The wine list is my new take on a bucket list, but for wine destinations. A list of places that I’ve dog-eared in Travel + Leisure or fantasized about while drinking a wine from the region. The perfect way to pass the time until we can travel around the world again. Experiment with new regions, buy travel magazines and taste exciting wines while you daydream about the airbnb’s you’ll stay in! If you’re like me, travel is on your mind. The moment international travel is safe and supported, I’ll be booking my flight. My current wine list includes three high altitude and mountainous destinations with such incredible wines you may never want to come home.
1. Trentino, Italy
Trentino-Alto Adige Region
The Italian Alps, yes please. Italy is an obvious choice, I know. But throughout the last six months I’ve caught myself daydreaming about drinking wine throughout Northern Italy from dawn to dusk. Instead, I’m drinking it on my balcony in Central Los Angeles. Quite a different experience but good wine all the same. My favorite part about the wine drinking experience is taking a sip and allowing your senses to travel to the region. Exploring the world through aroma and flavor.
Trentino is in Northern Italy, along the Southern edge of the Trentino-Alto Adige wine region. While Trentino is an Italian speaking province, Alto Adige is largely German speaking. Vineyards are high altitude and alpine terrain receiving ample sunshine and a powerful breeze, producing wines with Italian charm and incredible structure.
A Taste of Trentino
Cantina Furlani ‘Alpino’ – Sparkling Vernaccia, Lagarino Bianco, Nosiola, Verderbara
Available at Melody Wine Bar in Silverlake via Toast Tab for takeaway. The 2018 vintage seems to be sold out most other places.
Foradori ‘Manzoni Bianco‘ – Manzoni Bianco is a clone crossing Riesling and Pinot Blanc
Available at Eataly in Century City
2. Cafayate, Argentina
Along the Salta Wine Route
I recently discovered Cafayate in the August 2020 issue of Travel + Leisure in the travel piece “In Search of High Culture” written by Karen Catchpole. Not only is she an incredible writer, but she has me mesmerized with Argentina. She travels along the Salta Wine Route during her four-day road trip through the mountainous region of northwest Argentina. This wine region is high up in the mountains growing grapes at high altitudes with terrain that looks out of this world. Wines produced in the valleys surrounding Cafayate are a pandora’s box of bright fruit and gorgeous flavor profiles. The quote from the print article that brought this destination to top of my wine list? “I savored its velvety finish as the late afternoon sun dappled through the vines.” Now that, is the way I would like all of my evenings to end.
A great resource for wine tasting your way through Cafayate can be found here. Cafayate was also featured as one of the Best Wine Destinations of 2017 in Wine Enthusiast.
A Taste of Cafayate
Piattelli ‘Malbec Grand Reserve’
Available at Total Wine
I am also trying to get my hands on a bottle of Dos Minas wine from Cafayate. Help!
3. Arbois, France
Jura Mountains
Alright, so I’ve been to Arbois before. It was the summer of 2016 and I had an instant love affair with Poulsard. It’s a red wine with striking dried meat, soft berry and very subtle tannins. I loved the savory complexities of this wine. Arbois is back on my wine list of destinations because the wines are down right outstanding from this mountainous region in Eastern France. It’s hillside villages and flourishing vegetation gives visitors a warm welcome, while the entire wine route through the mountains feels like a fairytale from start to finish.
The Jura is making a name for itself among wine lovers around the world. More information on the region, terroir and varietals can be found in this article from The Wine Society.
A Taste of Arbois
Les Matheny Arbois Poulsard – YES! Poulsard has my heart.
Available at Domaine LA on Melrose
Since I’ve been home more than ever before, I’ve been spending most of my fun money online. Redoing the dining room, buying too much wine on Drizly or showering my new puppy with enough bones to last him his entire life. As shopping has become almost predominately online, why not spend your money with a purpose? Believe it or not, it might actually be a good time to consider getting a travel credit card (depending on your current financial situation). I’ve been wanting to apply for a travel credit card for the last year or so because I will always spend the money, but might as well spend it while also receiving points and miles? I fly Delta and no foreign transactions fees are important to me, but some people have other priorities!
Interested in also applying for a travel credit card? Find out the Best Travel Credit Cards for 2020 by comparing sign up bonuses, annual fees and more in this article on Money. A great resource for financial information for the wanderers who also want to make sure they are saving smart and keeping good credit. Cheers to that!
Wander for Wine 