Planning a day in wine country? The first fork in the road is whether to map it yourself or let someone else do the driving. Here is how to choose — plus our region-by-region guides for going it alone. KWWritten & edited by Ken Wytsma, Wine History ToursWillamette Valley wine-tour
Forget the big Grenache blends of the south. The Northern Rhône is a narrow ribbon of steep granite where a single grape — Syrah — makes some of France’s most profound reds. KWWritten & edited by Ken Wytsma, Wine History ToursWillamette Valley wine-tour hosts The Northern Rhône, in southeastern France,
America’s great cool-climate Riesling comes from an unlikely place: a set of deep glacial lakes in upstate New York, whose stored warmth makes the whole region possible. KWWritten & edited by Ken Wytsma, Wine History ToursCool-climate wine-tour hosts, Oregon The Finger Lakes, in upstate New York, are one of North
At the foot of the Alps, autumn fog rolls over hills that make some of the world’s longest-lived reds — and some of its most joyful everyday ones. Piedmont rewards the patient explorer. KWWritten & edited by Ken Wytsma, Wine History ToursWine & history tour hosts Piedmont (“Piemonte,” the foot
Sprawling, sunny, and refreshingly unpretentious, Paso Robles is California’s big-red playground — a huge, varied region where the trick is knowing which side of the highway to explore. KWWritten & edited by Ken Wytsma, Wine History ToursWillamette Valley wine-tour hosts Paso Robles, on California’s Central Coast between San Francisco and
Cool, foggy, and quietly grand, the Russian River Valley is Sonoma’s Pinot and Chardonnay heartland — a rural, low-key region made for a relaxed self-guided day. KWWritten & edited by Ken Wytsma, Wine History ToursWillamette Valley wine-tour hosts The Russian River Valley, in Sonoma County north of San Francisco, is
The most famous red-wine region on earth is best understood as two halves — and knowing which bank you’re on is the single most useful thing for planning a visit. KWWritten & edited by Ken Wytsma, Wine History ToursWillamette Valley wine-tour hosts Bordeaux, in southwest France, is the world’s most
Two grapes, a thousand tiny vineyards, and centuries of monks obsessing over which slope makes the best wine — Burgundy is the spiritual home of Pinot Noir, and worth every bit of the puzzle. KWWritten & edited by Ken Wytsma, Wine History ToursPinot Noir tour hosts, Oregon Burgundy, in eastern
At the bottom of the world, ringed by mountains and glacial lakes, the planet’s southernmost vineyards make Pinot Noir of extraordinary intensity — in some of the most dramatic scenery in all of wine. KWWritten & edited by Ken Wytsma, Wine History ToursPinot Noir tour hosts, Oregon Central Otago, on
Cypress-lined roads, hilltop villages, and Sangiovese in every glass — the Chianti hills between Florence and Siena are the postcard image of Tuscany, and a joy to explore at your own pace. KWWritten & edited by Ken Wytsma, Wine History ToursWine & history tour hosts Chianti is the rolling heart
