It's not secret that I love a glass of wine and throughout my travels have loved experiencing tastings across Europe and Australia. When I'm not traveling, I find wine and food are amazing catalysts for bringing those traveling memories flooding back. While the lighter white and rosé wines instantly transport me back to sunny days on the Greek islands. The more full bodied reds and ports will always remind me of Western Australia when I took a wine pairing tour over there. And let's not forget the amazing wine tasting from when I visited Liechtenstein with vineyards overlooked by the castle on the mountainside. So, when I was given the opportunity to work with fine wine company, Millésima, I couldn't wait to share this company with you.
Based in Bordeaux, the company offers a range of wines from the best properties in the Rhone, Burgundy, Alsace, and other leading French regions, as well as top producers from Italy. With more than 2.5 million bottles of fine wine slowly ageing in the company's cellars, their comprehensive list includes Crus Classés wines from all Bordeaux vintages of the last 15 years. Boasting more than 150,000 private clients, the company helps their customers to easily source the Chateau and the vintage that they are seeking. Not only do they provide this service online, but they also welcome visitors to the area and to explore wine pairing within their two hundred year old cellars.
Working in the region since 1983, the company was founded by Patrick Bernard, whose expertise and reliability has led the company to become Europe's leading fine wine mail-order merchant. Patrick Bernard's aim then, as now, was to bring some of the world's greatest wines direct to wine lovers from the Châteaux. Over the past 15 years, Millésima have made over 300,000 deliveries to more than 65,000 wine enthusiasts of top wines from France, Europe and the rest of the world. Whether you're a regular visitor to the area, or just love the local wines, Millésima could provide you with the perfect trip down memory lane. And even better, you don't have to move from your home, so even when you can't escape for a trip to the south of France, you can still indulge in the finest wines from the region.
If you're a wine-lover like me, there are so many ways to bring the finest grapes into your travels. Most importantly, there is a way to bring wine into your travels no matter what your budget – it doesn't always have to be expensive. Wine is a fantastic way to connect with the local area, from visiting vineyards and seeing where they make the wine, to tasting the local flavours and wine pairing with amazing local dishes. Wine awakens the senses and perfectly complements the travel experience.
This is such an important one, don't just go to the usual tourist traps when you travel. Instead head off the beaten track, speak to the locals and go to their favourite bars. Avoid the international drinks and instead plump for a local beer or wine. Dining out is a great way to do this, always ask the waiter for a wine pairing recommendation!
This is such a lovely day out and can suit all budgets – from the super expensive wine tours to the £5 free tastings! I've visited vineyards all over Australia and Europe and loved the experience. Vineyards are always such beautiful locations and often they offer a cheaper tasting where you get to try several wines and can take your time exploring.
If you visit a brewery or a vineyard, most offer wine tastings, but even better, if you get a good-sized group together you can often get a free wine tasting or a good discount. I've had free wine pairing sessions and tastings all over the world, from food festivals and fine wine shops, to local bars and vineyards. Always do your research and just ask to try!
Australia offered a lot of food and wine tasting trails which proved the perfect day out. You would pick up a map and then make your way along, stopping off at various farms, vineyards, factories and all sorts of places with amazing delicacies to try. From wines, beers and ciders, to cheese, cake, fruit and much more.
It's always nice to take a bottle home to remember the place you visited, whether you pick one up as a gift or for yourself. Either pick one up from the local shops, or, if you get home and regret not buying one, why not source one online using Millésima to bring some holiday flavour back home? I tried out ordering a bottle from Millésima and I was so impressed with the service. Not only do they deliver the wine straight to your door, but they're on hand to answer any questions and offer advice on which bottle is the right one for you. It's such an easy way to make home feel just like a holiday.
Do you like to try new wines when you travel? What have been your best wine experiences when traveling?
*This was a sponsored post but as usual all views are my own.
We've had a short break from the Santorini dreaming but I had to return to it to share one of the most magical experiences of all. I don't think there are many people out there - bloggers especially - who don't have seeing the Santorini sunset on their bucket list. It had been firmly on my must-see list for several years and showed no signs of budging in the face of longer-haul trips. There's something rather magical about those pictures of the windmills high on the hill surrounded by a sea of white buildings reflecting the pink glow of a fiery Greek sunset on the Caldera that just gets your heart racing. It's one of, if not the, most romantic location in the world and I genuinely believe that everyone should experience the magic, and the romance of Oia at least once in their lives. Those who have say they are already desperate to return, which just shows you the power this beautiful place has in capturing your heart.
