Food and Drink Wine 10 Under-the-radar Wine Regions to Explore This Year, According to Travel Experts You've checked Tuscany, Burgundy, and Napa off the list. Time to consider one of these lesser-known wine regions. By Liz Cantrell Liz Cantrell Liz Cantrell is an associate editor at Travel + Leisure. She edits stories with a focus on outdoor and adventure travel, as well as Canada, Northern Europe, and the Southeastern U.S. She also helps edit the T+L A-List of top travel advisors. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on June 25, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email If you've already sipped your way through Bordeaux, Tuscany, and Napa, and are ready to take your wine vacation to a new level, you'll need to go off the beaten path. Even seasoned travelers may not know about the cider-producing pockets of Sweden, or the rolling vineyards of Texas Hill Country. So, we asked Travel + Leisure's A-List of top travel advisors for their recommendations of lesser-known wine regions that deliver stunning views and delicious pours — with almost no crowds. AIZAR RALDES/AFP via Getty Images Southern Bolivia "I love sending wine buffs to Tarija, Bolivia, and the surrounding villages in the foothills of the Andes, along the flanks of the deep red Cinti canyon. This region is responsible for 80% of the country's wine and is known to locals as 'Bolivian Andalusia,' with a Mediterranean-style climate of sunny, warm days and cool nights. Bolivian wines have been described as wild, fruity, and easy to drink, and are slowly breaking into the international scene. It is a unique style that is not French, nor New World, and not your typical icon wines of South America. Some of the vineyards are more than 300 years old and still have original vine stock from the 17th century." — Thomas Robinson, Dehouche Israel "Israel — yes, Israel — has come of age as a wine region. After all, the locals have been producing wine here for over 5,000 years. In the mountainous northern regions of Golan and Galilee, I suggest the Pelter and Chateau Golan wineries, and I like Castel and Clos de Gat in the Judean Hills. Even in the Negev Desert, people grow grapes in the ancient style. Nana and Carmai Avdat vineyards have exquisite wines." — Joe Yudin, Touring Israel JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images Skåne County, Sweden "The coastal county of Skåne, in southeast Sweden, has beautiful white sand beaches and is very popular with Swedes as a summer getaway. It's also emerging as a center for wine and cider production because of its bounty of orchards. Try a tasting at Kiviks Musteri." — Melissa Lee, Royal Travel Elgin, South Africa "The Elgin region of South Africa's famed wine country is a bit off the popular track and has a different ecosystem. It is higher in elevation, colder, closer to the coast, and the soil is more gravely. So you get very different wines and varietals. The Pinots are great and the Sauvignon Blancs very crisp. It is definitely worth the detour!" — Cherri Briggs, Explore Africa Mariah Tyler Texas Hill Country "As a resident of the Texas Hill Country, I have to brag and say that the wine country west of Austin and north of San Antonio now produces more wine annually than Sonoma County in California. And some of these Texas wines are very, very good now." — Keith Waldon, Departure Lounge Sussex, England "English sparkling wine is becoming more popular than Champagne from France. Many of our clients enjoy learning about the intricate traditional method of making English sparkling wine at places like Coolhurst Vineyard in West Sussex." — Nicola Butler, Noteworthy UK Lou Cathenaut/Getty Images Jura and Alsace, France "Every major wine region in France has a lesser-known part. In Burgundy, head to the north of the region for some exceptional whites on the Côtes d'Auxerre at under $10 a bottle. In the Loire, if you enjoy Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, then try some of the exceptional offerings from nearby Mentou-Salon or Reuilly. Other off-the-radar regions include Jura, east of Burgundy, and the Alsace, which amazes me every time I go tasting there." — Philip Haslett, Kairos Travel Ningxia Hui, China "China is in the midst of its wine revolution and the unlikely northern Ningxia Hui autonomous region is at the helm. It's mostly dry and desert-like, and has been economically underdeveloped. But the wineries opened up by entrepreneurs in recent years are not only changing the region's economic image, but also image as a tourist destination." — Mei Zhang, Wild China Getty Images Charlottesville, Virginia "Charlottesville is becoming the new Napa. Flanked by a triangle of fabulous restaurants — the classic Inn at Little Washington, the recently renovated Kewsick Hall, and the always incredible Pippin Hill — it's the perfect escape for a long weekend of indulgent meals and wine tasting. Look out for this region!" — Jack Ezon, Embark Beyond Mafraq, Jordan "Though much of the country does not drink, Jordan has a tradition of winemaking going back to ancient times. The first modern vineyard in the country, Haddad Estates & Vineyards, recently launched tours a few years ago." — Crisney Lane, Mosaic Safaris Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit