The Best Destination Wine Regions You've Never Heard Of

For an industry that requires years of agrarian ( and plain ol' cultural ) investment , wine moves faster than you ’d imagine . Just a few years ago , American oenophiles were n’t hip to places like Portugal , Greece , and Hungary – and now ? Your local wine-coloured shop is likely to boast bottles from all those countries . Never have so many good vino poured in from so many position : it can melt down your mind , stagger your roof of the mouth , and scrap your eve plans from the amount of time you spend on Google Maps .

Still , our palate and personalities are never slaked with the options we have , always wonder : what ’s next ? The follow round - up certify the broad largeness of wine production in the world – almost any place you could guess of is giving winemaking a shot , and course there are some orbit make better portion than others . Here are some destinations that should make a worthwhile trip and which can plug their weight with a pour .

Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada

Why it ’s unique : No , not the island with the huitre , people . Craig Perman tells Thrillist to check out the wine-colored of this billet near the Great Lakes , just across Lake Ontario from Rochester , NY . The owner of leading Chicago vino shopPerman Wine Selectionssays Ontario wines are differentiate in part because of the province ’s " mellow proportionality of fractured limestone filth . " This machine characteristic is singular for grapevine grow because it drains rain well but also lends a mineral edge to the wine ’s taste . " PEC is brutish in the winter , and the canes of the vines need to be buried under soil to make it through the frost , " he say . This rough clime gives Prince Edward acquire their edge .

What to seek out : Perman tell that Pinot Chardonnay and pinot noir are what PEC is " best known for , " but that you’re able to also find cabernet franc , Pinot grape Jaun Gris , and riesling . " Norman Hardie Wineryis by far the leader in calibre , " Perman says . He also aver to checker outHinterland Wine Companyfor its sparkling wine and , if you ’re plan a trip , to stay at theDrake Devonshire Innin Wellington .

Canary Islands

Why they ’re unique : Todd Hess – spouse atH2Vino , an importer and distributor also based in Chicago – is blistering on this cluster of Spanish islands off the northwesterly coast of Africa . He points out that Tenerife , the largest island , is not only part rain forest and part desert , but that it also sport Mount Teide , the third - largest vent in the world . " This does all sort of weird things for the climate , " Hess says . " A lot of the grapes in Tenerife are being grown on fairly late volcanic soil , so they have a flavor affinity with the Sicilian wine found near Mount Etna . " Much of the wine-colored yield is sold to European tourer , who flock to the Canaries forepic beaches and quick weather . fortunately , some bottles are have their manner across the Atlantic , courtesy of importers like Hess and distributors likeDavid Bowler .

What to attempt out : Hess recommends the grapes listan negro and listan blanco , for flavor and – why not ? – a undecomposed yarn . " Those make some really cool wine-coloured . The reds incline to be kind of spicy , Côtes du Rhône - like . The whites are floral and really pretty . " He run low on to say , " There ’s a obscure association to the early days of California winemaking , " and tells Thrillist that the Black was recently pick up to be the same grape as the mission grape from California , which was used in early American wine making . Hess also name - checks grapes like malvasia – which makes sparking wine-colored and dry and sweet white – albillo , gual , and vijariego . Ignios Orígenes , on Tenerife , makes a fine example of the last type and he also recommend the wineriesTajinaste , Viñátigo , and Los Bermejos ( which is on the island of Lanzarote ) .

Tasmania

Why it ’s singular : Yeah , that ’s right : Tasmania . Hess does n’t stop at the Canaries for out - of - the - way islands . " Tasmania is exciting because it gets an south-polar stream that keeps the piddle cold , so the climate around there is really cool , " he say of the Australian archipelago .

What to seek out : Tasmania is " a great property for growing pinot noir and chardonnay , " Hess state . He points toNinth Islandas a prissy place to get commence . He also says to check out the area ’s penchant for handcraft and farm - to - table eats .

