Getting Around Wine Country Without Driving

Every drinks region has the same problem. The places worth visiting are spread across countryside that trains don’t reach, and every stop ends with a glass. The rental car that looked like freedom at the airport becomes a problem by the second tasting.

Legal limits vary — some countries allow almost nothing — but the practical point is simpler: a tasting day and a driving day are different days. Here are the realistic ways to see wine and spirits country without anyone in your group driving impaired.

Private driver for the day

The most flexible option: a driver who collects you from the hotel, follows your itinerary and waits at each stop. It’s more affordable than people expect when split between two to four travellers, and it removes the second problem of rural tasting trips — finding a taxi back from a vineyard at six o’clock, which in much of the countryside is close to impossible.

• Book ahead in harvest season and on weekends.
• Agree the day rate and waiting time up front.
• Pair it with the arrival: many travellers book the airport pickup and the tasting day with the same operator.

Small-group tours

A fixed itinerary with six to twelve people, a guide and a minibus. You give up choosing the stops; you gain a guide who knows which cellars receive visitors, often including producers you couldn’t book alone. Ideal for a first day in a region.

Bikes

Some regions are made for cycling: Burgundy’s Voie des Vignes runs through the vineyards between Beaune and Santenay, and parts of Champagne and Tuscany suit e-bikes. Keep tastings modest — the same judgement applies on two wheels — and spit generously.

Trains and walking

Some trips need no car at all: Reims and Épernay are linked by train, Dublin and Louisville have walkable distillery districts, and Stockholm is best on foot and metro. Build the trip around a walkable base and you’ll need transport only for day trips.

The designated driver, done fairly

If your group drives, rotate days so the designated driver gets a tasting day too — and remember that most cellars and distilleries will happily pour a soft drink or pack a sample to take away.

Arrival day

The same logic applies at the start of the trip. After a long flight, landing into a region’s regional airport and picking up a rental car can wait: a pre-booked transfer to your first base, then transport sorted day by day, makes for a better first evening. Each of our journey guides lists the nearest airport and how to get in.