What makes a wine tourism trip successful?

Autumn is always a busy time for travel agencies specializing in wine tourism: preparing new trips, responding to corporate requests, meeting high expectations for personalization... Given all this, how can you guarantee a successful weekend on the wine route, between visits to cellars, meetings with winemakers, and unique moments in the vineyards? 

Here are the five essential questions to ask yourself—and the answers from an expert who is himself a winegrower in Languedoc.

1. How do you select which estates to visit?

Answer: A successful trip starts with a careful selection of wineries. A specialized receptive agency must know how to find winemakers who are available to share their story little-known estates 

an atmosphere conducive to authentic exchanges (wine is above all a story of passionate and fascinating men and women!)

a rich wine-growing heritage: culture, agriculture, winemaking, terroirs

The goal: to create a genuine and warm encounter between travelers from France and around the world and the winemakers.

Real-life example: At the Cave de Saint-Mont (Gers), Céline Dabadie guides visitors to the oldest vineyard in France (180 years old!) before a tasting of forgotten grape varieties.

Or at the Domaine de Favas (Hérault), Goeffrey and Samuel MASSE, true Cévenols, share their family history of more than 15 generations of winemakers.

2. Should customers be accompanied by a wine guide?

Answer: Yes, this is a key factor in the success of a wine tourism trip.

A wine guide or sommelier:

- knows wine

- understands the codes of tourism

- adapts to the level of participants

- conveys their passion in an educational way

Les Pépites du Sud works with wine guides who can accompany groups in English, Spanish, German, Dutch, Japanese, or Chinese. It is their passion, and their encounters with travelers are always authentic. 

3. How to choose accommodation and meals?

Answer: Wine tourism is not limited to tasting.

Accommodation and gastronomy are an integral part of the experience:

•    guest houses in the vineyards 

•    tables d'hôtes run by winegrowers 

•    local seasonal produce 

•    carefully considered food and wine pairings 

4. Does the choice of glass really matter?

Answer: Yes, absolutely.

For a successful tasting—in a cellar, vineyard, or restaurant—you need:

•    crystal glasses

•    never plastic

•    a container suited to the structure of the wine

The agency “Les Pépites du Sud” always carries spare glasses to ensure optimal tasting in all circumstances.

5. How can you ensure comfortable and suitable transportation for trips to the vineyards?

Answer: Comfortable transportation is an integral part of the experience:

•    Spacious vans

•    Premium cars

•    Electric or hybrid models

•    Option to add soft mobility options: train, mountain bike, electric bike, scooter

Our BMW and Mercedes partners in the region enable us to offer premium vehicles tailored to each group.

Want to organize a vineyard tour or a wine tourism trip for your clients?

Contact Jérôme Villaret and his team: