The Finger Lakes is a stunning wine region in upstate New York that grows many cool climate grapes like Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc to name a few.
Throw on native US grapes, fruit wines, a growing beer scene, and impressive opportunities to get out in nature to hike to gorgeous waterfalls, and the region has something for everyone who may be visiting for a Finger Lakes wine tour!
The Douro Valley of Portugal is one of the most famous wine regions in the world for its stellar fortified wine, views, and proximity to the city of Porto in northern Portugal.
All of these elements come together to make the region a must-see destination for many travelers to the country. We personally have visited the Douro Valley and consider it to be one of, if not our very favorite, wine region we have ever been to (and we don't make that distinction lightly).
That being said, planning a visit to the Douro Valley can be tricky and there are many important things in mind. So in this Douro Valley wine tour guide we thought we'd share key details that will help you visit the Douro Valley and get the most out of your stay!
This article first appeared on our travel blog, Living the Dream.
I am a frequent traveler to the Finger Lakes– in recent years at least.
Part of this is because I now live within a manageable five hour drive, and the other part is that I've developed a love for many of the exceptional vineyards that call the region home (notably Boundary Breaks, Hermann J Wiemer, and Heron Hill to name a few- must visit Finger Lakes wineries in my opinion).
But one problem I've always had when visiting is figuring out where to stay.
The reason for this is because the area known as the Finger Lakes is large. It is so large, in fact, that to drive from the furthest west lake to the furthest east lake in one direction you're looking at a two hour drive time (not to mention bypassing every lake in between). Or if you want to stay in larger cities like Rochester, Syracuse, or Corning (for the Corning Museum of Glass) you're looking at 30-60 minutes of driving before you even begin to see water.
Going even further, if you pick any lake (especially larger ones like Seneca or Cayuga) you will have an hour driving just to go from tip to tip as well- all before stopping at all the vineyards, breweries, and distilleries along the way.
It is because of this that picking a good hotel location is so important when visiting. After my stay at Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel as a guest of the property, I can safely say that I've found my spot for the foreseeable future.
When visiting Tri-Cities, Washington, to go wine tasting, you may struggle with deciding where to stay in Richland, Pasco, or Kennewick.
Do you stay near the wineries themselves (with sparse infrastructure and amenities outside of the vineyards) or do you stay in the heart of one of the cities to be closer to the area restaurants and other non-wine based attractions?
If you want something that is a hybrid of both of the above, we have the answer for you- The Lodge at Columbia Point on the outskirts of Richland!
I was fortunate enough to stay at this one during a media trip during a conference in Tri-Cities and absolutely adored the property through and through.
Whenever we visit wine regions, we often look to see if biking to wineries is an option. Ever since enjoying this activity in Mendoza, Argentina, it has been something we wanted to find more of as it is one of the most enjoyable ways to get out into the vineyards.
In many cases it is not available- many wine regions cover vast distances that often make this mode of transit unfeasible. But when it is we jump on it as hopping on a set of wheels to explore wineries makes for a great outing.
In Red Mountain, Washington, one tour company, the aptly named Red Mountain Trails, offers an organized ride to check out three wineries in the area.
I was fortunate enough to check this one out as part of a conference I was attending and loved the outing from start to finish.
*Note: I was on this tour as part of a hosted media trip for a conference. Our itinerary was reflective of standard tours offered by the Red Mountain Trails but there may have been some minor differences due to our larger group setup.
The Douro Valley is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful wine regions we've ever been to (you could also drop the wine qualifier entirely, it would be just as stunning without the grapes). We had a feeling this was going to be the case even before we arrived, and it only took a few minutes of driving around the area to really affirm that viewpoint.
As such, we consider this wine region a must-visit spot for anyone who is even remotely interested in wine- from a novice who simply likes to have a glass now and again to the most professional sommelier. That being said, when it comes to actually exploring the Douro Valley, well, you may run into issues.
To put it bluntly, driving in the Douro Valley is terrifying, and this is one place where taking a tour may make sense for many, many visitors.
When planning a trip to enjoy Napa Valley wineries or Sonoma wineries, it is very easy to get a bit of planning paralysis.
By some estimates there are well over 400 vineyards in the bay area, with the bulk centered around these two popular regions thanks to their unique terroir that results in delicious wines.
But odds are good you won't be able to make a dent in the 400+ vineyards when you visit. In fact, depending on your trip length you may find it hard to hit more than 10 or so in a couple of days.
So how do you pick where to go on a short visit? In this one we want to break down our thoughts in the big picture of comparing Napa Valley or Sonoma (and give a few of our favorite vineyards in each).
Note: We drove around Napa from North to South, but in Sonoma stuck mostly around the Russian River Valley portion. The below summaries are anecdotal based on our own experiences at about 10 vineyards between the two locations only and may not be true for every vineyard. Please keep this in mind when reading as some points are simply limited generalizations.