Raise Your Glass in These 7 Locations for Wine Lovers

Calling all wine lovers! Panache Cruises offers wine enthusiasts some travel inspiration with a list of destinations for travelers to sip the best wines and enjoy great views.

Alentejo, Portugal

As the center of Portugal’s wine revival for the past 10 years, Alentejo is well known by wine lovers. Wine from the region is typically made from Tempranillo, a black grape widely used to make full-bodied red wines. The white grape of choice, Antao Vaz, produces a good level of acidity and tropical flavors for a delicious white wine. Évora, the region’s capital, is home to popular Cartuxa Winery, producer of the famous Pêra-Manca wine.

Tuscany, Italy

Located in central Italy, Tuscany offers vine-covered hills, medieval architecture and master artwork. Apart from the cultural attractions, Tuscany is also known for being a No. 1 spot for Italian wines. Some of the country’s best wines, like Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, come from Tuscany.

La Rioja, Spain

Tucked away in a remote region in the north of Spain, La Rioja is known as Spain’s biggest and best wine destination. Visitors find plenty of wineries and wine museums surrounded by breathtaking landscapes. Red wines make up about 90 percent of wine in the area, but many wineries still offer white, rosé and select sparkling wines.

Hunter Valley, Australia

Hunter Valley is famous for its award-winning wines and some of the best wineries and vineyards — some even dating back to the 1860s. This region offers stunning scenery, the opportunity to taste delicious wines and learn about what makes the site so attractive to visitors. The area is most known for a mix of traditional and innovative wine varieties, with a list of alternative varieties also produced alongside the classics.

Mendoza, Argentina

Mendoza’s vineyards produce about 70 percent of Argentina’s wine. The French grape variety Malbec produces red wines of great quality and concentration. White Malbec is the most popular in the region and one of the reasons wine lovers visit.

Vinhedos Valley, Brazil

Surrounded by farms, vineyards and wineries, Vinhedos Valley is the wine region of Brazil. The area is home to Moët & Chandon’s outpost, a company responsible for mass production of sparkling wine in the region. This valley also includes smaller-scale producers like boutique family wineries.

Casablanca, Chile

Casablanca Valley, the wine growing region of Chile, has built a reputation for making crisp white wines from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grape varieties. These wines and grapes recently gained recognition as one of the best in the region, making wine companies from around the country and beyond want to invest in the area to boost their wine portfolio.

To find cruises and itineraries exploring these wine capitals of the world, visit Panache Cruise’s website.