World Wine Tours and Vacations

While the valleys and rolling hills of Cape Town's inner cities provide the ultimate terroir for grape growing and have produced some of the best wines in the world, there are newer wineries and vineyards in South Africa that are being grown in areas never thought possible. These are the coastal areas of South Africa. With sometimes gale force winds and mild temperatures, it was once thought that these areas were not suitable for growing perfect grapes for making top quality wines.

The hard working South African wineries and vintners have proved everyone wrong as the wines emerging from Cape Point (Two Oceans), Elim Valley in Cape Agulhas, and Walker Bay have been winning all kinds of awards both local and international and are taking the viticulture world by storm. These grapes are grown in very harsh conditions and in seemingly unfertile sea sand like soil. However, the white wines that have been produced are of exceptional quality. They have been described as being light and fruity with good texture and a unique flavor that lasts.

The coastal regions start from Elim Valley at Cape Agulhas which is the tip of Africa. Here the vines are fairly old despite only having entered the market recently. Vineyards were originally grown to supply the missionaries here with wines for religious blessing and so forth. It was determined that these could in fact produce distributable wines and soon bottling and labeling began.

Moving further west you will reach the Hemel en Aarde Valley (Heaven and Earth Valley) where the majority of the Walker Bay vineyards are located. Many of these wines are crisp and flavorful with unique textures. There are very few fruity flavors, with stronger spicy, vanilla and earthy tones to them. This area is not only producing great white wines, but also has a good selection of red wines which are interesting and mild. The vineyards are fairly well protected in the valley and receive mild weather with the cold Atlantic Ocean breezes.

Moving westwards again you will come to the False Bay area where the waters are warmer and the beaches full of holidaymakers. The Two Oceans wines come from this area near to Cape Point and are affected by both the Atlantic Ocean breezes as well as the Indian Ocean breezes making for a uniquely flavored wine which is excellent with most meals. They are light and have a great flavor. The Cape Point Vintners are also starting to produce a red wine and have recently seen the first harvest of red grapes which they say looks to be very promising.

When you visit the coastal region of South Africa, be sure to not miss out on the Constantia wine route. The area of Constantia produces award winning wines from their 5 estates. The oldest wine farm in South Africa is located here called Groot Constantia and you can enjoy exquisite accommodation, meals and fun wine tasting. Some may not consider this a coastal wine area, but it is in fact located just over the mountain from Noordhoek being 15 - 20 minutes from the Eastern side and only 10 - 15 minutes from the western side at Muizenberg.

You should also not miss out on the other South African wine routes while you are in Cape Town, especially Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl making up the Winelands, Robertson, Tulbagh, Swartland, Wellington, Worcester and Breede River Valley, making up the Boland and more interior regions. There are also wine farms and lovely vineyards on the banks of the Orange River in Mpumalanga Province, in the Karoo where the semi arid conditions produce awesome Muscadels and recently in the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.

The coastal wine regions should most definitely be included in your tours and will offer you a totally unique outlook and experience of wines and the wine industry. With the subtle flavors and cooler climate you are bound to enjoy these wines with any meal you have. The beauty of the area is also one of the reasons to not miss out on these regions, because you can get so much more out of your tour and take part in so many other activities like hiking, cycling, paint balling, surfing, boating, shark diving, whale watching, swimming, abseiling, mountain biking and climbing, paragliding, hang gliding, scuba diving, snorkeling, and visiting the hundred of attractions along the South African coast. Some of these include the penguins at Boulders Beach, Cape Point and all its glorious features, the town of Hermanus, Cape Agulhas lighthouse and its museums, the beauty of Clarens Drive, and Hangklip.

Whatever areas you decide to visit on your wine tour of South Africa, you will find a large diversity in the wines that you taste, so if you can, get to all of the regions and experience all the varietals.

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New Zealand produces some of the world's most exciting wines, and we're all starting to notice. Now imagine sipping these bold wines as you gaze at New Zealand's deep green hills and stunning coastal scenery. Imagine pairing these tasty wines with flavorsome dishes of lamb and seafood. Why not make these musings a reality with a trip to New Zealand wine country?

But before you pack your bags, there are a few things to consider.

New Zealand is surprisingly large. Wineries stretch from the north to the south, covering a distance of around 1000 miles. New Zealand's size means it's important to decide where you'd like to visit before setting off. You should allow two to three weeks to explore each island, and at least a month to cover the entire country.

