Vivacity

A wine-wine situation

Pioneer

A recent survey reveals a growing interest among Indian travellers in taking brewery and winery tours across the world

We love getting high and tripped. And it’s even proved many a times. Once again there is a survey that suggests that more Indian travellers are interested for a wine and brewery tour. According to a recent food and travel survey conducted by TripAdvisor, 33 per cent respondents said that “they have attended a wine/whiskey tour while on a holiday.” Among those who hadn’t, almost 50 per cent expressed their interest in attending one if given a chance, indicating a latent opportunity for wine and dine tourism within India as well. The 2012 survey indicates an interest among a certain segment of Indian travellers for brewery/distillery and wine tours.

In fact, there’s nothing as pleasant as travelling to an actual brewery or winery that produces the boozy goodness and has both, rich brewing traditions and viniculture scenes. At these farms, you can either kick back on the weekend or plan adventurous tours.

Brewery/distilleries in the US and UK dominate the global top list, while expectedly France has the highest number of wineries in the global top 10. Japan takes a clear lead with eight out the top 10 best brewery tours in Asia while Thailand accounts for four out of the top 10 wineries in Asia. The spirited Indian can also raise a toast to the vineyards at Nashik in Maharashtra — the ‘grape-bowl of India’ — among the top five choices in Asian wineries. Travellers to the York Winery & Tasting Room (ranked fourth among Asian wineries) and Sula Vineyards (fifth) say visits to these specialised farms are special. Whether you are a connoisseur or an amateur, don’t let inhibitions overtake your desire to visit these places.

For those who are already planning to take a wine tour soon, here’s a list of places you can choose.

Global breweries/distilleries

  • Ringwood Brewery, Hampshire, England
  • New South Brewing, South Carolina, United States
  • New Belgium Brewing, Colorado, United States  
  • laphroaig Distillery, Islay, Scotland
  • Buffalo Trace Distillery, Kentucky, United States
  • Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Tennessee, United States
  • Greene King Brewery, Suffolk, England
  • Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay, Scotland             
  • The Blue Anchor, Cornwall, England             
  • Samuel Adams Brewery, Boston, United States

Global wineries

  • Domaine O’Vineyards, Aude, France
  • Eagle Springs Winery, Tennessee, United States
  • Tal-Massar Winery, Island of Gozo, Malta
  • la Cave de l’Ange Gardien, Beaune, France
  • les Caves Saint Charles, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France
  • Panama City Beach Winery, Florida, United States
  • Authentica Tours — Wine Tours in Burgundy, Dijon, France
  • Hermosa Vineyards, Colorado, United States
  • Decugnano dei Barbi, Orvieto, Italy
  • Cambridgeshire Wine School, Cambridge, England

Asian breweries/distilleries

  • Suntory Brewery Musashino Factory, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
  • Kingdom Breweries, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
  • Great leap Brewing, Beijing, China
  • Orion Beer Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
  • Sapporo Beer Museum, Hokkaido, Japan
  • Suntory Kyoto Brewery, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
  • Kirin Yokohama Beer Village, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
  • Asahi Brewery, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
  • Suntory Hakushu Distillery / Natural Water Hakushu Plant, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
  • Asahi Brewery Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan

Asian Wineries

  • Hua Hin Hills Vineyard, Hua Hin, Thailand
  • Suntory Tominooka Winery, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan  
  • York Winery & Tasting Room, Maharashtra, India    
  • Sula Vineyards, Maharashtra, India    
  • GranMonte Vineyard, Pak Chong, Thailand
  • Red Mountain Estate Vineyards & Winery, Nyaungshwe, Myanmar          
  • PB Valley Khao Yai Winery, Pak Chong, Thailand             
  • Shimane Winery, Shimane Prefecture, Japan  
  • Silverlake, Pattaya, Thailand
  • Ikeda Wine Castle, Hokkaido, Japan