A wine tour is a must if you are a wine lover on holiday in Puglia. The “Heel of Italy” in fact has a sunny and Mediterranean climate and amazing scenery together with kilometers of beautiful beaches and delicious cuisine. In short, Puglia is perfect for viticulture and wine tourism.
Puglia is the second-largest wine region in Italy. The warm and sunny climate and the varied terroir make it ideal for the cultivation of both native Italian and international grapes. Here you will find a variety of vines including Primitivo, Nero di Troia and Aglianico. There are more than 30 wine areas in Puglia. Four of them got the highest status of quality in Italian wine, the Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin (DOCG) and over 25 with the second-highest status, the Denomination of Controlled Origin (DOC). There are also more than 180 different wineries in Puglia. Here you can discover our top wines and wineries in Puglia.
Puglia is an emerging wine region that is not yet deeply rooted in wine tourism like other regions of Italy. Therefore, it is advisable to plan a wine tour ahead especially if you are in Puglia in high season.
If you are planning to organize a wine tour in Puglia on your own, you can consider the following tips:
1. It is always better to book the wine tour in advance.
2. The best way to book the wine tour is to phone the company directly: you will receive a better response from a call than from an email or by filling out an online form. Call at least a week in advance.
3. While some wineries may allow walk-ins, in most cases they are not accepted.
4. There is no public transportation available to the wineries, also because they are in the countryside. You will need to have a car or a transfer.
5. If in doubt, you can contact the hotel or b & b where you are staying, which should be able to help you to plan the wine tour. Puglia Paradise knows all the wine tours of Puglia and their strengths and weaknesses, so will be able to advise its guests the most suitable wine tour according to the tastes and indicate the one closest to the villa where they are staying. Puglia Paradise also offers its guests a free reservation service for transport and tours.
6. You will need a GPS or google maps. Some wineries are off the beaten track and not always clearly marked.
7. Dress comfortably and plan an unhurried visit. Book a maximum of two visits per day and leave plenty of time between trips.
8. Since the vineyards are exposed to the sun, the best time to take a wine tour in Puglia is when it is cooler and there are not many tourists. This means that April to June or September to October are the best months to book your wine tour.
