Experiences of a Lifetime: Trip Ideas for the Wine Lover
Tuscany, Italy
Our four best wine experiences demonstrate the connections between technique and tradition, innovation and cultural connection.
Wine is influenced by subtle details and rooted in fantastic scenery to create fandom that transcends national boundaries. Passion, inspiration, and custom are demonstrated in established practices or found in lesser-known grape varietals.
From familiar destinations to those little-known, our guide to the best wine experiences introduces you to some of the world’s most unforgettable and unique ways to enjoy wine.
1. Pick Grapes at an Authentic Tuscan Winery
Tuscany, Italy
The most memorable wine-tasting events involve more than sampling delicious flavors or finding a new vintage that excites your palate, instead capturing the combination of a fabulous experience combined with a memorable location. Indulge in a masterclass of winemaking that immerses you in the culture beyond the bottle as you explore the process from root to fruit, barrel to bottle.
Your wine-tasting experience elevates the traditional pour and sample activity by making you a part of the process, giving you deeper insight into what goes into producing the right harvest, the precise fermentation, the essential bottle, and the perfect glass.
Picking grapes at an authentic Tuscan winery gives you more than a taste of the harvest process. You can also embrace the ambiance of a traditional vineyard steeped in history, one that contributes to the wine culture of the region, country, and beyond.
Italy Trip Idea
The spirit of Italy and the essence of its legendary heritage becomes the central focus on this 12-day Iconic Florence and Venice Tour with Countryside Culture, as you go beyond the typical to experience the thrills, joys, and pleasures of life in rural charm and historic grandeur.
Highlights: Ponder the patience and skill required to sculpt Michelangelo's towering David • Amble through the UNESCO World Heritage site at San Gimignano • Sit back and enjoy the rustic charm of a Tuscan farmhouse and winery • Plunge into the darkness of a subterranean wine cave • Stroll the breathtaking boardwalk of Venice
2. Create Royal Wine in Paris
Paris, France
Paris is home to hidden vineyards that juxtapose a long history of neighborhood expansion, with the semi-secret cellar of King Louis XV’s 18th-century wine steward remaining intact next to the Louvre.
For the ultimate wine enthusiasts, a wine-making workshop in the hidden royal cellar provides guidance on the best grape varieties to use, blends to create, and resident flavors you can find within the mixtures as you craft your very own bottle.
An assortment of local wines, a regal ambiance, and the opportunity to sample vintages during a private dinner and wine pairing accompanied by the resident oenologist makes this excursion unforgettable.
France Trip Idea
Opulent Visions of France Tour: Endless Cultural Delight is an 11-day immersion into the luxurious and opulent, historic and unforgettable flavors and heritage found in the culinary treasures and artistic wonders across the country.
Highlights: Experience the grandeur, allure, and history of the Louvre Museum with a private guide • Revel in the authentic flavors of Provencal cuisine with a private cooking class • Embrace the essential and celebrated characteristics of Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines • Indulge in the refined cooking techniques and flavors of typical French cuisine • Witness the opulence of the French aristocracy with a private cycling tour of Versailles
3. Become a Wine Scientist in Adelaide
Adelaide, Australia
The art of making wine also demonstrates a specific scientific perspective that you can enjoy when crafting your own bottle at a celebrated vineyard in Australia. With complexity beyond the layered flavors, making your own wine can create a remarkable flavor specific to your palette.
Take on the role of a scientist with a white lab coat before measuring three types of wines in beakers to help you take notes, record alcohol percentages, and keep measurements consistent.
As the percentages of each grape varietal fluctuates, so will the flavors and characteristics you find in every sip. From earthy notes to fruity aromatics, each measurement speaks to how you want the wine to interact with your taste buds, how eager you are to make your mouth water, or the kinds of scents you find drifting out of the glass for a highly personalized experience.
Australia Trip Idea
The charm of cuisine and culture converge during this 20-day Farm to Table Luxury Culinary Tour of Australia that celebrates the points at which exceptional wilderness and prestigious wines meet to create familiar and extraordinary flavors, culture, and scenery.
Highlights: Explore the spectacular Tamar Wine region, indulging in a series of delectable wines at acclaimed estates • Discover the wildlife beauty that envelops Launceston as you trek the summit of Ben Lomond Mountain • Hover over Hobart in a seaplane bound for the phenomenal wine region of MONA • Design your very own chef’s knife or curate a personal blend of wine alongside expert forgers and sommeliers • Encounter the extraordinary wildlife dwelling within the lush forests and along the sugary coastline of Kangaroo Island
4. Discover Luxury with a Hike to a Multi-Course Meal and Wine Pairing
New Zealand
The natural beauty of New Zealand’s Fiordland is an easy accompaniment to a luxurious multi-course meal paired with wines as you set out along the Milford Track. Wine enthusiasts and novices alike understand how the ambiance can shape the connection between the wine and overall experience.
The Milford Track is over 33 miles long, can take up to four days, and when paired with the opulence of food and wine, becomes an experience only few will ever have.
The drama of the fiord, the reflective waters, and soaring cliffs; the mountaintops covered in snow and rolling hills blanketed in wild grasses provide a natural luster further accentuated by the marvelous characteristics of the wines you sample along the way.
New Zealand Trip Idea
Luxury Escape to New Zealand: Enthralling Nature and Delightful Cities Tour is a 14-day discovery of the urban heritage and fascinating nature that has informed wine culture and a spirit of exploration across the North and South islands.
Highlights: Escape to the Napier wine country for an afternoon spent amongst the acclaimed vineyards at a famous estate • Treat your palate to the wondrous wines produced at prestigious estates poised in Picton’s picturesque countryside • Marvel at the majestic seascapes circling the Kaikoura coastline • Soar into the sky onboard a private plane to view panoramas of Mount Tarawera • Hover over the remarkable natural wonders composing New Zealand’s famous Milford Sound
Planning Your Dream Experiences Can Start Now
Tuscany, Italy
Enjoying a glass of wine in the perfect spot can create an unforgettable memory specific to that place and time.
How you experience wine is as important as the urge to explore a specific winery or vintage in its designation of origin. Atmosphere, ambiance, and the story behind your experience can accentuate and elevate a nice wine into a masterpiece.
From creating your own vintage to witnessing artisan winemakers at work, establishing a foothold on a scenic hike to reach a secluded vineyard to participating in a craft technique, you can find inspiration for how to embrace your preferred travel experiences with our Trips of a Lifetime Travel Guide.
