Wine is a longstanding part of human culture. (One of my favorite parts, in fact.)
In 2022, research on global wine sales found that humans drank around 221 million hectoliters that year alone. In case you’re a little unfamiliar with hectoliters, each contains around 264 gallons.
And that figure represents 2022 alone.
That’s a lot of pinot, riesling, and chardonnay—especially when you throw in the fact that global wine drinking seems to be going down.
For millennia, wine has been the alcoholic drink of choice for humankind. You might imagine the Ancient Greeks sipping on wine and gnawing on bunches of grapes, but archaeologists believe the first bottles were aged back in Armenia around 4,600 BC.
But modern global wine capitals haven’t drifted far from this location. In fact, the most prestigious are found in Europe, including hot spots like France and Italy. But these two wine-centric countries are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to wine capitals of Europe.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the best cities in Europe to sample wines, along with their top-rated wine-tasting tours.
Bordeaux, France
Bordeaux is one of France’s most productive wine regions thanks to its flat, stretching fields with nutrient-rich soil and its temperate climate. Locals have been fermenting grapes in picturesque chateaus in and around Bordeaux for well over a thousand years.
This pastime stemmed from ideal growing conditions and particularly flavorful grape varieties. Its growing fields cover some 300,000 acres, which are managed by thousands of different wine growers, fermenters, and purveyors. Many have been around for centuries and passed down intergenerationally.
If you’re going to Bordeaux, drink plenty of cabernet sauvignon and merlot. I suggest looking into these tours:
Florence, Italy
Wine in Tuscany is a surprisingly political affair—one that made headlines in the 1970s when a new ‘Super Tuscan’ variety emerged. (Netflix docuseries, anyone?)
If you’ve traveled to Tuscan hotspots like Florence or Prato, then you’ve likely sampled some truly delectable varieties like Chianti and Brunello de Montalcino. But don’t be afraid to try Super Tuscan wines, which are a bit of a modern marvel in the wine world.
Similar to Bordeaux, wine has been an ingrained part of the local identity and economy for centuries. If you want to take a closer look, I suggest booking a tour from Florence, including one of these top-rated offers:
Sofia, Bulgaria
Bulgarian wines are enjoying a heyday at the moment. And while that may surprise you, Bulgaria’s proximity to Armenia means that the arts of fermenting reached this country around 4000 BC—centuries before it took off in France or Italy.
Most wineries are located around the Black Sea, which accounts for 30% of all grape growth in the country. The Black Sea produces sweeter grapes that are ideal for white wine.
That means that you can feast on sweeter varieties like Riesling, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, and Dimyat. As a white wine fan, sampling wine in a city like Sofia is high on my bucket list.
Unfortunately, wine tours aren’t quite a hit in Bulgaria yet. However, I recommend trying a wine tasting from the capital of Sofia. Try these:
Day tour to Plovdiv with wine tasting (Plovdiv is renowned for its wines—so try to sample some if you head on this tour!)
Vienna, Austria
Did someone say white wine? If you’re a fan of sweet treats and delectable wines, then you’ve probably had Vienna on your bucket list for years. This beautiful city is home to some of the tastiest desserts in the world—and, unsurprisingly, some of the best dessert wines, too.
In general, Austrian wines are known to pair well with a variety of foods. Most are white and light, contrasting with the heavier foods preferred in Vienna. It’s most famous wines are Riesling, grüner Veltliner, and zierfandler.
Here are some tours that I’ve had bookmarked for a while:
Santorini, Greece
Around the same time ancient Bulgarians were fermenting their first grapes, Greek farmers were starting to do attempt the same. But the climate in Greece is by far the driest mentioned here, which means its grape varieties are distinct from Europe’s other capitals.
Santorini, in particular, is known for producing excellent grape varieties that yield robust red wines and crisp white wines. If you like white wines, sample Assyrtiko and Malagousia. If you’re more about reds, then go for the Xinomavro and Agiorgitiko.
And while you’re there, consider heading on a wine tour or visiting a winery. Here are some of the top-rated options from the island: