So you’re planning a wine holiday. Good on you! Seriously, I already know you’re going to have the best time. Wine holidays are a blast. Between getting out to the country for some fresh air, enjoying local produce and yummy meals, and of course drinking loads of wine, what’s not to love? They are all the ingredients of a perfect holiday in my books!
However, it can be hard if you’ve never been on a wine getaway before to know where to start. What do you need to organise before, where should you go and what should you do while you’re there?
Well, don’t worry, because I’m here to help. I wouldn’t say I’m an expert on travelling to wine regions (I wish I was), but I have organised a lot of trips to different areas over the years. Through all my trip organising I’ve noticed there are a few things you need to consider in order to have a great trip. So I’m hoping these tips might help you when you’re planning your trip!
1. Region
This one might seem a little obvious, but without it, you won’t have a trip! There are a few things to consider when choosing a wine region to visit that might help you choose just one for your next trip. In Australia, we are so lucky to have many beautiful winery regions to choose from, so it can be hard to know where to start. But here are some considerations to help you whittle down your list.
How you’ll get there
The first thing to consider is how far the regions are from you, and more importantly how you’ll get there. If you are lucky enough to have a number of wine regions near you, you will be able to drive without getting on a plane. This is ideal as it is cheaper to travel and also means you’ll have a car to get around in when you get there. It also means you can buy as much wine as you want without having to worry about luggage.
When we went to the Hunter Valley I felt a bit constrained by how much luggage we had. It felt like we had to be careful with how many bottles we bought the whole trip, and we ended up paying for extra luggage because our bag was 30kg! That’s what happens when you buy 16 bottles. But think about it, each bottle is 750ml plus the weight of the glass, so the weight of a few more bottles in your bag really adds up!
How much will it cost to get there?
Next, you need to look at firstly how much it’s going to cost to get there, and then how much it’s going to cost when you’re there. If you need to get on a plane consider how much it will cost to fly there including the baggage (both there and the way back). You’ll find it’s far more expensive to get to some regions than others due to the number of flights in and out, the time of year and how popular it is.
We found this when we were looking at travelling to McLaren Vale at Christmas. It was going to cost over $500 just to get to Adelaide, whereas to get to the Hunter Valley it was a fraction of the cost.
The logistics
Next when planning a wine holiday, you need to consider how easy it is going to be to get around. Make sure you can answer the following questions:
- If I’m flying, how will I get from the airport to the winery region?
- Do I need to hire a car to get around? If so, where can I do this from and how much will it cost?
- Is the wine region quite spread out or compact? Will it take a long time to visit the wineries that I want to visit because they aren’t close to each other?
- What is the main wine area or town? (find this out from either looking at forums or searching for accommodation and wineries and seeking out clusters on the map)
- Are the wineries open on the days that I am there?
- Is there a grocery store that I can get supplies from for any cooking?
These may seem like silly questions, but they do help to choose a wine region. Sometimes if it is going to be really difficult to get to a wine region it makes the journey expensive and means you spend too much time in the car rather than enjoying your holiday!
Before going on a trip I always ensure I know the main town, where to get groceries and check the opening times of the wineries and restaurants in the area. You’ll be amazed by how much it pays off to get a lay of the land before arriving.
And we can’t forget…the wine!
We’re lucky in Australia that the wine regions tend to have a good variety of wines they produce, but it still pays to read up on the types of wine the region is famous for. Understand what sort of wines you should be expecting, whether it’s cool climate wines or warmer climate wines, and look up the star wines of the region. If this research while you’re planning a wine holiday makes you excited to get on the road, you’ve found your region! However, if you hate Chardonnay and the region is famous for Chardonnay, perhaps you need to consider another region. Or at least work out the wineries that offer other varieties.
Working out what wines the region is known for also helps you to plan out your itinerary and hit spots for cellar doors!
2. Time of year
The next thing to consider when planning a wine holiday, after getting a shortlist of areas to visit, is the time of year you are going. Now you might think that this isn’t that relevant, but I’ll give you an example. When we were thinking of going to McLaren Vale in January, I told a friend about our plans. She immediately told me I’d be crazy to go there in January. The temperatures are through the roof, and there are usually bushfires in the region which could close off the road access. Because of this, we decided to go to the Hunter Valley instead (in the middle of a heatwave mind you).
The time of year is mainly down to personal preference. Personally, I love the idea of heading to the countryside in Winter so I can get a cabin with a fireplace and feel all cozy. But others would prefer to go in Summer where it’s a bit warmer and easier to explore without having to rug up. It also depends on the region’s temperatures: somewhere like Stanthorpe is beautiful, but freezing, in winter, so you might prefer to go in Autumn.
