There are four pillars to our travels: food, wine, land and sea.  This article is all about the wine and why it is part of our travel philosophy.  As we began to travel more and more, we noticed that each place we visited we would learn, almost by accident, about the local food products and in turn about the wine.  The old saying, “what grows together goes together” includes wine.  Having wine with snacks, cheeses or a meal has been a part of our existence as adults.  Travel brought it to a new level.

Something to consider as a traveler is to identify something or multiple things that bring you joy and try to experience them through the local traditions and flavors.  Wine is one of two “somethings” for us; the other being food.  Regardless of where we go, we look for an opportunity to learn about the local wines, what sets them apart and anything notable about the way the grapes are grown or the wine making process.  That has ranged from the volcanic soil of the vineyards in the Canary Islands to the drying of the grapes for months in order to make Amarone in Northern Italy. 

This began for us where one would expect in places like California, Italy and France. California has such amazing wines that are well known and the vineyards themselves are grand and beautiful, especially here in Napa and Sonoma.

We joined a food and wine paring lunch at St. Francis Winery & Vineyard in Sonoma, which was extraordinary.

Then there is Italy with its many wine regions.  One of the largest and most well-known is Tuscany.  We spent an entire day touring vineyards in Chianti by taking a Wine Safari.

Then up north in Verona, we had a private tour and tasting at Corte Borghetti in the Valpolicella wine region. 

Both regions focus on Italian red wines but they could not be more different based on the way they are made, the terrain and weather conditions of Tuscany versus Veneto.  Both are wonderful wines but learning the differences allows us to experience the wine differently, how to pair them with food and, on the most basic level, to be able to identify them on a wine list.  Those are the moments that make travel special for us.

Then there are some areas that just are almost synonymous with wine…like Bordeaux.  Everything about the area seems to speak “wine.” The vineyards are estates, with grand Châteaux and are simply stunning to behold.  A full day spent touring three wineries with a sommelier who explained the nuances of each vineyard and the French wine making traditions and methods (Rendez-Vous au Chateau).

This is just a sample of our experiences with our wine travels in the more well-known wine regions.  Coming up next, some lesser-known regions are explored.