Five enticing wine regions in Europe

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The old world might have its faults, but producing bad wine is not one of them. With a geography as diverse as Europe, it’s no surprise that there are some amazingly beautiful wine regions there, and not only are they are sight for sore eyes, but they also produce some delicious wine.

The best thing about wine tasting is that you don’t have to be a sommelier to enjoy it. So if you want a holiday that will delight your eyes and your taste buds at the same time, maybe you should consider planning a tour of some vineyards in these lovely European wine regions.

La Mancha, Spain

La Mancha, south of Madrid, is the exact same La Mancha were Don Quixote comes from. This arid plateau doesn’t seem like the best setting for agriculture of any kind, but surprisingly enough, it produces great wine, and great cheese. If you are interested in La Mancha’s wine culture, you should check out Tomelloso, Socuallamos, Valdepanas and Manzanares, small, charming Spanish cities, but it’s in Villarobledo that you will be in for a treat: this city has the world’s largest area covered by vineyards, close to 30,000 hectares. So grab a glass of Sol de Agosto and a slice of manchego, and enjoy!

Savoie, France

Savoy is simply one of the most beautiful regions of France, and it has been a tourist magnet since the 19th century. Although there are some great ski resorts in Savoy, the region is at its best in summer. The whole Savoy region, shared between France and Italy, is an important wine producer, and 23 of the 250 vines used in France can be encountered in Haute-Savoie and Savoie.

From wine to cheese and lifestyle, everything here is typiquement savoyard, as the locals say. And while you’re sipping a refreshing glass of Savoy wine, don’t miss the fondue savoyarde, a heavenly mixture of delicious Savoie cheeses.

Mosel, Germany

Mosel is one of Germany’s most ridiculously beautiful wine regions, and on top of it being a great place to spend your holiday, it also produces delicious wine. More than half of all Mosel wines are made of Riesling grape, the most prestigious grape of the region.

The valley of the Mosel river is peppered with some charming towns and attractions, especially Trier, the oldest town in Germany, with its wonderful Roman ruins, and the idyllic Bernkastel-Kues with its medieval buildings and its legendary local wine, the Bernkasteler Doctor.

Santorini, Greece

This island in the Aegean Sea is know for many things, among which its small but prosperous wine region. Santorini is the archetypal Greek paradise: pebbled beaches, a white town perched on a cliff, small villages, archeological sites and an active volcano.

The wine of Santorini is famous for its strong, citrus-y smell and frankincense-like aroma. It is extremely difficult to grow vines in Santorini because despite its beauty, the island is rather inhospitable. Also, on Santorini you can eat some of the best fava in Greece, and taste the unusual, sweet white eggplants.

Sardinia, Italy

While Tuscany wines are perhaps the most famous of all Italian wines, many other regions produce exceptional wines as well. Ogliastra, a southern province of the island, for example, is famous for its wines and also for its mountainous, rocky landscapes.

Sardinia prides itself in its beautiful, though sometimes wild beaches as well. Cannonau, the most popular vine on the island, produces a strong red wine that goes perfectly with a traditional Sardinian dish of roast suckling pig.

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