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7 TIPS FOR PLANNING THE PERFECT WINE TRIP

Planning a wine trip can feel so romantic, but there are a few things to consider to make sure it’s memorable. Whether you are exploring local wine regions or traveling further abroad, here are our top tips for planning the perfect wine trip.

1. CONSIDER THE TIME OF YEAR

Planning the perfect wine trip means considering the seasons. It may sound obvious, but vineyards are constantly changing. This also means the landscape, the views and winery activities change accordingly.

Are you keen to walk amongst the lush green vines for a stunning insta worthy pic? Then best you visit in the spring or summer months when the vines are full of leaves and fruit.

Or are you planning to cozy up by an open fireplace with a cheese board and a bottle of wine? An autumn or winter trip might best suit you. Keep in mind that as the temperature drops, the vines become bare and dormant.

2. PLAN AHEAD

Visitors to wine country often ask how may wineries to visit in one day. On average, plan to visit 3-4 wineries in one day so you have plenty of time to enjoy the experience, talk to the staff and learn about the wines.

It is recommended that you organize a wine tour ahead of time. This way the staff can ensure you are well looked after, and accommodate your group.

Make sure you enjoy a good breakfast prior to heading out for your wine tasting trip and pack a large bottle of water to keep you hydrated.

To stay safe on the roads, be sure to assign a designated driver or book a local driver or tour bus. Plan to start your wine tasting day in the morning. It can seem strange tasting wine straight after breakfast, but this way you will be ahead of the afternoon crowds.

3. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE

The charm of visiting wine country is to get up close and personal with the winemakers, hear their stories, feel their passion and ask them questions. Wineries and cellar doors all pride themselves on being unique, and love to educate visitors on what makes their wine special.

Cellar doors tend to offer a range of different tasting experiences, from the public to private tastings and vineyard tours. Be sure to check out the restaurant if they have one onsite. It’s common for the head chef to create a seasonal menu with locally sourced produce, matched perfectly with the wine.

4. TRY NEW THINGS

Most wine regions specialize in 1 or 2 grape varieties. However skillful winemakers can turn the same grapes into different styles of wine.

Just because you’ve tried Chardonnay in the past and not enjoyed it, doesn’t mean you won’t like Chardonnay in the future.

Be open-minded and try different styles of wine. Talk to the cellar door staff about your preferences and dislikes. Often they will be able to suggest new wine styles for you to try – you might just be surprised.

5. EXPLORE THE REGION

Every wine region is unique in its own way. Variations climate, topography, soil conditions and aspect will all affect the vineyard and its fruit.

Is it a warm climate with cool sea breezes? Is it a continental climate with vineyards close to a river? All these variations will have an impact on the type of grapes grown and the end product in your glass.

By exploring and learning about the region, you’ll gain insight into what makes the wine special. Take note too of the food culture, as it’s said that ‘what grows together goes together’.

6. TALK TO THE LOCALS

While it’s important to do your research and plan ahead, it certainly pays to speak to the locals when you arrive.

Online reviews may be out of date, or the venue may have changed ownership. Chat to the winery or accommodation staff about where the best pub or local lunch hangout is. Can they suggest any secret picnic spots? Local knowledge is always valuable.

7. TAKE WINE HOME WITH YOU

Many cellar doors will charge for tastings, but refund the fee if you purchase wine on your visit. This a great deal and is a win-win for both. The beauty of buying wine at the cellar door is that you can often pick up wine that is not available elsewhere. Plus it’s a memento from your trip.

If you are buying wine that is drinkable now, but will age, try buying a minimum of three bottles – one to drink now, one to age for five years and one to age for longer.

Depending on how many bottles you buy, you may wish to ask the winery to ship the wine back home for you. Alternatively, you can send your wine back home DIY with  Australia Post.