Consider the harvest times
The other thing to consider is the harvest times. It can be hard to pick it, but as a general rule, wineries will harvest at the end of Summer. This can change though depending on the type of season they’ve had, so make sure you read up. Visiting a region in harvest time would make for an exciting trip, but keep in mind it will be a really busy time period for the wineries, and some may even close.
The time of harvest also determines how the wineries are going to look, and if you’re in it for the Gram, you may want to go at a time of year when the vines are bursting with grapes. End of Spring and Summer is the time for this. In winter the vines will be dormant and bare, which can also be beautiful. It comes down to how moody you want your shots to be I suppose.
3. Where to stay
The next thing I work out when planning a wine holiday is where to stay, and as a daughter of a town planner, this is something I research to the nth degree before choosing a spot. It is really important that you base yourself in a location that works for the activities you’ll be doing. Otherwise, you’re going to spend a lot of time in the car.
The first thing I do is work out firstly where the main towns of the wine region are, and secondly where most of the wineries are located that I want to visit. This gives you a really good idea of the best area to be in. However, it comes down to personal preference as to whether you’d rather be in the middle of a town (walking distance to restaurants, shops and central), or out in nature (more secluded and peaceful). My biggest advice is to make sure that wherever you are you are well connected to things that you want to do, whether it’s wineries, restaurants, hiking etc.
Location
A couple of things to consider about location:
- Winery tours – if you are thinking of doing a winery tour, make sure that your location is easily accessible for the tours so that they can pick you up and drop you off from your accommodation. No one wants to drive to a pickup point!
- Food – search the nearby area to make sure there are some food options nearby. I’ll chat about this more below
- Navigation – is the accommodation easily found on Google maps? If not, it might be difficult to get to, and if you are catching taxis or going on tours, it could be hard to get picked up
- Other transport options – check and see if there are other transport options near your area such as bikes, buses and taxis. This will make it far easier to get around and mean you’re not relying on your car
What to look for in your accommodation
Once you’ve picked an area when planning a wine holiday, it’s time to search for a place. I usually have the most luck booking through AirBnB as there is the most selection of places, and you end up finding really great spots to stay. Most of the accommodation companies for the area will have a listing on LinkedIn as well, so it acts as a one-stop shop.
Your accommodation checklist
Here’s what to look out for:
- Air-conditioning – If it’s hot, make sure your place has ample air-conditioning. I don’t know what we would have done in the Hunter Valley without it!
- Bed configurations – Pay close attention to how many rooms you get and the types of beds in these. If you’re travelling with a group it’s important to check because someone could end up on the couch if you’re not careful
- Private vs shared – Sometimes a private house may not be so private and could be either on a winery, in a B and B or have a private room off to the side. If you really want privacy, ensure that this isn’t the case
- WiFi – I don’t mind too much about wifi, but some people do. Also, if you are in a secluded spot you may not have phone reception, so wifi may be the only way you’ll contact people
- Breakfast – some places will include breakfast or other goodies like a free bottle of wine. Check for this when you’re booking. There’s something nice about walking into a place and opening the fridge to a hamper of goodies!
- Fireplace – if, like me, you’re after a cozy cabin in the woods in winter, make sure your place has a fireplace for maximum enjoyment
- Check in and check out – make sure that the check in and check out times suit your schedule. If you don’t have a car you need to know for storing your bags!
- Toiletries and Bedding – This might seem like a no-brainer, but make sure your place provides everything you expect it to provide. If it doesn’t provide toiletries you’ll need to pack them, so make sure you check
This is just a bit of a checklist for you, but it comes down to what you prefer!
4. Winery tours
Now onto the best part: the wine! This is always my main focus when planning a wine holiday and the priority of all my wine region trips. I’ll often work out where I’m staying based on how close it is to my hit list of wineries, and this is something you should do too!
You may decide to do a winery tour when you’re there. Personally, I recommend doing one for a few reasons:
- You don’t have to drive so you can taste to your heart’s content
- You usually get to try wineries you wouldn’t normally choose yourself but that will surprise you
- If you have a great tour guide you’ll get to learn all about the area, the interesting facts about the wineries, and some of the secrets of the area. This sure beats listening to tunes between wineries!
- You meet new people and have a fun day drinking wine together – it’s my kind of social activity!
