Readers' tips ... Wine holidays
Each week we host a section in the Guardian newspaper's travel section, asking for readers to send in tips on a particular subject. The best tip wins a digital camera courtesy of Jessops. Find out more here.
Winning tip
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Vineyards in Wairarapa, New Zealand
Posted by Eledhwen
Just a short drive or train ride from New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, is the up-and-coming wine region of the Wairarapa. Pretty, sleepy Martinborough is the main wine town - surrounded by vineyards, and with a deli and wine-tasting centre in the middle. The area is just small enough to walk around, but biking or driving are options too.
The Wairarapa's wineries are small and boutique; they're developing a particular reputation for fantastic Pinot Noir. There are a number of nice winery restaurants (try the Alana Estate) and in March the area is host to wine and food festival Toast Martinborough. At the end of your day's wine-tasting, catch an arthouse film and pizza, washed down with local wine, at the Circus Cinema. Perfect.
Take the train from Wellington or drive north on SH2 and turn off at Featherston.
toastmartinborough.co.nz
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/yagya9y
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Okanagan Valley, Canada
Posted by ianhardman
The Okanagan valley is at the centre of a booming Canadian wine industry. Yes, you read that correctly, the Canadian wine industry. Try the family run Mission Hill winery with its gorgeous architecture and even more gorgeous Pinot Grigio. Across the valley there's the fabulous Calona Vineyards, where you can enjoy the Shiraz and the Sauvignon Blanc complemented by paintings from local artists. Or the gob-smacking pyramid-aged icewines of the Summerhill winery. The tours are a great way to laze away an afternoon.
Okanagan valley, near Kelowna, British Columbia
missionhillwinery.com
calonavineyards.ca
summerhill.bc.ca
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/y996fgo
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Haro, La Rioja, Spain
Posted by rodwsmith
The heart of one of the greatest and most famous wine regions in Europe, Haro has plenty to offer.
You've heard of the Tomatina festival in Valencia where people throw tomatoes at one another all day? On 29th June each year, Haro stages the Batalla de Vino (wine war) where - you've guessed it - the ammunition is the rather more palatable and amusing-side-effect-laden local red wine. Arrive wearing white. Leave wearing purple.
haro.org/home.htm
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/ya2wxnc
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North Corsica wine trail
Posted by lazymaisie
Corsican wine is rarely encountered outside of Corsica, and when you do it's prohibitively expensive. The Corsicans are an insular lot, and tend to only make enough wine to serve local needs - a little is exported to France and an even smaller amount worldwide. Yet Corsica has the most incredible climate, perfect for wine production. So in itself, the opportunity to sample some of the products of the many small domains is interesting.
Add to this the dramatic Corsican landscape, a temperature which rarely dips below 25 degrees before the winter properly kicks in and the miles of unspoiled beaches where your only companions are a few wandering cows (nice brown and white ones with horns, not fellow tourists) and you've got a very pleasant adventure indeed.
Camping makes the whole thing affordable. Many camp sites have their own beaches for a quick dip before bed. They are littered along the main road that winds its way around Cap Corse and few cost more than 15 euro for the night for a couple with a tent.
There are signs along the roads advertising the different domains - the only choice you face is which one you fancy stopping off at and how much to buy (most don't take cards so you'll need to load up on cash). Each is very different, ranging from the very commercial to the ones where you ring a little bell and someone eventually saunters out and offers you some homegrown olives to go with your taster. An incredible range of wines is produced and every single place will have some unusual speciality to share with you alongside their big earners.
It's all so wonderfully relaxed: plenty of swimming in the remarkably clear sea, a little sunbathing perhaps, lunch from the excellent local market and an afternoon meandering between the domains discovering all of the wonderful wines that the Corsicans are smart enough to keep to themselves. It also makes great economic sense - even buying the wines in a Corsican supermarket will cost you upwards of 40% more than buying direct. Buying them outside Corsica becomes astronomical. At the domains you can expect to pay between 5 and 15 euro a bottle and end up with something really very special to take home with you.
vinsdecorse.com
destination-cap-corse.com
visit-corsica.com
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Abseilling into wine cellars, Reims, France
Posted by elska
We recently returned from a Champagne-tasting weekend booked with Grape Escapes where you abseil into the wine cellars. It was brilliant fun - and a different twist to the usual vineyard tours. We got to learn how to open a champagne bottle with a sword too. Good value and good fun!
grapeescapes.net
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/yapcyla
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Santorini Art Space
Posted by LJSmith
This amazing free art space in Santorini is housed in two wine cellars, a rake distillery and the large caved space of the old winery, carved into the pumice rock.
For sightseeing on a budget, you couldn't do better - check out some contemporary art and sculpture from Greek and foreign artists.
Then when you've worked up a thirst, head over to the modern winery for a tasting. Specialities include the delicious Vino Santo, a sweet dessert wine, and Tsikoudia, a drink made from grape pomace, the solid remains of the grape after pressing.
It's far cheaper than touring vineyards in Tuscany, and you get a dose of edgy art on the side!
