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The Best Wine Vacations in the World
MeiMei Fox May 2, 2007PAGES: 1 2
See our slideshow of indulgent wine vacations.
Back on land, guests dine on a six-course meal, including steamed mussels and duck confit with Mediterranean figs. Each dish is accompanied by one of Costers del Siurana’s highly regarded reds, some priced at hundreds of euros per bottle.
For adventure seekers, a wine vacation in South Africa can easily be combined with a safari. Visitors might begin with a stay at Londolozi, one of the world’s most luxurious game lodges, commended for its eco-friendly practices and the best leopard viewing in Africa. Then sample the finest South African cuisine and wines by traveling in deluxe style on the fabled Rovos Rail to Cape Town. “That railway is a moving palace,” says Max Bellune, who made the voyage several years ago.
Cape Town, with its five-star Mount Nelson hotel, makes the ideal home base for day trips to wineries throughout the region. Constantia is the area with the oldest vineyards on the Cape. Enjoy a tour of the renowned Klein Constantia winery, which has been operating since 1689. Taste the sweet vintage-style Vin de Constance, dynamic Chardonnay, and rich Cabernet Sauvignon.
Many travelers prefer not to move around so much on vacation, particularly one that involves imbibing generous amounts of alcohol. No problem—just concentrate on getting to know one small region in depth. For example, X.O. Travel Consultants offers a week in Burgundy, France with Clive Coates, one of the most respected wine experts in the world and former publisher of the fine-wine magazine The Vine.
See our slideshow of indulgent wine vacations.
During this immersion course, guests have the opportunity to taste more than 200 Grand Cru and Première Cru wines of the Burgundy region. Every day, Clive accompanies the intimate group of 10 professionals and amateurs to meet the winemakers at such famous vineyards as Domaine de la Vougeraie, Clos des Lambrays and Domaine Ponsot.
And now that the American Heart Association has officially included wine on its list of heart-friendly foods (when consumed in moderation, admittedly), it’s possible to rationalize a wine vacation as offering more than the satisfaction of your hedonistic urges; you can claim that it’s good for you. Now that’s vin-dication!
View our slideshow to discover more details about each of the wine vacations described above, as well as suggested itineraries for exploring the spectacular scenery and tantalizing whites of New Zealand; the fresh, undiscovered Malbecs of Argentina; the deeply rich Tokajis of Hungary; and more.
See our slideshow of indulgent wine vacations.
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