Gone Tasting: Where to Sip and Swirl in 2021

TLF’s resident oenophile, IC Meg Nolan is an expert in all things wine. No really, she’s earned her Level 3 Advanced degree from the UK's WSET — so she knows a thing or two about tastings, tannins, and terroir. Her perfect pairing? The marriage of her two greatest loves: wine and wanderlust (just don’t tell her husband and kids).

Let’s face it, after this year we all need a drink. So why not make it one where the quality of the surroundings match the contents of your glass. Here are four spots currently open – some new, others treasured for years – that ensure this year will look and taste far better than last.

Montage Healdsburg

Healdsburg, california

Debuting this month, Montage Healdsburg promises an immersive wine-stay experience with bungalow-style rooms and suites scattered amidst 15-plus acres of scenic Sonoma-area vineyards. A wide selection of onsite vines featuring Malbec, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc grapes will impress the viticulturists, while the 11,500-square-foot spa will soothe any post-tasting ailments. Signature wine experiences both on and offsite, not to mention the charming village of Healdsburg, make it well worth a visit as soon as lockdown lifts.

Quinta do Vallado

Douro Valley, Portugal

Though Portugal’s Douro Valley has been brightly blinking on the luxury traveler’s radar for the past few years, its popularity has only served to make the experience better. A top producer of Touriga Nacional wines and Port, Quinta do Vallado, is a must-visit winery – you can stay there too – with an inviting tasting room with informative classes, expansive riverfront views, and more recently, wonderfully rugged vineayard tours cruising amid the vines in their topless Defender. 

Vineyards of Long Island

North Fork, Long Island

For those preferring a more local (and immediate) experience, the creative folks of the North Fork have combatted COVID restrictions and winter weather with private winterized tasting spaces that fit up to six people. Over at local favorite, Macari Vineyards, you can book one of their Bergen Road Bungalows, a heated platform tent where everything inside is shopable – especially dangerous while enjoying their selection of wines and a gourmet lunch. While over in Greeport’s downtown, at American Beech, they’ve built see-through dining casitas adorned with fur throws and modern design to enjoy their local wine list and farm fresh fare under the stars, particularly cinematic after a day of tasting.

Vik Chile

Millahue Valley, Chile

For a signature experience that will not just impress your palate - and that it surely will — but also tickle your other four senses with sensational design, natural beauty, and local cultural activities, Vik Chile’s annual Harvest Experience is the trip for you. With morning yoga, spa appointments, and afternoon horseback riding between decadent meals and tastings, the three-day experience culminates with a nighttime harvest picking and front row glimpse into the vinfication process at Viña Vik.