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Wine Guides & Travel · Insider's Wine Travel Guides

Insider’s Wine Travel Guides

Where to go, taste and stay in the world’s great wine regions — written from the road, not the desk.

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Looking for something specific? Try a region (“Willamette”), a vintage (“2022 Bordeaux”), or a question (“how long should I decant?”).

Insider's Wine Travel Guides

Italy
Two glasses of red wine on a ledge overlooking terracotta tile rooftops
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Sardinian Wines You Must Know

Off the Western Coast of Italy is the mythical island of Sardinia (aka Sardegna in...

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Bulgaria
Person holding a glass of red wine overlooking a Bulgarian vineyard estate in the Thracian Valley at dusk, curated by Big Hammer Wines.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine in Bulgaria, Flying Under the Radar

Three thousand years of winemaking, flying entirely under the radar: native Mavrud and Melnik, Thracian...

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Terroir Tales
Backlit bunch of purple grapes hanging on the vine among green leaves
  • by Greg Martellotto

High-Altitude Wines: Wines Born Under Extreme Conditions

Climate is one of the most significant factors that directly affect high-altitude wines. Usually, at...

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Italy
Winding road through steep vineyard-covered hills with a hillside village and church tower
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Ultimate Travel Guide to Prosecco

Certain places in the world are magnificent and impossible to forget. The route of La...

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Italy
Coupe glasses filled with pale pink sparkling wine, close-up with blurred background
  • by Greg Martellotto

Prosecco Rosé: The Wine You Didn’t Know You Needed

What do you drink when you want something refreshing? When you feel like celebrating an...

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Italy
Close-up of a sparkling wine cork stamped "Solo Prosecco" standing on a marble surface
  • by Greg Martellotto

Everything You Need To Know About Prosecco

Who doesn’t love the sound of bubbly opening? That popping sound as the cork bursts...

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Italy
Florence
  • by Greg Martellotto

Three Perfect Days in Florence. Wine, History and Food. What More Could You Ask For?

Florence, one of the most culturally relevant cities in the world. A city so beautiful,...

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Italy
Italian Bollicine Sparkling Wines
  • by Greg Martellotto

Italian Bollicine Sparkling Wines

Italy’s diverse wine grapes, wine styles, and regions are keys to the sparkling wines produced throughout the...

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Chile
Snow-capped mountain peaks above a turquoise lake and scrubland in Chile
  • by Greg Martellotto

Everything You Need to Know About the Chilean Wine Industry, From Big Hammer Wines, Wine Experts

Often forgotten in the shadows of the Andean Malbec of Argentina, Chile has been quietly...

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Italy
Scooter rider on a street leading to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, with traffic and pedestrians
  • by Greg Martellotto

An Italian Wine Experts Guide to Rome: Experience Rome Like a Local

Ah! Rome... the eternal city, filled with local trattorias, romantic osterias, wine bars, and plenty...

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Bordeaux
Aerial view of rolling green farmland and villages under sun rays breaking through clouds
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Beauty of Bordeaux, Explained by Wine Experts

Ah! Bordeaux. A region we are all familiar with. There is a lot to know...

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Italy
Giro d'Italia! Learn More About the Top Tuscan Wine Regions from Big Hammer Wines, Wine Experts
  • by Greg Martellotto

Giro d'Italia! Learn More About the Top Tuscan Wine Regions from Big Hammer Wines, Wine Experts

Tuscany is certainly one of the most famed wine regions in the world. It is...

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Chile
Close-up of a wine cork stamped "Chile Premium Wines" resting on a bed of used corks
  • by Greg Martellotto

CHILE: Everything You Should Know About One of the World's Largest Wine-Growing Countries

Chile is full of beautiful landscapes, rich culture and great traditions. It is a country...

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Bordeaux
Bottles hanging with tags in a shop, one labeled "Bordeaux makes one proud to be a wineaux"
  • by Greg Martellotto

Learn about Fourth Growth Grand Cru Classified Bordeaux

The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 is a system to classify the best producers...

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Bordeaux
First Growth Bordeaux Explained by Online Wine Store
  • by Greg Martellotto

First Growth Bordeaux Explained by Online Wine Store

Crème de la crème Bordeaux Wines Bordeaux first growths are some of the most sought after...

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France
Stone arch bridge reflected in a river beside wooded banks and a town in the Loire Valley
  • by Greg Martellotto

Loire Valley Wine

The Loire is a long storied, wine growing region that traces the Loire River which flows...

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France
Rhone Valley Wine
  • by Greg Martellotto

Rhone Valley Wine

Famous, Delicious but Not Simple The Rhône Valley isn’t just one wine region, it’s actually...

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Champagne
Champagne
  • by Greg Martellotto

Champagne

Champagne: The Google of Wine Champagne not only created and defined the category of sparkling...

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Napa Valley
Napa Valley Wine
  • by Greg Martellotto

Napa Valley Wine

America's most famous wine valley, from valley-floor benchlands to mountain fruit with real grip. How...

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Burgundy
Burgundy Wine
  • by Greg Martellotto

Burgundy Wine

What is the Secret to Burgundy Wine?  Burgundy’s wines are single-varietal wines made from grapes...

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Italy
Brunello di Montalcino Wine
  • by Greg Martellotto

Brunello di Montalcino Wine

The Secret of Brunello Wine The wines from Brunello di Montalcino are unique not just...

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Mexico
Mexico Wine
  • by Greg Martellotto

Mexico Wine

With decades of experience in the wine industry, Greg Martellotto, owner of Big Hammer Wines,...

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Bordeaux
Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac
  • by Greg Martellotto

Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac

Château Mouton Rothschild was not originally included in the First Growths of Bordeaux, the estate...

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Bordeaux
Chateau Cheval Blanc Saint Emilion
  • by Greg Martellotto

Chateau Cheval Blanc Saint Emilion

The 'Castle of the White Horse' sits at the very peak of the Saint Emilion...

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