The wine tastes different at the vineyard. The Chianti Classico that was pleasant at the supermarket, satisfactory with the pasta, and forgotten by the end of the meal, is, when you are standing in the courtyard of the Castello di Verrazzano in the hills of Greve (the 12th-century castle, the view of the valley, and the glass of the 2019 Riserva that the vintner has just poured from the bottle), the most beautiful thing you have ever tasted. The wine, the soil, the slope, the sun, and the rainfall of the vintage, the black rooster of the Chianti Classico on the label, and the sense of drinking the landscape, is not a beverage at the vineyard. It is a memory. A wine tasting holiday is the combination of the two greatest pleasures of European travel, the landscape and the food, and the wine regions of Europe, from the Douro to the Mosel, from the Loire to the Peloponnese, are the most beautiful holiday destinations on the continent. Here is your guide to the wine tasting holiday.

What About a Wine Tasting Holiday?

• Where to go, the essential wine regions of Europe: Tuscany, the Chianti Classico and the Brunello: The hills of the Chianti between Florence and Siena are the most beautiful wine landscape in the world: the vineyards, the olive groves, the cypresses, and the medieval hill towns (Greve, Radda, Castellina, the villages of the Chianti Classico, the enoteche, the wine shops, on the piazzas, and the tastings that cost €5 for the three wines). The essential Chianti experience: the drive along the Via Chiantigiana (the SR222, the road from Florence to Siena via the heart of the Chianti, the most beautiful Sunday drive in Europe), the lunch at the Osteria di Passignano (the Michelin-starred restaurant at the Badia di Passignano, the 1,000-year-old monastery, the wine from the Antinori estate, the most beautiful meal in Tuscany. ~€80 for the tasting menu), and the visit to the Castello di Brolio (the oldest winery in Italy, the Ricasoli family since 1141, the castle, the gardens, and the Brolio Chianti Classico, the wine that defined the region. ~€12 for the tour and the tasting). Bordeaux, the grandest wine region in the world: The Médoc, the Saint-Émilion, the Pomerol, the names of the greatest wines in the world. The essential Bordeaux experience: the drive along the Route des Châteaux (the D2, the “Route of the Châteaux” through the Médoc, the Margaux, the Latour, the Lafite Rothschild, the Mouton Rothschild, the most famous vineyards in the world, and the tastings that range from the free to the €50), the village of Saint-Émilion (the medieval hill town, the monolithic church, carved into the limestone in the 12th century, and the wine shops on the cobbled streets. The essential lunch: the L’Envers du Décor, the terrace, the view of the vineyards, and the best meal in Saint-Émilion. ~€30 for the lunch menu), and the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux (the wine museum, the glass-shaped building, the exhibits, the tasting, and the best introduction to the wine of Bordeaux. ~€22). The Douro Valley, the most beautiful wine region in Europe: See the Portugal post (batch 53). France | Italy
• How to plan, the practicalities of the wine holiday: The designated driver: the essential member of the wine-tasting party. The driver tastes the wine (the swirl, the sniff, the sip, and the spit, the essential skill of the designated driver), and the rest of the party swallows. The alternative: the tour (the small-group tours from the wine towns, the driver, the guide, and the knowledge. ~€80–150 per person per day, and the splurge that transforms the wine holiday from the stressful to the sublime). The booking: the best wineries require a reservation (the email, the phone call, and the appointment, the essential preparation. The walk-in tastings are the exception; the appointment is the rule. Book the tastings before the flights, and build the holiday around the appointments). The essential etiquette: the spit is acceptable (the spittoon is provided, and the wine is not cheap, the winemaker appreciates the restraint), the tasting note is the conversation (the blackberry, the leather, the tobacco, the language of the wine tasting is personal and subjective, and the best note is the honest one), and the purchase is not required (the tasting is the marketing, and the obligation is to be interested, not to buy. The bottle you buy is the one you loved, not the one you feel you should love)
• The best time, the harvest and the quiet season: The harvest (the vendemmia, the vendange, the vendimia, September and October across the European wine regions) is the most beautiful and the busiest time: the grapes are picked, the vats are fermenting, the air smells of the wine, and the wineries are buzzing. The harvest tours (the pick, the crush, and the taste, the essential experience) are available at the smaller wineries, and the appointment is essential. The spring (April–June) is the quiet season: the vineyards are green, the flowers are blooming, the roads are empty, and the tastings are the most relaxed. The best time for the wine holiday is the spring for the experience and the autumn for the spectacle