France, Italy and Spain are Europe's best destinations for wine lovers, according to a new survey from the travel company TUI. The top list is based on factors such as vineyard area, wine production and international awards.
The Wine Tourism Index has been developed by TUI Musement, the TUI Group's provider of tours and activities. The index is based on official data sources that include five broad categories that reflect both wine production and quality in Europe's regions. It takes into account the total vineyard area, the extent of areas with protected designations of origin and geographical indications, the number of wines registered within these, the total production volume and the number of international awards.
– Wine, food and local taste experiences are an increasingly important part of the holiday. Many people want to understand culture through gastronomy. For our wine-interested travellers, we have therefore developed this index that clearly shows which wine regions best combine quality, history and taste experiences, says Dian Martinez Valencia, communications manager at TUI.
France stands out with the most international awards and well-known wine regions such as Champagne with UNESCO-listed cellars, Burgundy with over 1,000 unique vineyard areas and Bordeaux with its world-famous castles.
Italy ranks second in the world for the largest number of protected designations of origin and as Europe's largest wine producer. The country offers experiences from the rolling hills of Tuscany to the prestigious Barolo district of Piedmont.
Spain comes in third place with more than 900,000 hectares of vineyards, of which a full 97 percent are PDO and PGI wines – the highest proportion in Europe. The country’s wine offering ranges from the flavorful red wines of Rioja to Andalusian sherry and the unique wines from Lanzarote’s volcanic soils.
Growing interest in new wine destinations
According to the index, interest in several exciting wine destinations in Europe is growing, with Germany, Romania and Hungary leading the way. Germany stands out for its acclaimed Riesling wines, while Romania surprises with its powerful red wines from the Dealu Mare region. Hungary offers a centuries-old wine tradition with its UNESCO-listed Tokaj district, also showing strong potential for wine tourism.
Top 10 wine destinations in Europe (index 0–100)
- France – 85.2
- Italy – 77.1
- Spain – 73.8
- Portugal – 17.0
- Greece – 11.2
- Germany – 9.9
- Romania – 9.3
- Hungary – 7.3
- Austria – 6.3
- Bulgaria – 5.2
About the survey
The study, conducted by TUI Musement, covered vineyards in the EU with at least 500 hectares. The results are assessed based on five categories: vineyard area, areas with Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) and Geographical Indications (PGI), number of wines registered under these designations, wine production volume and international awards.
