Epic Road Trips Driven by a Love for Wine
A road trip is one of the best ways to experience and explore a new location. To get off the beaten track, and feel the thrill and freedom of the open road. You can set your own agenda, stop at will to capture the perfect picture or visit something that catches your eye. But is it a good idea to combine a wine tour with a road trip?
Here at SmoothRed, we have the perfect solution. We’ve put together a selection of self-drive and chauffeur-driven road trips around some of the top wine-producing regions of the world. You have the freedom to explore at leisure, alongside wine tasting days where we provide dedicated drivers and expert guides. So grab your spirit of adventure, buckle up, and be inspired to hit the open road with these epic wine road trips.
California Dreaming
Does it get any more epic that this? Driving the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to San Diego is the quintessential Californian journey and one of America’s most iconic road trips. This winding coastal route follows Highway 1 and Highway 101, hugging the west coast and providing panoramic vistas from the rugged shores of Northern California to the golden beaches of the south.
Our luxury Californian experience comes with private chauffeur, so you can sit back and soak up the magnificent views. Most importantly, it means there’s no need to find a designated driver as you sip your way through the Golden State, home to some of America’s most famous vintages.
This mouth-watering journey includes full-day tours of four wine regions – Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, and the boutique wineries of San Diego. Along the way you’ll explore the charming towns of Healdsburg and Carmel-By-The-Sea, the buzzing cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, and the legendary beach towns of Malibu, Santa Monica and Santa Barbara. Naturally, you’ll also indulge in some of the finest Californian cuisine, from homely farm-to-table meals to beachside seafood feasts.
The South of France by Porsche
In a Porsche, every drive is special. So traversing the medieval castles and rustic towns of the Languedoc-Roussillon before winding along the picturesque coastal roads of the French Riviera in a Porsche 911 makes for a truly extraordinary journey.
Bursting with sublime landscapes, cultural gems, culinary delights and world-class wines, Carcassonne to Cannes by Porsche is a dream experience for epicureans and lovers of luxurious, sports cars. You’ll experience two very different sides of the South of France – the history and culture of Carcassonne and Avignon, and the glitz and glamour of Cannes – while enjoying life to the fullest behind the wheel of a Porsche.
The trip includes two full days’ wine tasting – one in Languedoc-Roussillon, the other in Provence and the Rhône – with a private guide and chauffeur. There’ll be plenty of time to explore the cities of Carcassonne, Avignon and Cannes, and of course we’ve lined up some delicious meals, including lunch with wine pairings in the Rhône Valley, and a special trip to the island of Saint Honorat off Cannes for a three-course lunch at the monastery with wine and liqueurs, produced here since the Middle Ages.
The Ultimate French Wine Road Trip
From the sultry South of France to four of the country’s most famous wine regions, our final inspirational wine road trip combines tastings in Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. This self-drive sojourn can be completed in your own vehicle or we can help you to arrange something special, and each of the tasting days comes with an expert private guide and chauffeur, so you can relax and concentrate on your wine experience.
This epic gourmet adventure is a celebration of French food, wine and culture. You’ll stay in a combination of chateaux, boutique and luxury spa hotels, while sampling some of the finest food and drink in France. Each tasting day is complemented by a memorable meal, from a champenoise picnic to a five-course lunch with wine pairings, and even a Michelin star or two.
In between tastings, you can explore the elegant city of Bordeaux, the world’s largest urban World Heritage Site, wander round medieval French towns, whizz around the magnificent French countryside, or simply indulge in a little R&R.
All our wine road trips and self-drive holidays can be arranged to suit your taste. To book your bespoke wine adventure, contact sales@smoothred.com or call +44 208 877 4940 for more information.
