Reflections on winery visits, curiosity, and the different ways we experience wine.
My first winery visits date back to 2018, when I was studying Wine, Gastronomy and Management in London. Through visits to wineries in Kent and a study trip to Bordeaux, I had my first experiences of wine beyond the classroom or a restaurant. I still remember how excited I was when I held a bunch of English-grown grapes in my hands for the very first time. Yet, at the time, I hadn't really considered wine tourism as an industry in its own right.
That changed after I moved to Portugal.
Eager to explore the country's wine regions and indigenous grape varieties, I bought a copy of a book about Lisbon wine scene and began planning day trips to wineries. What started as a way to deepen my knowledge gradually became a personal journey of discovery, eventually inspiring me to create Route to Wine.
But what continues to fascinate me most isn't simply tasting different wines. It's the stories behind them.
The Stories That Keep Me Coming Back
I particularly enjoy visiting Portugal's long-established family wineries, hearing how their stories began, how traditions have been passed down through generations, how they have evolved over time. What has also struck me is how many women play an important role in these wineries, carrying family legacies forward while shaping their future.
Even after numerous visits (currently 66 wineries in Portugal), I still listen with the same excitement I felt at my very first winery.
As a wine geek, I'm naturally curious about the technical side too. Why a particular fermentation method? How are decisions made in the vineyard? What influences the winemaker's approach?
Sometimes, I even wish I could skip the conventional guided tour and explore the winery directly with the winemaker, asking all the technical questions on my mind.
Until recently, I somehow assumed that everyone else was just as excited about these details.
Apparently, not everyone is.
A Different Perspective
During a recent winery visit, a friend commented that the tour included too much technical information and that some visitors might find it rather tiring.
Her observation genuinely surprised me. But she had a point.
Perhaps some people simply want to stroll through the vineyards, admire the scenery, take photographs in the barrel cellar and move straight to the tasting.
And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
For some, wine tourism is about learning. For others, it's about relaxing, enjoying the surroundings and sharing a memorable experience.
It was the first time I truly realised that what fascinates me might not be what everyone else comes looking for.
One Winery, Different Expectations
That conversation made me appreciate why some wineries offer different types of visits, from introductory tours and relaxed tastings to more technical experiences and opportunities to meet the winemaker.
A first-time visitor, a casual wine lover and a wine professional may walk into the same winery with completely different expectations.
Perhaps a great wine tourism experience isn't about sharing as much information as possible, but about offering the right experience for each visitor.
I will probably always be the one asking just one more technical question. But now I understand that the person standing next to me might be enjoying the same visit for entirely different reasons.
We may walk through the same vineyard, taste the same wine and leave with completely different memories.
And perhaps that's the beauty of wine tourism.
There is more than one way to experience a wine.
Savor the sip, Zeynep / Lisbon