Wine tourism is important in developing brand awareness for a wine region and its producers’ wines.  It also generates a lot of revenue.  Napa Valley drew about 3.5 million tourists in 2006 who spent a little over $700 million on hotels, restaurants and other leisure- and wine- related activities.  In many wine regions around the world, wineries open up their doors to hospitality including tours and various seminars on blending, wine tasting and food/cheese and wine pairing.  Bordeaux – not so much.  However, this is rapidly changing as Bordeaux competes with the New World.
In …

This photo was taken at a Lyon farmer’s market the day before a week-long tour of the Rhone Valley. It was a bright and sunny Sunday morning and I was full of anticipation for the wine and culinary adventure ahead of me. It was my first visit to Lyon, which I knew to be a bastion of fine dining, and walked the historic section to take in all of the wonderful aromas wafting from the bakeries and bistros getting set-up for the Sunday rush. The farmer’s market whetted my appetite …

If you are not arriving from the North, a good way to start a visit of the Rhone Valley is starting from the South, in Avignon.  It is a quick 3 hour 20 minute train on the TGV from Charles de Gaulle and there are many things to do in this major city, the least of which is visiting the Palace of the Popes.
InterRhone, the Rhone Wine Council, is based in Avignon, so prior to heading out to wine regions, you may want to stop here first.  There are many resources such as maps …

Visiting Porto, Portugal, is a reminder of Portugal’s historic importance as a world trading centre for over two thousand years and its dominance in the 16th century.  The historic district is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  For wine lovers, Porto is the home of the one and only Port wine, with Vila Nova de Gaia across the Douro River being the district where most of the major Port houses cellar and age their wines.  I have stayed at the Grande Hotel in the shopping district (about a mile north from the bridge), but if you are visiting …

Bordeaux is not just a wine region, it is a bustling commercial city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Since receiving UNESCO status in 2007, tourism is up 40%.  If you are travelling from abroad, you may find yourself staying in the town of Bordeaux for one or two days before hiring a car and driving to the major wine areas.  I like to stay in the city center, or centre ville, because there are many things to do within walking distance such as attending wine classes, discovering the rich history of …