- As a sommelier, I think more people should know about underrated wine destinations.
- Instead of only looking into Tuscany, consider visiting Lazio on your next trip to Italy.
- Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico and Tokaj in Hungary are often overlooked but have great wine.
I first delved into wine while studying in Australia. I ventured to wineries in the Adelaide Hills and the Barossa Valley, and the wines I sampled were a far cry from Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill and $6 Californian “champagne.”
This initial exposure spurred my serious wine pursuit in Italy. By 2009, I’d completed an 18-month program and became a certified sommelier.
France and Italy are the two top-producing wine countries in the world, so naturally, I’ve had delightful experiences exploring their better-known regions. But I sought diversity beyond their structured wine tourism and hospitality scenes.
In 2012, I joined the #winelover Facebook group, a platform for like-minded wine enthusiasts who arrange meet-ups and trips. My firsthand encounters via the group have eclipsed any textbook — solidifying my belief that visiting different regions is the best way to understand wine.
Here are seven of my favorite, underrated wine regions I’ve visited.