alcoholic drinks of the world. Oenophiles are persons who are truly devoted to this grape ambrosia, and wish to travel to any corner of this universe to obtain it! Hence, if you think you are an oenophile, you should try visiting some of the seven best wine excursion destinations of the world, as enlisted by the expert wine tasters of the Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

1.       Rioja, Spain – For the Tempranillo loyalists!

If you are a lover of the Tempranillo varietal of grapes, Rioja should be your ideal travel destination. This wine region with 600 wineries located in Rioja Alta, Baja and Alavesa, is home to a number of other mesmerizing  red wine varieties such as Mazuelo (Carignan), Garnacha and Graciano . You may be desperate to visit this wine hub, in which case, the Spring and Fall seasons are recommended as the best visiting periods, as the latter part of September to October is harvest time.  You can also expect to find the Viura( Macabeo) and Malvasia varieties of white wine at this place. Therefore, feast your taste buds on a variety of wines, while remaining loyal to your native love, the Tempranillo, while on a visit to Rioja, Spain!

2.       Stellenbosch, South Africa – For those who worship Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon!

If you are willing to put in that extra bit to gain a wine tasting experience that you will cherish for the rest of your life, visit Stellenbosch that offers two varieties of stunning wines, namely, the Cabernet sauvignon (the emperor of red wines) and Pinotage (the signature wine of this region, with the amazing Pinot Noir- Cinsault parentage). The recommended visiting months are October and November for this wine heaven that offers other aristocratic wines such as rich Chardonnay, full-bodied Shiraz, and a visually-enthralling Chenin Blanc. All the wines are book-ended by sparkling wines such as Cap Classique and botrityzed to delicious dessert flavorings.

3.       Monetery County, California – A medley of wines with a few inexpensive varieties too! 

Satiate your wine craving with signature wines of the Monetery County region, namely, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while trying out the abundantly available Syrah variety too! Enjoy the scenic beauty of the Carmel Valley while sipping on the earthy Cabarnets, available there. If you want to try out some affordably priced, crisp, red and white wine varieties,  do not miss out on Arroyo Seco (a small but thriving wine region). You could visit this region in the months of September and October as the weather is dry and sunny during these months, and rainfall may start in the month of November.

4.       Williamette Valley, Oregon – For those on the lookout for exotic still and sparkling wines ! 

Apart from the classic wines Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the Willamette Valley offers some rare varities of still wines such as Viognier, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Riesling. The Champagne varieties of sparkling wines  of this region are also going to leave your taste buds asking for more. Compared to a number of other wine regions, the Willamette Valley has its door open to wine tourists for a long period of time, namely the months of May-June and September-October.

5.       Douro Valley, Portugal – For the Port and red table wine enthusiasts!

The Port and Douro red table wines of the Douro Valley, are made from some of the most authentic varieties of its native wines such as Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca, and Touriga Nacional. The late bottled vintages, the golden-brown 10-40 years aged wines, and the exotic and vintage Colheitas, constitute the vintage range that anyone would want to die for! March-June is the best time to visit for the budding wine grapes, while September is harvest time. The icing on the cake is that you can get to experience almond blossoms and wild flowers along with the wines during your holiday in the first phase of the visiting seasons of this place.

6.       Puglia, Italy – For a confluence of a variety of delightful warm climate wines

If you want to  impress your taste buds with a variety of warm climate wines, you should visit Puglia, which specializes in wines of this variety. If you want to taste  indigenous red wines visit Castel Del Monte, which brings to you wines from Uva Di Troia, Aglianico and Bombino Nero. This wine is also involved in the production of some truly addictive wines using the Bombino Bianca crisp white wines, and the Moscato di trani sweet wines. Primitivo de Manduria, which reminds wine lovers of the Zinfandel wine, is available in this region. The crisp white wines from Chardonnay, Fiano, Greco and Malvasia are the other impressive varities that your tongue will fall in love with ! Puglia is best visited during the summer times to enjoy the wines with memorable seafood meals alongside pristine beaches and night-long pizzica dance.

7.       Bordeaux, France – Obviously for the best Bordeaux wines of the world!

Needless to say, the best Bordeaux wines, belong to the Bordeaux region of France . This region which has a number of chateaus, (wineries) such as Chateaux Margau, and the Chateau Mouton Rothschild, are some of the best in the country and around the world. The latter chateau has some of the best red wines in the world and a museum.

Also, If you are in Australia, you might want to consider visiting the Mclaren Vale wineries which is the birthplace of the South Australian wine industry. Get the best and ultimate wine experience there.

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