Great wine should speak of the region from which it hails. Hence classic white Burgundy retains that lean, minerally feel of its terroir, while Australian Shiraz is as bold, fleshy and muscular as its native red soil -- and its grape pickers.
Moreover, a wine is often a microcosm of its national character. Think Gallic charm versus Aussie brawn. That is also the case at wine festivals around the world, which give would-be connoisseurs a glimpse of the region's nature, both human and viticultural, as well as the stuff in the glass.
Canadians offer up their humble ice wine in sub-zero temperatures on pretty, snow-lined streets. Californians lavish guests with huge, overpriced, surgically-enhanced Chardonnays in spectacular surroundings. And the Spanish give thanks to the patron saint of the vine before dousing each other in Rioja and quaffing it with freshly sourced bull's meat.
While not all of the following would merit a dedicated trip by even the most avid of oenophiles, they are worth taking in if you're planning a drive along the wine routes.
1. France
It's a sign of the times that France has fallen behind other countries when it comes to celebrating its oenological heritage. Most French events are restrained affairs, somewhat typical of their tendency to uphold wine as a cultural emblem rather than a conduit to merriment. Bordeaux's bi-annual Fete le Vin partly bucks the trend, with nightly live music in the Place des Quinconces, lined with stalls of local producers, who open up their doors to visitors all week.
-- First week of July, 2006, free, details at
www.bordeaux-fete-le-vin.com and www.bordeaux-tourisme.com.
2. Italy
The Palio of Piedmont is a fearsome horse race dating back to 1275 featuring rival riders from the neighboring towns of Asti and Alba. For the previous two weeks, producers from the two towns compete with their rich, dense barberas at the Douja d'Or (Jug of Gold) festival, where visitors sample the latest vintage amid medieval music and pageantry. The event no longer attracts the region's highest quality tenutase found at the more understated Vinum tasting in Alba in April. But what it lacks in quality it makes up for in spectacle, with the Palio itself preceded by a procession of 1,200 gymnasts, jugglers, horsemen and flag-bearers, all in medieval regalia.
-- Sept. 18, free, details at Italian Tourist Board (www.enit.it).
-- Vinum 2005, April 23 to April 25, May 1, details at www.gowinet.it/vinum2005.
3. Spain
Rioja -- land of steep hills, rolling plains and golden stone villages. And wine battles. Every June in Haro, locals congregate at the Bilibio Ridge to pay homage to San Juan, San Pedro and the Virgin of Valvanera before doing battle with red wine, distributed free of charge by the city council, on their way along the 15km route back into the town. You won't be spared as a spectator, so you may as well join in.
The Logrono harvest festival is a similarly high-spirited affair, though this time with bulls running riot through the town, plus grape treading, dancing, float parades and plenty of local food and wine.
-- June 29 and Sept. 21, free, details from Wines from Spain (www.larioja.org/turismo).
4. Germany
Most German festivals involve huge processions of themed floats dispensing wine some way removed from the dreaded Liebfraumilch. At their head are the prospective Wine Queens, daughters of local producers who are judged on wine knowledge and "presentational ability," before one is chosen to act as an ambassador for the region the following year. "It's not a beauty pageant, but they all seem to be quite attractive," says a spokesperson.
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