8 Destination-Worthy Wines for the Discerning Palate

Excellent wine is worth traveling across the globe for, and the rapid rise of oenotourism in the last decade is a clear indicator of that. While some wineries capitalize on the demand by offering outsized experiences—the Marriot’s exquisite, Gehry-designed Hotel Marques de Riscal in Spain being a prime example—a true aficionado knows that the destination lies in the glass. The joy of wine tourism lies in being able to sample wines not normally accessible back home.

As such, the best destination wines are those that bear a sense of exclusivity to the experience, whether it be in the form of rare premier crus, domestic exclusives, or a sense of history that ties the grape to the land. If you’re eager to grab your card and book a flight to a top wine destination, consider planning around the following wines:

Leroy Les Beaux Monts (France)

Domaine Leroy has a gleaming reputation of producing some of the finest premier crus from Vosne-Romanée, in the Côte de Nuits region in Burgundy. The area is renowned for its pinot noir vineyards, the terroirTerroirTerroir refers to the complete natural environment, soil, climate, topography, shaping a wine's distinct character, a concept central to how fine wine regions define their identity. The term extends theGo to Terroir Glossary coming to life in velvety, fruit-forward wines with spices and woodland scents in the undernotes of their bouquet.

Among the many excellent premier crus available in the region, Leroy Les Beaux Monts is one of the most popular, bearing vibrant acidity that buoys up notes of black cherry and plum before finding wonderful balance through chocolate, oak, vanilla, and tobacco on the palate. It’s a must-try for anyone exploring the luxuries Vosne-Romanée has to offer.

Promontory Cabernet Sauvignon (USA)

Promontory is one of the most sought-after wine destinations in Napa Valley, and for good reason. The winery was founded by the Harlan Estate, its site discovered by the legendary H. William Harlan himself. Less than 10 percent of the land is used for Promontory’s vineyard, allowing the land’s untamed geography to express itself fully in the grape, the fruit’s flavors further shaped by each unique growing season.

As such, every vintageVintageVintage refers to the specific year a wine's grapes were harvested, with exceptional vintages reflecting particularly favorable growing season conditions within a given region and year. Serious collectors track vintageGo to Vintage Glossary of Promontory bears marked differences from the others – whereas 2019 is characterized by its briskness, 2020 exudes a calm elegance. A visit to the Valley should, for the discerning connoisseur, include an appointment at the winery, where one can explore multiple vintages of what is widely considered a unicorn among wines.

Hatzidakis Assyrtiko de Louros (Greece)

Indigenous to the island of Santorini, the assyrtiko grows from centuries-old vines nourished by volcanic ash, giving the fruit a minerality that makes it ideal for blending with other white winegrapes. Hatizidakis’ Assyrtiko de Louros, however, is made purely from the island’s native grape, developing a flavor that belongs to Santorini alone.

Dry, full-bodied, and acidic, the wine has a complex nose consisting of honey, citrus, saline, peach, and minerals, with oak and nuttiness on the palate leading toward a salty finish. It’s every bit the embodiment of its island, and deserves to be part of every visit.

Peter Drayton Wildstreak Tyrian (Australia)

Even experienced connoisseurs may not be familiar with Australia’s tyrian grape; the variety was first developed in 1972 and granted Plant Breeder’s Rights in 2000. The fruit was created by the Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) – Australia’s national science agency – as part of a program to bolster the country’s wine production with grapes that thrive in Australian conditions.

The result of this project is a grape that produces a deep red wine with high tannins, red currant nose, and lively spices in the flavor profile. Peter Drayton is one of a select few vineyards partnered with CSIRO to grow the tyrian, making its Wildstreak Tyrian one of the more unique wine experiences to be had in Australia.

Disznókő Tokaji Eszencia (Hungary)

The skins of the furmint grapes used to make this almost dessert-like wine grow thinner as they ripen, allowing sunlight to penetrate the fruit and reduce its water content. This results in the sugars being much more highly concentrated in comparison to other varieties, which in turn gives the wine its signature sweetness.

Disznókő, located in the Tokaj region where these grapes grow, highlights the fruit in its purest form with its Tokaji Eszencia, a syrupy white wine with intense honey, apricot, and raisin notes, made all the more indulgent with a remarkably low alcohol content. It’s a wine unlike any other, and one well worth traveling to Hungary for.

Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Italy)

Although Emidio Pepe’s Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is already popular in other countries, the winery releases a variant exclusive to the Italian market. This domestic-only version of the wine comes from younger vines than those used in the exported version, and is typically aged for fewer years. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see bottles of this wine just two years young in Italy.

For those already familiar with the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Emidio Pepe’s is a world-class example, rich in herbal and floral notes sitting above and beneath a plush berry core. The version one can find in Italy, however, displays an exuberance that betrays its youth—eschewing the savory, meaty tones that balance out the exported version for a more fruit-forward palate. Enjoying a comparison between the two versions alone is worth a flight to Teramo, in the Abruzzo region where one can visit the winery.

Weingut Donatsch Pinot Noir Unique (Switzerland)

Swiss wines are often overlooked, thanks in no small part to the fact that relatively few of them are ever exported. This makes Switzerland one of the more surprising wine destinations one can go to, given how a significant number of their domestic wines are excellent.

One such wine is the Pinot Noir Unique by Weingut Donatsch, produced at their vineyard in Malans, in the Bündner Herrschaft wine region. Spicy, smoky, and woodsy, the palate also brings in sweetness through notes of ripe red fruit, wild raspberries, and licorice. One may want to bring a bottle home from Switzerland for aging, as the wine develops a wonderful complexity over the years.

Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial (Spain)

One of the more internationally accessible bottles on this list, the Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial merits a trip to the Rioja region because of the tasting experience offered by Marques de Murrieta, where one can visit the castle from which this wine takes its name. Within its walls, Don Luciano Murrieta developed the first ever Rioja wine in 1852, establishing a tradition that has led to some of the world’s most exciting vintages.

To take a sip of Castillo Ygay in the place where it was born is to engage with history, and it’s an experience every wine aficionado should seek out. A trip to the winery informs how over 300 years of tradition and innovation have led to the current 2012 vintage, an elegant blend of dried cherries, coffee, mushrooms, citrus, and mountain herbs brought forward in a full-bodied, fragrant wine.

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