5 Last-Minute Wine Escapes (And A Deal To Go With Them)
So, summer’s basically over. Good while it lasted, right? Well, if you’re not quite ready to swap sun for September, Europe’s wine regions are entering their harvest season, and, frankly, there’s no better time to visit. Get in quick and you’ll even catch the last of the summer warmth. Just to sweeten the deal, we’re also offering £50 off on the destinations that we think are really, really worth visiting in the next few days if you book by the 10th of September. And feel free to just spend that spare £50 on more wine. We won’t judge.
Porto for £324
The Port-exporting port town of Porto in Portugal; it’s the beating heart of the Douro Valley, arguably the country’s very finest wine-producing region. The Porto Wine Experience involves you, the vibrant hustle and bustle of Porto itself, the majestic countryside of the Douro, and a hell of a lot of wine in-between. Travel up through Vila Nova de Gaia, learn about the production of the region’s wines (including that famous eponymous one), explore the stunning scenery of the Douro Valley’s vineyards, visit a host of local wineries and cellars, and explore the streets of the region’s largest city. All that, for £324. Bargain.
Barcelona for £309
Or, if you’re a bit more of a Hispanophile (it’s a word), why not try Barcelona? Spain’s most colourful city – and one of the most aesthetically peculiar cities on the planet – has something for everyone: you could check out some of the local nightlife, relax on the beach, try a bit of tapas or, of course, visit a few wineries and drink a whole load of wine. On this tour, you can do all of those things – it’s the ultimate end-of-Summer blow-out. And now’s a great time to visit – we reckon they’re going to finish the Sagrada Família any day now.
Languedoc-Roussillon for £229
Going to Languedoc is a little bit like going back in time, hopping into a fairy tale and diving into a lake of wine all at once. That last one isn’t even just fancy imagery, either – the region makes so much of the stuff that it’s actually the prime contributor to Europe’s wine lake surplus. Still, no complaints here. Languedoc is fairly on the rustic side, so we recommend taking this one if you’ve had a bit of a mad summer and you just need some peace and quiet to remedy it all. Perhaps you’ve just come back from Barcelona or something. Anyway, the Languedoc Wine Experience has you covered – three days of magical, wine-stained, rustic bliss, for less than half the price of an iPhone.
Rioja for £534
Okay, we’re back to Spain now. If Barcelona is where you want to be going for a bit of cultured chaos with some wine on the side, then Rioja is where you want to be going for wine, wine, wine and more wine. On this trip, you’ll drive your way through the rolling countryside in the shadow of the Cantabrian Mountains, visit no less than four of the region’s very best wineries and vineyards, and visit the classically Spanish and utterly splendid city of Logroño.
Bordeaux for £246
Ah, Bordeaux. It’s, well, you know – it’s Bordeaux, isn’t it? Like we said before, harvest season is coming up, so if you really want the most in-depth experience with the most famous wines at the absolute best time of year for it, go for the Bordeaux Wine Experience. Three days of wining and dining along the world-famous Route des Châteaux, visiting some of the most renowned estates (and tasting some of the best wines) in the world. Summer is a pretty fantastic time for wine-lovers, but the end of summer is when Bordeaux shines. Don’t miss it.
Interested? Call us on +44 (0)20 8877 4940 or e-mail one of our team at sales@smoothred.co.uk to find out more.
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