Styria, Austria

Why it ’s unique:“So many people miss the Styria region of Austria because they are so focussed on the illustrious region along the Danube , Dame Rebecca West of Vienna , " Perman says . You ’re not going to require to make that misunderstanding , friends . " The region ’s combination of Mediterranean climate along with elevation and steep vineyards makes it unique . "

What to attempt out:“This is mainly white wine-coloured country , " Perman enounce , naming off the grapes weissburgunder ( pinot blanc ) , sauvignon blanc , welschriesling , grauburgunder ( pinot gris ) , and morillon ( chardonnay ) . " My preferred producer isLackner - Tinnacher , " he articulate , also recommendingSattlerhofas a dainty situation to visit . The latter even has its own hotel , so your transportation concerns after a few - too - many tastings are moot .

Northern Thailand

Why it ’s unparalleled : Because it ’s in Thailand , for starting motor . Hess says he was catch off guard by how good some of the wines he tasted on a recent Thai head trip were .

What to search out:“The northerly part of Thailand is making some very nice syrah – like something you ’d in reality want to go back and drink again , not just because you ’re looking to see how weird you may get , " Hess says . " They are legitimately delicious wines . " Get started withMae Chan Winery , which reps a boutique recourse on belongings .

Great Britain

Why it ’s unique : Brit wine are easy to forget – even I tend to leave ‘em , and I used to inhabit in Great Britain . Hess reminds us all : " They have the same type of crank soil in Southern Britain that they do in Champagne . They ’re part of the same geological formation . " He adds , " With clime change – it does n’t all have to be disconfirming – there ’s all sorts of opportunities that did n’t once exist there . "

What to seek out:“In Britain , they are loosely growing chardonnay grape and pinot noir for their sparkling wines , " Hess says . If you need a solid first look , you could do worse thanNyetimber . Bring a hand - import ice from frickin ' West Sussex to your New Year ’s Eve political party this class and you ’re sure to get some conversation break .

Dão, Portugal

Why it ’s unique : While you ’ve in all probability jumped on the Lusitanian vino bandwagon in late years , fortune are you ’ve get down on some vinho verde or Duoro productions but perhaps are n’t as familiar with the Dão . Perman sound out the region ’s climate is one - of - a - kind because of a " diurnal temperature shift . " ( That ’s fancy - speak for pas seul between high and miserable . ) " surround by mountains , it gets no influence from the ocean , " Perman order . " Yet its raising lead eminent daytime temperature to shift chop-chop into cold nighttime temperatures . You get wine-colored with phenolic ripeness , yet serious crust . "

What to seek out : Perman maneuver out that blended wines are the name of the secret plan in the Dão . " White wine-colored are made from predominantly encruzado and bical , " he enunciate . " red-faced wines are produced mainly from touriga nacional , alfrocheiro , jaen , and tinta roriz . " He likes the poppycock fromCasa de Darei , a turn out hotshot , andQuinta da Pellada , an ikon . Visiting any of these would amount to a full - day trip ( or spry overnight case ) from Lisbon , which isa city itself worth a transatlantic jaunt .

Southern France

Why it ’s unique : OK , OK . I know what you ’re thinking : " wine " and " France " are basically synonymous . What the Inferno is France doing on a inclination about undiscovered wine-colored neighborhood ? Well , because while " the South of France " has been a go - to touristry destination since more or less the Bronze Age , the wines of Southern France have been all but ignored until recently . " It ’s been an awe-inspiring transformation of an area which , 30 old age ago , was bring on some really uncollectible wine-coloured , " wine-coloured consultant and aboriginal Frenchman Antoine Songy tells me . " I think the Languedoc - Roussillon arena is way of life underestimated , " he say of the region that nest the Spanish boundary line . " I pass away to theVINISUD exhibitionagain this year , and was astounded by the number of high - timber wine in display . A lot are organic , many expend sustainable agricultural practices . "

What to attempt out : Songy read that appellations and submarine sandwich - appellations like La Clape and Terrasses du Larzac are well worth a pour . ( See how a wine-coloured merchant reacts upon your guild of " a case of La Clape . " ) And regions like Pic Saint - Loup and Limoux are another hot Holy Order . " This is where affair are really happening . They have transform the vinery dramatically , " Songy says . Limoux boastsa Rothschild propertythat is " desirable of a high - end Bordeaux property which could fool many when tasted unsighted . " Another name worth keeping an oculus on isLaurent Bonfils , who has 23 domaines , some of which are being transform intoswank hotels . " Laurent is an exceptional individual with a vision , " Songy says . See you soon , Laurent .

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