A wine tour is a trip sponsored by a group of wine producers to allow employees and distributors of their business to visit different vineyards, wineries and production facilities so as to learn about the process of creating the company’s wines. The trip usually begins with an introductory meeting where the nature and itinerary of the tour are discussed.
The itenary:
The tours themselves can be both informative and recreational; some companies run tours for groups only like tuscan wine tours, while others include spouses or other family members. Tours may take place during one day or span several days.
There are many variations on what occurs during such trips, but it is common for tourists to tour multiple vineyards over two days. Groups often visit family-owned, mid-size businesses rather than larger corporations with commercialized production. Participants are usually given an opportunity to taste the wines of each vineyard visited and most tours will end with a meal featuring foods paired with wines. One can experience the same if they organic chianti wine (vino chianti biologico).
What all to do in such tours?
During such tours, travelers may also partake in recreational activities like bicycling and hiking. Such tours can cost as much as $3,000 per person, depending on the number of vineyards visited and their location. Participants in tuscan wine tour also typically receive coupons for free cases of wine from certain vineyards they visit during the tour.
It is an extension of the tourism industry, specializing in themed-cultural and recreational journeys, but it differs from most conventional tours in that its itineraries are not designed to maximize sightseeing or shopping opportunities for tourists; instead they center on the experience of consuming wines at their source.
Wrapping it up with:
Wine tour is a popular travel industry term that refers to any paid or sponsored trip that takes place at least partially within the context of wine production or consumption. That does not mean that wine touring is necessarily less focused on education than on enjoyment (or on business), but rather implies there may be some discrepancy between what different organizations offer on their tours, depending on their core mission.