Exo Gonia, 84700 Santorini, Greece
Antonis Argyros
www.artspace-santorini.com/
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/ydb4gob
Winning tip
______________________________________________________________
Vineyards in Wairarapa, New Zealand
Posted by Eledhwen
Just a short drive or train ride from New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, is the up-and-coming wine region of the Wairarapa. Pretty, sleepy Martinborough is the main wine town - surrounded by vineyards, and with a deli and wine-tasting centre in the middle. The area is just small enough to walk around, but biking or driving are options too.
The Wairarapa's wineries are small and boutique; they're developing a particular reputation for fantastic Pinot Noir. There are a number of nice winery restaurants (try the Alana Estate) and in March the area is host to wine and food festival Toast Martinborough. At the end of your day's wine-tasting, catch an arthouse film and pizza, washed down with local wine, at the Circus Cinema. Perfect.
Take the train from Wellington or drive north on SH2 and turn off at Featherston.
toastmartinborough.co.nz
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/yagya9y
______________________________________________________________
Okanagan Valley, Canada
Posted by ianhardman
The Okanagan valley is at the centre of a booming Canadian wine industry. Yes, you read that correctly, the Canadian wine industry. Try the family run Mission Hill winery with its gorgeous architecture and even more gorgeous Pinot Grigio. Across the valley there's the fabulous Calona Vineyards, where you can enjoy the Shiraz and the Sauvignon Blanc complemented by paintings from local artists. Or the gob-smacking pyramid-aged icewines of the Summerhill winery. The tours are a great way to laze away an afternoon.
Okanagan valley, near Kelowna, British Columbia
missionhillwinery.com
calonavineyards.ca
summerhill.bc.ca
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/y996fgo
______________________________________________________________
Haro, La Rioja, Spain
Posted by rodwsmith
The heart of one of the greatest and most famous wine regions in Europe, Haro has plenty to offer.
You've heard of the Tomatina festival in Valencia where people throw tomatoes at one another all day? On 29th June each year, Haro stages the Batalla de Vino (wine war) where - you've guessed it - the ammunition is the rather more palatable and amusing-side-effect-laden local red wine. Arrive wearing white. Leave wearing purple.
haro.org/home.htm
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/ya2wxnc
______________________________________________________________
North Corsica wine trail
Posted by lazymaisie
Corsican wine is rarely encountered outside of Corsica, and when you do it's prohibitively expensive. The Corsicans are an insular lot, and tend to only make enough wine to serve local needs - a little is exported to France and an even smaller amount worldwide. Yet Corsica has the most incredible climate, perfect for wine production. So in itself, the opportunity to sample some of the products of the many small domains is interesting.
Add to this the dramatic Corsican landscape, a temperature which rarely dips below 25 degrees before the winter properly kicks in and the miles of unspoiled beaches where your only companions are a few wandering cows (nice brown and white ones with horns, not fellow tourists) and you've got a very pleasant adventure indeed.
Camping makes the whole thing affordable. Many camp sites have their own beaches for a quick dip before bed. They are littered along the main road that winds its way around Cap Corse and few cost more than 15 euro for the night for a couple with a tent.
There are signs along the roads advertising the different domains - the only choice you face is which one you fancy stopping off at and how much to buy (most don't take cards so you'll need to load up on cash). Each is very different, ranging from the very commercial to the ones where you ring a little bell and someone eventually saunters out and offers you some homegrown olives to go with your taster. An incredible range of wines is produced and every single place will have some unusual speciality to share with you alongside their big earners.
It's all so wonderfully relaxed: plenty of swimming in the remarkably clear sea, a little sunbathing perhaps, lunch from the excellent local market and an afternoon meandering between the domains discovering all of the wonderful wines that the Corsicans are smart enough to keep to themselves. It also makes great economic sense - even buying the wines in a Corsican supermarket will cost you upwards of 40% more than buying direct. Buying them outside Corsica becomes astronomical. At the domains you can expect to pay between 5 and 15 euro a bottle and end up with something really very special to take home with you.
vinsdecorse.com
destination-cap-corse.com
visit-corsica.com
______________________________________________________________
Abseilling into wine cellars, Reims, France
Posted by elska
We recently returned from a Champagne-tasting weekend booked with Grape Escapes where you abseil into the wine cellars. It was brilliant fun - and a different twist to the usual vineyard tours. We got to learn how to open a champagne bottle with a sword too. Good value and good fun!
grapeescapes.net
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/yapcyla
______________________________________________________________
Santorini Art Space
Posted by LJSmith
This amazing free art space in Santorini is housed in two wine cellars, a rake distillery and the large caved space of the old winery, carved into the pumice rock.
For sightseeing on a budget, you couldn't do better - check out some contemporary art and sculpture from Greek and foreign artists.
Then when you've worked up a thirst, head over to the modern winery for a tasting. Specialities include the delicious Vino Santo, a sweet dessert wine, and Tsikoudia, a drink made from grape pomace, the solid remains of the grape after pressing.
It's far cheaper than touring vineyards in Tuscany, and you get a dose of edgy art on the side!
Exo Gonia, 84700 Santorini, Greece
Antonis Argyros
www.artspace-santorini.com/
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/ydb4gob