For more blogs like this, please visit winetravellr.com

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International Rose Day | Wine Travellr

More than just pretty in pink, this versatile wine is rapidly growing in popularity and worthy of recognition on International Rosé Day  – fourth Friday in June. For more info like this, please visit winetravellr.com

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National Drink Wine Day- Wine Travellr

After the festivities of the previous year have long gone, it’s time to pop the cork on new vintage and kick start the year with National Drink Wine Day – February 18

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3 BEST WINE APPS FOR ALL WINE LOVERS: 2020

Does the thought of picking a good bottle of wine off the shelf send you into cold sweats? You’re not alone. The world of wine is super confusing!

Thankfully there are a number of awesome apps available to ease the anxiety. To get you started, here are the 3 best wine apps for 2020 to help you:

Pick the right wines

Get to know your wine

Pair with food

1. PICK THE RIGHT WINES

VIVINO: BUY THE RIGHT WINE

HOW IT WORKS

Free Available on IOS and Android.

Scan – No idea where to start in your search for a good drop? Take a photo of any wine label or restaurant wine list or search by wine

Learn: Go from zero to hero instantly and get detailed information about the wine and all available purchasing options

Review: You are never alone – check out the community ratings, reviews, average price, food pairings and more provided on every wine

Buy: Can’t get to the bottle shop? Vivino has you covered with in-app wine purchasing available

Rate: Feeling confident about your wines? Join in the community and add your own ratings, reviews, and recommendations

Track: What was that amazing red you had from Margaret River last month? Never lose track of your wines with personal ratings, notes and date consumed

Store: Keen to get serious and cellar wines? Go you! Keep track of your cellar so you always know what wine you have on hand in your collection

2. GET TO KNOW YOUR WINE

DECANTER KNOW YOUR WINE

HOW IT WORKS

Free – offers in-app purchases Available on IOS

Decanter Know Your Wine is a great tool for growing your wine knowledge.

The clever guys at Decanter understand that not everyone wants to be a Sommelier. So they designed a microlearning app that delivers learning in highly efficient short lessons. It asks you questions and uses Artificial Intelligence to learn from your answers so that you learn the content you’re struggling with and don’t keep repeating the stuff you know.

3. PAIR WITH FOOD

POCKET WINE PAIRING

HOW IT WORKS

Free – offers in-app purchases Available on IOS

There’s nothing worse than cracking a delicious bottle of wine, only to realize it doesn’t go with the amazing meal you’ve just prepared.

Get the “Do’s & Don’ts” on food and wine pairing, along with a detailed index of hundreds of meal types, showing you the best matches for different wine styles, grape varieties, and blends.

Once you’ve nailed a few great pairings, add them to the “My Wines” section, where you can add photos and details of wines you like, as well as adding them to your cellar.

HAVE YOU TRIED THESE WINE APPS?

Do you find them useful? What do you consider your best wine apps? We’d love to hear from you.

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Best Margaret River Restaurants You Must Try

The Yarra Valley is a stunning location for a romantic weekend away. The region is bountiful in gourmet foods and award-winning wines. Check out our list today at winetravellr.com.

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Best Margaret River Restaurants You Must Try

We’ve found the best Margaret River restaurants you’ll want to visit over and over. The Margaret River region is a foodies dream with a stunning climate and remote location.

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Best Yarra Valley Wineries & Cellar Door

Your essential guide to the Best Yarra Valley Wineries & Cellar Doors in Australia. Discover the best wineries, cellar doors, restaurants and things to do.

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5 Best Yarra Valley Wineries & Cellar Doors

Discover the 5 Best Yarra Valley wineries, cellar doors, accommodation, restaurants and things to do. With 160 wineries in the Yarra Valley, there is something for everyone.

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Best Margaret River Restaurants

We’ve found the best Margaret River restaurants you’ll want to visit over and over. The Margaret River region is a foodies dream with a stunning climate and remote location.

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Top Things To Do In Hunter Valley

Experience the best the Hunter Valley has to offer, from sunrise to sunset and you’ll be captivated by the wine capital of Victoria. Check out the list of things to do.