We've been inspiring readers with our wine travel ideas in print for nearly 50 years, and on decanter.com since it was launched 20+ years ago. So whether you're looking for last-minute inspiration, planning the trip of a lifetime or just dreaming, Decanter is here to help.
We ranked every travel feature on decanter.com according to popularity over the past year (the previous couple of years were rather atypical, for obvious reasons). For the sake of simplicity we've stuck to regional guides, rather than include city, restaurant and wine bar guides.
So here are the 50 best wine trip ideas, as ranked by you, our readers. We've picked an excerpt from each to give you a flavour, but you'll find the complete versions of all these articles on our specially created hub page: decanter.com/top-50-travel-2023
So keep your finger poised over your travel agent's book now' button, and enjoy our reader-curated choices.
50 The wineries of Kent
'Southeasternmost county Kent is often described as the Garden of England. Stretching from the Thames estuary to the English Channel, you'll find a verdant landscape of rolling hills, blossom-filled orchards and white-cowled oast houses. It gets more sunshine and higher temperatures than most of the UK, which explains why it's famous for fruit. In places, you would be forgiven for thinking you were in France's Champagne region - you don't have to divert far to find patches of vines shimmering in the breeze on southfacing chalky slopes. Output is growing, with warm summers spelling bumper crops, and demand high. Little wonder Kent winemakers - namely Biddenden, Chapel Down, Domaine Evremond, Gusbourne, Hush Heath, Simpsons, Squerryes and Westwell - have redubbed this the Wine Garden of England (winegardenofengland.co.uk).
Fiona Sims
49 Lambrusco landscapes
This story is from the August 2023 edition of Decanter.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2023 edition of Decanter.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Wine lover's guide to ALSACE
Pretty postcard villages, delicious food, fascinating history and, of course, excellent wines - this beautiful northeastern corner of France has everything a wine lover could ask for
José Pizarro does Christmas Spanish style
In a Decanter exclusive, the celebrated chef offers up an alternative menu for the seasonal celebration
Perfect whiskies for wine lovers at Christmas
What better gift could there be for a wine and whisky lover than a whisky matured in barrels previously used for wine? Our selection of 12 great bottles shows just why it can be a match made in heaven
WHITE CHATEAU
Hitherto a bit-part player, the white wines of this celebrated southern Rhône region are well placed to find themselves increasingly in the spotlight, as a result of the changing climate conditions. Our Rhône expert recommends 20 of his favourite examples to seek out
Chablis 2023
Variable weather made it challenging at times, but a late hot spell came to the rescue, resulting in plenty of good wines for drinking and for keeping. Having tasted almost 400 Chablis 2023 wines, our expert selects 30 of his favourites, along with five from top producers in neighbouring crus
Looking BACK, looking AHEAD
As 2024 draws to a close, we asked eight of our regular contributors to nominate their most memorable wine experiences of the year and to reveal what they're anticipating most in their plans for 2025
25 TOP SYRAH/SHIRAZ REDS
Two names, a multitude of personalities. For almost two centuries, Syrah has been woven into the fabric of the southern hemisphere's wine world. Today, it makes some of the most exciting and terroir-expressive wines to be found south of equator, with a growing shift towards single-site bottlings
A Resource for the World? - Argentina is unique in the genetic diversity preserved in much of its vine material. With climate change and disease posing increasing threats worldwide, Catena Zapata winery is asking what lessons can be learned to protect vineyards within and beyond the nation's borders
Argentina is unique in the genetic diversity preserved in much of its vine material. With climate change and disease posing increasing threats worldwide, Catena Zapata winery is asking what lessons can be learned to protect vineyards within and beyond the nation’s borders
Great Cabernets of South America
Other varieties may hog the limelight across South America, but the world’s most popular grape for red wines has played a critical role in the continent's wine heritage. We trace Cabernet Sauvignon’s story here, and recommend 16 benchmark wines to try
PROVENCE by train and bike
With rail links to Paris, Nice, Marseilles and beyond, a vast network of cycle paths and quiet roads, and a plethora of historic wine estates, Provence is an ideal destination for an eco-friendly, car-free and carefree) holiday