How to choose a wine tour
If you are doing a wine tour, there will usually be a whole heap of options. You need to decide the following to pick a wine tour that suits you:
Guided vs self-guided
A self-guided tour option might be available where there is a bus with set stops or something similar. This is good for those that know exactly which tours they want to visit and also tends to be a bit cheaper. The only thing with this is that you’ll usually have to pay for your tastings. Guided tours usually include these fees, and you are taken to wineries of their choice
Private vs Group tour
There are usually options for private tours or tours in a group. Private tours come with a price tag but are perfect if you know exactly where you want to go and want to do it in style. These can have options for included lunch and tastings, hence their hefty price tag. Group tours can vary in size (see below) but usually mean you have less say about the cellar doors you visit. However, they can be a lot of fun as you meet new people, and they are cheaper than a private tour
Small vs large tour
If you’re doing a group tour, there is usually a variety of sizes of group. As a general rule, the smaller the group the better. Ideally, you want one of less than 10 people or a number that fits on a small bus. This is because tours with a large group will tend to go to large, more commercial wineries, which is fine, but if you want to visit boutique wineries a large group often won’t fit. In a large group, you also may get less of a chance to speak to the winemaker about the wine. In a small group, you tend to get a more personalised experience I’ve found, even though they may have a slightly more expensive price tag
What inclusions you want
Read carefully what is included in the tour. If your aim of the tour is to experience as many cellar doors as possible, make sure the tour goes to at least 4 wineries. Some will only go to 2-3. Also, check the comparison between price and included lunch. Sometimes you can get a cheaper tour if lunch isn’t included and just buy it on the day. However, if you want lunch to make sure it’s included in the tour. The tours will also usually offer visits to other stops like cheese shops and chocolate shops, or even breweries. If these aren’t something you’re interested in, don’t go on the tour
Look out for these things on their website
When planning a wine holiday, sometimes it can be hard to work out the quality of the tour from the website, but use these handy hints to learn what to expect:
- Watch out for wine tastings that aren’t at cellar doors – Sometimes tours will say they go to 5 cellar doors but 3 of those are tastings at a cheese or chocolate shop, or are included as part of lunch. These sometimes aren’t proper winery visits and make it seem you’re getting more than you are
- Check for the type of wineries they go to – Normally they will mention some of the names of the wineries that they visit. These may not be the ones they go to on the day, but they give you a feel for the type of wineries they visit. Have a little look and see if they are ones you want to visit
- Make sure there are enough winery visits for you – if you want a day full of food, then some tours offer a lot of stops that aren’t wine and they’ll be perfect for you. But just check that they have the number of winery visits that suits you, and there isn’t any ‘fat’ that you might do without
- Pick up and drop off options – Check if the tour company will pick up from your accommodation before booking, otherwise you might be stuck having to drive home after the tour.
If you don’t want to do a winery tour, make sure you get a nice big map and mark out the wineries on your hit list. It’s really fun to explore the region by yourself and visit the exact wineries you want to. Just make sure someone is happy to be the designated driver!
5. What you’ll eat
The final thing to work when planning a wine holiday out is food, because what goes better with wine? There are always great restaurants in wine regions, and you’ll have a hard time choosing! However, you might rather eat in depending on your budget and love of food.
Myself, I like to do a mix. It’s often easiest to have breakfast at home, and sometimes you’ll strike gold and your accommodation will give you breakfast supplies. If not, make sure that you are close to or know where your nearest grocery store is before booking your accommodation. Normally you can find a nice produce store with food from the region that makes breakfast that much more special. Then you can have a slow morning and cook up a delicious breakfast before you head out on the road!
Visiting restaurants
I love to go to the restaurants, but I usually find I end up with accommodation that isn’t walking distance from the ones I want to go to. This can make it really hard to go out for dinner, especially if you’ve been drinking wine all day. There aren’t usually many taxis or Ubers in these areas, so someone usually has to bite the bullet and drive. So I have a plan of attack that usually works.
Winery restaurants are good at night, but they are even better at lunch! You get to enjoy the view which is something you can’t see at night. And it’s normally easier to get to these during the day, either on a tour or having someone drive. So I’ll book the restaurants I want to go to for lunch, and then for dinner, we will eat at home. This way, you can have a delicious lunch and then for dinner have something simple and drink more wine! It takes the pressure out of the end of the day but also means you get to experience the great restaurants.
What to do for dinner?
If you’re looking for dinner food, there will usually be produce shops that offer ready-made meals. These are still home cooked and full of local produce, but mean you don’t have to worry about cooking after a long day of tasting wine. It’s the perfect option to pop a pre-made pizza in the oven, or just eat a whole heap of cheese, and enjoy some more wine.
The final word on planning a wine holiday
So there you have my top 5 things to consider when planning a wine holiday. This list isn’t by any means exhaustive, but I hope that some of my experiences help you when you’re planning your trip! By considering some of this stuff while you’re planning, it makes the trip even better when you go. Do all the hard work in the lead-up and enjoy the fruits of your labour when you get there. And all the wine, because that’s the most important part.
Do you have any tips I’ve missed? I’d love to hear them.
