ManicMammy's Blog

Reviews, news, family, wine and me

Where would you go?

Posted on | February 9, 2010 | 4 Comments

Paul’s mention of of wine tours in his blogpost and Ryanair commencing direct flights from Cork to Bordeaux recently got me thinking.  Which wine regions are on my wishlist to visit and tour?

Vineyard Hills HDR
Creative Commons License photo credit: mescon

Gaining an interest in wine mainly in my 30s which coincided with my pregnancy, infant and young children years, hasn’t really been conductive to travelling and experiencing the famous vineyards of the world. But now that the kids are getting older, hopefully wiser and much easier to babysit, I’m beginning to contemplate escaping for a long weekend occasionally to some of the relatively close regions or appellations.

I think, for me, the starting point has to be Bordeaux. The direct flights make a quick getaway possible and make the most of the time away from home. Who could resist travelling the wine route, visiting the classified chateaux and tasting the range of wines? Would definitely fancy visiting the Rhone Valley and Alsace too but those trips may take more of an effort to accomplish.

I would love to visit some of the northern Italian and Spanish regions and hopefully these both can eventually be encorporated into family holidays in these countries in the foreseeable future. Long term, Australia and New Zealand would be brilliant to visit to compare and contrast as fine examples of New World vineyards, vinification and wine. Also as Barossa Valley reds and Marlborough whites are the current favourites in this house. This will no doubt change and vary as time passes.

Time to start planning. Where have you visited and would you recommend? Where’s next on your list?

Creative Commons License
The Where would you go? by ManicMammy's Blog, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Category: Personal, Wine
Tags: > > >

Comments

4 Responses to “Where would you go?”

  1. Paul Kiernan
    February 9th, 2010 @ 8:50 pm

    I was in Bordeaux around this time last year and I found the people hospitable and charming. Not sure where the “rude French” stereotype sprung from! It isn’t the most beautiful landscape by any means but you have to do it, don’t you!

    I have an idea I’d like to visit Portugal next. I’d like to see the Douro valley though I’m not sure if the missus could stomach any of that Port.

  2. Manic Mammy
    February 10th, 2010 @ 9:36 am

    Oh yeah, the Douro valley is supposed to be breathtaking. Gary O’Donovan spoke very highly of his visits there when he was giving the WSET course.
    Definitely another for the list. I’m sure your lovely wife would love a break there once Paulie junior arrives ;-)

  3. Brian Clayton
    February 10th, 2010 @ 1:00 pm

    the only place I’ve visited and really tried some vineyards was on a trip to Romania and Moldova. Those are some of the most atmospheric places you can visit – ancient monasteries framed by the carpathian mountains. The wine’s nice too, though maybe the 40 degree heat and lack of air con helps with that :)
    In French terms I’ve been to Bordeaux and the Langeudoc region several times, but not visited the vineyards and Chateaux, so I reckon I’d start there.
    Absolutely top of my long-term list though, are the Barossa Valley and anywhere they make ice wine. I’d love to see a row of vines ready for the harvest in the cold.

  4. Manic Mammy
    February 10th, 2010 @ 3:46 pm

    Hey Brian,
    I haven’t been to Romania/Moldova. Those surroundings sound wonderful. Did you get to try Cotnari?

    And yes, definitely agree with you on the ice wines. It would most interesting to see the frozen grapes on the vine, their harvest, production and to, of course, sample some sweet wine afterwards.

Leave a Reply