European Wine) Vacation

Wine tourism is improving across Europe. But even at wineries geared up for visitors, a reservation is key to entrée.

- ALISON NAPJUS

There's a short list of comments I hear when I tell people I am a wine critic for Wine Spectator.

At No. 1 is probably, "How do I get that job?" delivered with an eyes-widened look of enthusiasm as the speaker imagines themselves surrounded by bottles of wine all day long. But not far behind that, another favorite question is: "I'm going to [insert country or wine region] on vacation this summer. Can you recommend a winery for me to visit?" That one always makes me laugh, as I consider the tens of thousands of wineries scattered across the different wine regions in each of the countries in Europe whose wines I cover for the magazine (France, Italy, Portugal and Spain).

But even if a serious wine lover plans to base part of their vacation in an European wine region in order to explore its wines and vineyards, it's not always enough. Many Americans expect that once in the region, they'll be able to winery hop from place to place, sidling up to a tasting bar or sitting at a table to taste while they enjoy a scenic view over the vineyards. That's the California tasting experience that American wine fans are familiar with, but it's not the prevailing model in Europe.