Destinations and festivals for wine lovers this fall

More than a drink

As for the production itself, it revolves around the growth of grapes, for which suitable temperatures and rainfall are required. This makes lands in the south of Europe like France, Spain, and Italy suitable for this. Following this pattern, you will find more wineries in the southern states of the USA like California and Texas than in the northern states. Wines come in 2 varieties, white and red, with white wines produced from peeled grapes while the reds are produced with the skin of the grapes intact. Unlike other alcoholic drinks wine is believed to be good for your health, as long as you consume it in moderation. The fall or autumn is the harvest season for grapes, as for most agricultural produce and here we suggest some activities for those who wish to know more about the drink.

The wine-growing regions of France

If you go to the finer restaurants in this country, it will be considered rude if you don’t order a wine with your meal. French wines are so popular that some people believe that this is the land of birth of the drink! The wineries are spread across different parts of this country, offering wines for local consumption and export. You will have heard of Bordeaux, close to the Atlantic coast, where you can live in a country house or castle as you explore the wine-growing farms and the wine production itself. If you enjoy Champagne, the sparkling wine, that gets its name from the region of the same name in the country, you can come here and enjoy a holiday in the countryside on special occasions. There are regions in the south, next to the Mediterranean Sea, like Provence where you will find blended wines.

The recommended Spanish varieties

If you haven’t had the time for your summer holidays and are looking for a quiet break, you can come to Spain in the wine harvest season, from September to October. You will find wineries in all parts of this country and you can combine your city trip like one to Barcelona in Catalonia with a trip to the nearby grape farms to see them being plucked and collected. While some farms will allow you to be a part of the activity, in others you can pair your meals with the best local drink. You can even travel to the island of Majorca for a similar experience. Madrid the capital has a lot of good architecture to see and there are wineries in the region that you can explore. If you enjoy Sherry, you can come to the south of the country to the 3 cities close to the Mediterranean to enjoy some warmth with the drink.

To your good health in Italy

This large peninsular country has some wineries close to the coast and others away from it. This country is the largest wine producer in Europe and Tuscan wines like Chianti are among its best offerings. When you come to the Vineyards in Tuscany, you will find small hills covered with grape vines. The locals celebrate the harvest season with wine harvest festivals. You can either travel to the village of Impruneta for Festa dell’Uva, the Grape festival with grape floats and live music, with dancers, or to Panzano for Vino al Vino Festival, where the wine producers tell the story of their produce. In both cases, you will have the locality to explore apart from tasting the fine wines and these festivals come towards the second half of September.

Explore USA for wines and more

You will find wines from all over the country on the wine shelves of the local wine store but you should know that California produces over 80 percent of the country's wines and there are various wine festivals in Napa Valley and Sonoma to go along with it. You can either land at the Los Angeles airport or San Francisco airport and then rent a car to explore the wine regions this state has to offer. Though nowadays the grapes are pressed through machines for their juice, in older days people stomped over the grapes bare feet, a practice that you can experience at some wine-producing destinations in this state. You can try traveling to Albuquerque in New Mexico where you can watch people fly on hot air balloons as you sip your wine.

Travel and taste wine in South Africa

The coastal region close to Cape Town is known for the production of the best of the South African wines. There are lots of vineyards close to the coast along with others in the interior. You can travel to one of the many wine-producing estates, each offering a different experience in terms of views of the farms and the meals they offer to accompany the drink. Some of these even offer accommodations with architecture unique to this part of the world. Fall comes here from February to April when you will experience cooler weather in the North. So, you can enjoy your seasonal break along with Safari trips to the grape farms. You can go for walks here with your companions and enjoy the smell of the greenery as you do.

Conclusion

If you enjoy wines, you may be interested in the process that leads to their production or get involved with festivals where you can join other wine lovers. Here we have suggested some destinations across the world with the various activities on offer.