Top 10 wine regions

By Editorial Staff

updated 2:08 p.m. ET Oct. 14, 2005

The harvest season is here for many of the world’s viticultural centers, tempting visitors to tastings of tried-and-true vintages and more innovative wines. Our favorite wine regions to visit at this time of year range from the classic castle-country of France’s scenic Loire Valley and the sun-kissed vineyards of Tuscany, to the Western US, where America’s marvelous wines emerge from soils stretching from California to Oregon. But we're also keen on lesser-known wine-producing areas, like Canada’s Niagara region, which touts scenic wonders and icewine to boot, and European centers that specialize in sherry and port. Even if you're too late to catch this year's bounty, you can plan ahead for a visit to three top grape-growing destinations in the Southern Hemisphere, whose coveted harvest season will spring forth when our northerly winter ends.

Andalucía
With more vineyard acreage than anywhere in the world, this south-western Spanish province produces an array of fine wines but is most renowned for its dry to sweet amber sherry. Most tours in the region start off in Seville and head to Jerez de Frontera (the sherry capital of the world) where you’ll learn the ins and outs of wine making and how varietals like vinegar and Jerez brandy are produced, and, of course, get to taste some quality selections.

Cape Winelands
The Cape’s striking wine country, just 45 minutes northeast of Cape Town, in South Africa, is the seventh-largest wine-producing region in the world, comprising some 417 square miles of vineyards. In addition to world-class wineries such as the Bergkelder, famous for its subterranean “cellar in the mountain,” you can indulge your palate at world-class restaurants like Bosmans at the Grand Roche Hotel, in Paarl.

California
The largest wine-producing area in the US, wine-tasting tourism in California has exploded in recent years, having been particularly bolstered by the release of the popular film Sideways (2004), which showcased the state's Santa Barbara wineries. The appeal is obvious – small, family-owned, boutique wineries are neatly tucked away in the scenic rolling vineyards – discovered only by curious visitors who come for sampling of their sublimely flavored vintages.

Hunter Valley
As harvest season unfolds in the northern hemisphere, spring is in full swing Down Under – marking the start of a new winemaking season in these spectacular rolling vineyards just two-hours north of Sydney. Thriving with first-rate vintages and over 60 wineries, this South Wales valley offers a fantastic spread of shops and restaurants, many of them overlooking verdant vineyards, to make it one of the most attractive and visited wine regions in Australia.

Loire Valley
Arguably the most beautiful wine region in the world, the famed fertile valley of the sinuous Loire River is a place seeped in a rich history, where regal chateaux meet a long viticultural tradition. While the Loire’s numerous vineyards are most famous for their production of white wine (accounting for 75% of the wine produced here) such as Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadet, and Chenin Blanc, some delightful, fruity and pleasant reds such as Cabernet Franc can be enjoyed here, as well.

Mendoza
In addition to flourishing vineyards nestled in the foothills of the snow-capped Andes (the highest peak on the South American continent), this Argentine region also touts nature reserves, alpine ski resorts, and a picturesque city. Various bodegas offer free tours and tastings all year long, while the annual harvest festival, Vendimia, kicks off in January and brings folkloric celebrations, grape-blessing ceremonies, and plenty of other merry events.

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