Now I'll be honest and saw a tiny part of me was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype - I'm not usually a big fan of overly-touristy places and crowds - I much prefer to experience places like this with space to breathe. Now I will admit there are a lot of people in Santorini and usually you can avoid the crowds but Oia is different, especially in the evening. But at the same time, these crowds don't spoil the beauty of the sunset, they don't ruin the perfect romantic moment or the stunning photos you can capture. There's actually a kind of magic of hearing everyone gasp and exclaim in hushed tones as the sun dips lower on the horizon, or as donkeys jingle their way down the mountain-side towards the ocean. That feeling that so many people there are witnessing this spectacle for the very first time, and that you'll never have this "first time" again. It's special and it does take your breath away, I'm sure it still does no matter how many times you visit.
I visited Oia on two occasions both during the day and at night, I was actually staying on the other side of the island at Perissa which I would recommend a lot more than staying in Oia. My advice is - if you're there for just a few days, stay in Oia as it has all you want to squeeze into your visit, but for any longer like my two-week holiday, head elsewhere. Oia doesn't really have a proper beach so you are limited to the swimming pools and it is very touristy, it is great for a luxury stay but if you prefer self-catering like us, you're better off elsewhere. Oia is beautiful both in the sunlight and sunset, and I would really recommend visiting at both times of day to really appreciate it. I was actually lucky and also went on a boat day trip that ended with a late afternoon cruise around the Caldera so I also got to see Oia from the ocean which is also a great experience.
Oia by day is an intense experience at high season, the sunlight reflects brightly off the white buildings and it does get hot so I would recommend aiming for morning or late afternoon for a visit and avoiding the heat of the day. Although as you'll notice from my pics it's very windy there which helps keep you cool! Make sure you walk all the way up to the village from where the buses stop, just follow the crowds up until you reach the village, then enjoy wandering the little alleyways and exploring the tiny shops. If you turn right as you enter the village and continue all the way along, it will take you to what is left of the tower structure. This is the spot where you will get THE Santorini pictures of the windmill on the hill surrounded by white buildings - THIS is where you want to try and get a spot to watch the sunset but you have to arrive EARLY to stand a hope. Our bus was late so we didn't make it this far but has a much less crowded and spectacular view from lower down. It's worth bringing along a picnic and some wine for the wait and securing your spot early. In the day-time you'll get some amazing views across the Caldera that will also get you snap happy!
Walking back through the village, double back on yourself along the alleyways until you stumble across Aphrodite Books - a cute and tiny little bookstore I found that is worth a look.Then continue along the strip where you'll find more glimpses of stunning views and quirky little stores including one filled with old-fashioned puppets that amazed me. Further along you'll find no end of restaurants overlooking the ocean - perfect for drinks in the afternoon, dinner after sunset or even a relaxed breakfast. We had no problem getting a table for drinks in the afternoon, nor for dinner just after sunset with three of us. It may be worth booking ahead if you have your heart set on a table or restaurant but if you're flexible you should be okay. Don't be too intimidated by the price of these ocean-view restaurants - they were a tad more expensive than in Perissa but nowhere near as expensive as we expected so worth it for a treat. Whether you're there during the day or at night, make sure you stop along the way to capture some of the most Instagram-worthy pics you'll ever take - those gorgeous white buildings and dreamy ocean views ain't gonna snap themselves!
Just one thing - for those arriving in Oia by boat or passing through the village - I ask that you do one thing and promise me not to ride the donkeys. The treatment I saw there of these poor creatures forces to work in the midday sun when sick and weak was terrible. I couldn't bear the sight of them bowed under the weight of tourists as they carried them up endless steps and steep cliffs to the village in the burning heat. And for what? Because we're too lazy to use our legs? For some stupid tourist trap that is probably overpriced anyway. Use your common sense and realise the pain and suffering these creatures go through, don't support the trade and it will eventually die out much like elephant tourism in Thailand. You have the power to make a change by not going with the crowd, so do it, trust me it works. I stopped no end of people from riding elephants in Thailand just from explaining why - it doesn't take much to wake people up to reality.
Have you been to Oia - can you recommend any hotels/restaurants? What was your favourite part? Did the sunset live up to the hype?
