For the Love of Wine
By Lola Méndez
For the Love of Wine
By Lola Méndez
Follow a wine-loving sommelier’s daughter on a journey through lesser-known wine regions that are well worth visiting.
My father was a sommelier so I grew up with an appreciation of wine and a unique curiosity to taste wines from around the world. I dared to go wine tasting in Vietnam which was a less than pleasant experience, but by seeking out lesser-known wine regions across the globe I’ve found incredible wines and gorgeous vineyards. These are the wine regions you may not have heard of, but deserve to be at the top of everyone’s travel wish list.
I’d be amiss not to start this list with my fatherland. Uruguay is an up-and-comer on the global wine scene. In the ocean-side state of Maldonado, maritime wines reign, and some have global recognition. Bodega Garzón was awarded “Best Winery in the New World” from the Wine Star Awards in 2018. The winery is the first outside of North America to have LEED certification and offers tours and tastings.
I’m partial to some of the smaller wineries such as Bodega Eden and my favorite, Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio. Both offer tasting, tours, and incredible views. Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio’s oceanic wines are young and crisp and feature Uruguay’s most popular grapes—Pinot Rosé, Albariño, and Tannat. The winery is unique as it’s also an olive tree grove so demonstrations include the olive oil-making process and tastings feature O’33 extra virgin oils.
I’d be amiss not to start this list with my fatherland. Uruguay is an up-and-comer on the global wine scene. In the ocean-side state of Maldonado, maritime wines reign, and some have global recognition. Bodega Garzón was awarded “Best Winery in the New World” from the Wine Star Awards in 2018. The winery is the first outside of North America to have LEED certification and offers tours and tastings.
I’m partial to some of the smaller wineries such as Bodega Eden and my favorite, Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio. Both offer tasting, tours, and incredible views. Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio’s oceanic wines are young and crisp and feature Uruguay’s most popular grapes—Pinot Rosé, Albariño, and Tannat. The winery is unique as it’s also an olive tree grove so demonstrations include the olive oil-making process and tastings feature O’33 extra virgin oils.
One of the first surprising wine destinations I visited in my eight years of full-time travel was Bulgaria. It’s where I found one of my all-time favorite full-bodied red wines, Melnik 55. Bulgaria’s wine region is in the southwestern area of the country, near the picturesque Melnik village and the border with Greece. The mountainous terrain is home to dozens of wineries and vineyards.
Logodaj Winery produces Melnik 55 which has notes of cherry, spice, and vanilla. Two other must-visit wineries in the area include Villa Melnik with sweeping vineyard views and Orbelus Winery which is shaped like a massive wine barrel.
One of the first surprising wine destinations I visited in my eight years of full-time travel was Bulgaria. It’s where I found one of my all-time favorite full-bodied red wines, Melnik 55. Bulgaria’s wine region is in the southwestern area of the country, near the picturesque Melnik village and the border with Greece. The mountainous terrain is home to dozens of wineries and vineyards.
Logodaj Winery produces Melnik 55 which has notes of cherry, spice, and vanilla. Two other must-visit wineries in the area include Villa Melnik with sweeping vineyard views and Orbelus Winery which is shaped like a massive wine barrel.
Often overshadowed by the world-famous California wines produced in Napa and Sonoma Valley, Oregon has some equally excellent wines to enjoy—especially those grown in the McMinnville Valley. At a similar latitude as Burgundy, France the Oregon wine country has been modeled after its French counterpart, thus Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the most popular wines.
Nicolas-Jay Winery (from Burgundian winemaker Jean-Nicolas Méo and legendary music industry entrepreneur Jay Boberg) was one of my favorite vineyards in the Valley. Nicolas-Jay intentionally makes a small production of fine estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Its gravity flow winery setup allows visitors a chance to see the winemaking process.
Often overshadowed by the world-famous California wines produced in Napa and Sonoma Valley, Oregon has some equally excellent wines to enjoy—especially those grown in the McMinnville Valley. At a similar latitude as Burgundy, France the Oregon wine country has been modeled after its French counterpart, thus Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the most popular wines.
Nicolas-Jay Winery (from Burgundian winemaker Jean-Nicolas Méo and legendary music industry entrepreneur Jay Boberg) was one of my favorite vineyards in the Valley. Nicolas-Jay intentionally makes a small production of fine estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Its gravity flow winery setup allows visitors a chance to see the winemaking process.
In the photogenic valleys of Cappadocia, you’ll find Emir, a crisp dry white wine that’s refreshing and pairs perfectly with Turkish cuisine. Cappadocia appears to be an infertile region for growing produce, but the native Emir white grape grows in the sandy volcanic landscape. The minerals in the soil give the wine a slight salty tinge that compliments the otherwise crisp and floral profile. Enjoy a glass of Emir and traditional lunch at Lil’a Restaurant.
In the photogenic valleys of Cappadocia, you’ll find Emir, a crisp dry white wine that’s refreshing and pairs perfectly with Turkish cuisine. Cappadocia appears to be an infertile region for growing produce, but the native Emir white grape grows in the sandy volcanic landscape. The minerals in the soil give the wine a slight salty tinge that compliments the otherwise crisp and floral profile. Enjoy a glass of Emir and traditional lunch at Lil’a Restaurant.
Slovenia is a tiny European country with a wine history dating back to Celtic tribes in 400 B.C.E. and has the oldest vine in the world which has been producing grapes since the 16th century.
My favorite wine-centric experience in Slovenia was tasting sparkling wines at the Rajhenburg Castle. The basement sparkling wine-tasting room honors the castle’s viticulture history. In the late 1800s Trappist monks lived in the castle and brought sparkling wine to the area. I loved the sparkling wines from Janez Istenič, who was the first private producer of bottle-fermented sparkling wine in Slovenia in 1968.
Slovenia is a tiny European country with a wine history dating back to Celtic tribes in 400 B.C.E. and has the oldest vine in the world which has been producing grapes since the 16th century.
My favorite wine-centric experience in Slovenia was tasting sparkling wines at the Rajhenburg Castle. The basement sparkling wine-tasting room honors the castle’s viticulture history. In the late 1800s Trappist monks lived in the castle and brought sparkling wine to the area. I loved the sparkling wines from Janez Istenič, who was the first private producer of bottle-fermented sparkling wine in Slovenia in 1968.
Want to keep reading?