Travel agents, specialist wine guides, and tourism websites may help you select your New Zealand wine tour destinations. Marlborough and Hawke's Bay are the most popular regions, but you can avoid the crowds by visiting Nelson, Waikato, or the Bay of Plenty.

Your preferred wines may also help guide your decision. New Zealand's sauvignon blancs have earned worldwide acclaim, and you'll find the best of these in Marlborough. But if you'd rather drink red, the pinot noirs of Central Otago may pique your interest. The Bay of Plenty winemakers are chardonnay specialists, while Auckland is famous for its cabernet sauvignon.

The amount of time available for your trip may also help you decide where to travel. If your time is limited, you'll want to explore areas with a large concentration of wineries.

The New Zealand wine regions of Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington, and Marlborough are easily accessible via the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail. These regions are also large, so there's plenty to see over a relatively small area.

In contrast, regions like Canterbury and Otago are more remote. This deters some tourists, while others prefer to simply stay in these isolated locations without traveling around the country.

When considering the length of your stay it's wise to research the wineries you're interested in visiting. As a rule, you should aim to see no more than five or six wineries on any given day. New Zealand's largest wine regions are home to more than 100 vineyards, so it's easy to spend at least a week exploring these areas. Knowing which wineries interest you will help you plan how long you should stay in these destinations.

Some further research is required to decide when to travel. Many New Zealand wineries and vineyards in isolated areas only open their cellar doors on weekends. Others close theirs completely during the winter months and only receive visitors when it's warm. Some vineyards require a prior appointment before visiting. Most vineyards display this information on their websites, allowing you to plan for your journey before you set off.

If your vacation time is flexible, you may like to visit during a food and wine festival. These fun celebrations showcase each destination's local wines and fresh produce against a backdrop of music and family entertainment. These fairs are typically held in summer and spring in New Zealand wine regions around the country. In fact, some of the largest wine regions hold several of these events each year.

Once you know when and where to go you'll need to decide how to get there. New Zealand's national airline, Air New Zealand, regularly flies from the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Japan, China, Australia, and the South Pacific. Other global carriers also regularly fly to New Zealand. International flights are available to the major cities of Christchurch, Auckland, and Wellington. Connecting domestic flights to airports near the major wine regions can also be arranged.

Shuttle buses and taxis are available at all New Zealand airports to deliver you to your accommodation. If you'd prefer to drive yourself that's easily arranged too with hire car providers located in all major airports.

It's also wise to organize your accommodation before departing for New Zealand. Country houses and luxury resorts in the heart of wine country offer peaceful accommodation in rural surrounds. This is ideal if you're looking for relaxation, but some travelers prefer a little more excitement. If that describes you, you might like to stay in one of the major cities bordering the wine regions. Consider Christchurch near Canterbury or Wellington near Wairarapa for restaurants, nightlife, and tourist attractions.

Getting around is made easy thanks to the popular wine tours. Even if you've hired a car you may want to consider utilizing these coach services to visit the wineries. There's no need to stress about getting lost or drinking too much, so you can just focus on having fun.

And that's really what a vacation to the New Zealand wine country is all about. So pack your bags and prepare for the trip of a lifetime.

For those interested in sampling some of the best wines South Africa has to offer, as well as being the first to try some debuting wines, a wine auction is one of the best ways to do so. Every year the famous Paarl winery of Nederberg hosts the grand event which sees the most established wineries in the country team up with newcomers at the Auction of Rare Cape Wines.

You will be able to taste the different varietals and bid on your favorite. There are over 5500 cases of wine on auction over the 2 day event in September and this is one of the best ways to get some great wine for great prices. Many of the newcomers to the industry are prestigious names in South Africa, like politician and entrepreneur Tokyo Sexwale and merchant banker GT Ferreira.

This is a premier event on the calendar for the South African wine industry and will showcase the most talented wine makers that have passed the strict criteria set out by the 60 expert judges and Master Wine Makers to be at this event. The "Big Five" of this event that have been part of it since its inception are Groot Constantia, Nederberg, Simonsig, Overgaauw and Delheim.

Another great place to find South African wines on auction is online at BidorBuy.co.za. Here you will find wines in the food and beverage category and have the opportunity to bid on vintage estate wines, collector connoisseur wines and other accessories.

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