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Wine tours are a great way to spend a holiday, you get to go to amazing places, see beautiful landscapes and drink some great wine. Many places offer wine tours but we has chosen to show you the places where you will get that extra little something. An area with world class restaurants, places with hilltops overlooking acres upon acres of vineyards and of course, the best wines in the world. Tuscany, Italy. This area may be the most famous and peaceful wine region in the world. Beautiful Tuscany is a major destination for wine road trips, often starting from the capital of the region, Florence, or the medieval city of Siena. Anyone taking a wine trip in this part of the world has to try some of the Chianti and the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, best served with a homemade Italian meal. |
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Napa Valley, California – USA California produces nearly 90 percent of wine made in the United States and the Napa Valley and Sanoma Valley areas are the heart of this industry. With over 1200 wineries, ranging from large scale to boutique wineries, Napa Valley produces some of the world's best wines, rivalling any other wine from around the world. |
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Loire Valley, France You can't talk about wine and not talk about France. Situated along the Loire River, this region has a wine making history dating back to the 1st century AD. Most of the wineries in Loire Valley make white wine including the recommended Le MD de Bourgeois but also some reds including Jacky Blot’s Cabernet Franc. |
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Mendoza, Argentina. Located in the eastern foothills of the Andes the vineyards of Mendoza are planted at some of the highest altitudes in the world, with the average site located 1,970–3,610 feet (600–1,100 meters) above sea level. The region produces almost two-thirds of the entire wine production of Argentina with mainly Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Chardonnay grapes. |
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Duero River Valley, Spain. As the third largest wine producing country in the world, Spain has several different wine regions and the Duero River region is probably the best one for wine tours. As the river Duero makes its way from Spain to Portugal, it waters the vineyards on the hills that grow grapes for excellent red and white wines. If you visit this area make sure to visit Vega Sicilia winery. Founded in 1864, it is one of Spain's most notable and awarded wineries. |
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Central Otago, New Zealand. The world’s southernmost wine producing region is located near the beautiful city of Queenstown in New Zealand's southern island. The first vines were planted in the 1860's but the area did not become a commercial planting site until the 1980's when the people had enough experience and confidence to start small scale commercial plantings. Today there are over 75 active wineries and about 70% of all the planting in the region are Pinot noir. |
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Constantia Valley, South Africa. The Constantia Valley is just a few minutes drive from the city of Cape Town on the slopes of Constantiaberg Mountain. It is the largest wine region in South Africa with a very popular wine route filled with centuries-old estates. This area is also home to some fine dining restaurants such as Pastis (French), La Colombe (French) – ranked among the Top 50 in the world, and Mama Roma (Italian). |
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Barossa Valley, Australia. One of the oldest wine regions in Australia, Barossa Valley is located 60 km (about 37 miles) northeast of Adelaide. The winemakers in Barossa are primarily known for their red wine grapes, in particular Shiraz. Large proportions of the Barossa Shiraz is used in Penfolds Grange, Australia's most famous wine. |
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Chilean Wine Country, Chile. The Chilean wine country is divided into several regions, each with different climate conditions due to the Andes Mountain range. Chile has a rich history of "New World wine" dating back to the 16th century, when the Spanish conquistadors brought Vitis vinifera vines with them as they colonized the region. In the mid-19th century, French wine varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère and Cabernet Franc were also introduced and today, Chile is the fifth largest exporter of wines in the world. |
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Willamette Valley, Oregon – USA. The Willamette valley is surrounded by mountain ranges to the east, west and south and so this fertile valley is cooler than the neighboring California. This is a big advantage to both the grapes and to the many tourists that visit. Some of the best and most expensive Pinot noir in the world is made here, as well as a high-quality Pinot gris. |
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