What is a wine tour?
A wine tour is an experience to never miss. Besides being educational, it also includes various activities that enhance the inquisitive you. The wine tours include visiting the real vineyards with the opportunity of plucking a few grapes, only if the season permits. Returning from the yard, one heads to the production area to look into the machinery and procedure but from a distance. Then comes the step of wine tasting which most of the visitors wait for. The wine tours can be held privately and also with guidance. The tours can be as short as just an afternoon or may be a few weeks. And the visitors can even tour through their vehicles like many tourists. Napa Valley wine tour also provides similar experience.
A winey adventure in Napa Valley
What to expect?
Wine tours take place in two ways: either you make a plan of your course of travel with the help of experience and internet or you take guidance from a wine tour company or may be register with them. Touring on your own can cost you less because the winery usually doesn’t charge from the visitors; even if they do, it is on the samples they provide. Tour companies may charge a good amount but it might also include various other facilities like special wine tasting and lunches. In Napa Valley wine tour one has both options to choose from.
Few good places for wine tours
The basic step is to select a location. A few good places for wine tours around the world are – Sonoma and Napa valley wine tour of California which are well known for their vineyards. Internationally, France and Italy have popular vineyards like Champagne and Tuscany respectively.
How does wine tasting work?
In the tasting room the host starts introducing the type of wine mentioning about its origin and nature. Then he directs you to concentrate on the smell and taste of it. The smell reveals if the wine is rightly processed or not. The color and shade of the wine also define its quality. One is asked to take a small sip and keep it in the mouth for some time for the taste to rise. Usually, the host starts with the dry white wine and ends with the dry red as the sweeter one is tasted later. It depends on the taster to either swallow it or spit it.
Wine tour etiquettes
• It is advised to show up at a winery with homework done about the place and when the place prefers its tasting and visiting sessions.
• For a large number of people, the winery can be informed beforehand and if possible, they may arrange a separate one.
• It is preferred to not distract other participants while the host is explaining.
• Monopolizing the host to your questions only is not a good sign.
• Unless the hosts permits, one must not touch anything kept there.
5 best Napa valley wine tours
1) Small-Group Wine-Tasting Tour in Napa or Sonoma Wine Country
2) Napa Valley Hot-Air-Balloon Ride with Sparkling Wine Brunch
3) Small-Group Napa and Sonoma Wine Country Tour with Lunch
4) Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley
5) Napa Valley Wine Train with Gourmet Lunch