Food

10 BEAUTIFUL RIDES TO BEAUTIFUL WINES NOW

Courtesy of Casa de Uco. Horseback Riding in the Vineyards in Mendoza, Argentina.

We found 10 Beautiful Rides that will connect you to beautiful wines. Explore gorgeous wine country on horseback or on a river boat from the lazy to the luxurious. Check them out below.

1. CASA DE UCO RIDES -- MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

Mendoza is the wine center of Argentina, set against the beautiful Andes mountains. Covering 58,000 square miles, there are plenty of gorgeous landscapes and, of course, wineries to explore here.

A beautiful bike or horseback ride is a great way to make the tasting rounds for Mendoza’s famous Malbecs and Cabernet Sauvignons, Tempranillos, and Chardonnays. We particularly love the pink-skinned grapes of Criolla Grande and Cereza.

Ride through rocky hills, wide-open fields, and picturesque vineyard paths. Mendoza Wine Bike Tour and Duvine Adventures are 2 beautiful bike ride options. Or ride a horse, led by experienced local wranglers, called gauchos, with companies like Mendoza Holidays or Nieto Senetiner Winer’s tour.

2. COLUMBIA RIVER CRUISE -- QUEEN OF THE WEST, WASHINGTON & OREGON, UNITED STATES

Tour the top 5 wineries along the Columbia River, from Washington to Oregon, with the Queen of the West, operated by American Cruise Lines, a paddle-wheel beauty. This boat has a top-shelf sommelier on board to keep you rolling on the river.

3. DOURO RIVER CRUISE -- PORTUGAL & SPAIN

With terraced hills, laden with wine grapes growing in ancient vineyards on either side, the Douro River flows through the UNESCO-designated Douro Valley, past quaint villages and sun-drenched countrysides, through Portugal, into Spain.

Visit charming quintas and meet the winemakers to learn how Portugal produces its uniquely earthy red wines. If you love to sip port after dinner, you will love its namesake seaside city of Porto.

4. DANUBE RIVER CRUISE -- GERMANY, AUSTRIA, SLOVAKIA, HUNGARY

Visit ports in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary, featuring charming villages and Austrian wine country towns like Melk and Durnstein, with Avalon River Cruises.

5. RHÔNE RIVER CRUISE -- FRANCE

The 10-day Rhône River culinary cruise, by Tauck, is a floating foodie fantasy, with a Beaujolais tasting at Château de La Chaize and a private dinner at Paul Bocuse’s L’Abbaye de Collonges, near Lyon.

6. AMSTERDAM TO BUCHAREST RIVER CRUISE -- NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, AUSTRIA, ROMANIA

If gin is a spirit that moves you, the European Sojourn tour, offered by Viking River Cruises, will delight you. As you ride along the lazy river in Amsterdam, you will be treated to some jenever tastings.

Jenever, also known as Dutch gin, is the juniper-flavored national and traditional liquor of the Netherlands and Belgium, from which gin evolved. Flights, from jonge jenever, with its more subtle juniper and malt flavors, to oude jenever, with its more whiskey-like woody-smoky flavors, are served in traditional tulip-shaped glasses filled to the brim.

As you cruise through Austria, the chef leads a strudel class. And by the time you reach Bucharest, you’ll be ready for some Ţuica, the plum brandy that has been traditionally produced in Romania for centuries.

7. PRIDE MOUNTAIN VINEYARD RIDES -- NAPA, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

Take a drive to the Pride Mountain Vineyard, where the grapes grow on 83 acres high atop the Mayacamas Mountains, so they are bathed in sunlight, from dawn til dusk, while it offers desireable cooler temperatures. The altitude also keeps the vines above the morning fog that shrouds other Sonoma and Napa Valley vineyards.

Their newest wine tour, the Summit Experience, will take you from their caves to their winery production area, to their elegantly furnished formal tasting salon, where you can taste both current and limited release wines. Or take a ride, on horseback through the vineyards. It’s especially lovely during their Harvest Festival.

8. CHERRY WOOD VINEYARD RIDES -- WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES

Ride on horseback or hay wagon through the beautiful sun-soaked vineyards surrounding Cherry Wood, a bed and breakfast barn, set in the middle of the best Washington State wine country. You will stop for tastings at select wineries, with a stop for a picnic lunch at one of them.

Cherry Wood horses are all rescue animals, making your ride that much more beautiful. Cherry Wood Vineyard Rides are definitely worth a spot on your Beautiful Rides bucket list.

9. THE WINE CARRIAGE RIDES -- SONOMA, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

The Wine Carriage offers positively magical horse-drawn carriage rides throughout California’s Sonoma Wine County. This magnificent 5-mile ride will stop for a wine cave tour, and tastings at three different boutique wineries.

With a coachman to enthrall you with stories of local history and the winemaking process, you’ll surely have a beautiful ride on a Wine Carriage tour.

10. VINEYARD TRAIL RIDES -- MILAGRO FARM VINEYARD. CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

Vineyard Trail Rides, in Milagro Farm Vineyards and Winery, in San Diego, offers truly amazing horseback vineyard tours. Founder Sabrina Fortyune is an equine expert. She works with breeds ranging from arabians to quarter horses.

Your horse will carry you through the rolling countryside of Milagro Farm Vineyard and Winery, where you’ll see beautiful sights such as oak trees, turtle-filled ponds, massive boulders, and wild turkeys roaming.

After the 1.5 hour ride, you’ll return to the ranch-style winery for views of the Ramona Valley and, of course, a delicious wine tasting.

Read more about Beautiful Rides, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including 10 New Books Deliver Beautiful Thrill Rides and The Wild Nature of Beautiful Rides Now.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

Image: Courtesy of Casa de Uco. Horseback Riding in the Vineyards in Mendoza, Argentina.
Image: by Sonia Barboza. Wine Touring on Bikes in Mendoza, Argentina.
Image: Courtesy of American Cruise Lines. Wine Cruise on the Columbia River, United States.
Image: Courtesy of Viking River Cruises. Wine Cruise on the Douro River, Portugal.
Image: Courtesy of Avalon. River Cruise on the Danube River.
Image: by Vincent Brassine. Cruising on the Pont d’Avignon. Pont d’Avignon, France.
Image: Courtesy of Viking River Cruises. River Cruise on Amsterdam River, Netherlands.
Image: Courtesy of Hooghoudt. Jenever tasting.
Image: Courtesy of Pride Mountain Vineyard. Foggy Valley in Napa, California, United States.
Image: Courtesy of Pride Mountain Vineyard. Horseback Tour in Napa, California, United States.
Image: Courtesy of Cherry Wood. Horseback Tour in Zillah, Washington, United States.
Image: Courtesy of The Wine Carriage. Horseback Tour in Sonoma, California, United States.
Image: Courtesy of Vineyard Trail Rides. Horse Tour in San Diego, California, United States.
Image: by Marcel Musil. Port of Caix. Caix, France.
Image: Courtesy of Pride Mountain Vineyard. Vineyard in Napa, California, United States.
Image: Courtesy of BeautifulNow. BN App.
Image: Courtesy of Pride Mountain Vineyard. Wine Glasses in Napa, California, United States.