Petite Wine Traveler

09/30/2026

09/25/2026

I’m excited to share that I’ll be speaking at Sonoma County Tourism’s Annual Meeting on October 1, leading a conversation around one of the ideas at the heart of my work: W**e as a Passport.

For me, w**e tourism is about so much more than tasting. It is about creating meaningful connections to place, people, culture and hospitality, and giving travelers a reason to stay longer, savor more deeply and return again.

I’m looking forward to sharing ideas with Sonoma County’s tourism community and learning from the many voices helping shape the future of travel in the region. See you in Sonoma County.

https://www.sonomacounty.com/partners/annual-meeting/

**eTourism **eTravel **eAsAPassport **eTraveler **epresenter **espeaker

Join Sonoma County Tourism as it looks back on an unforgettable year and forward to a purposeful and bright future at its annual meeting.

09/23/2026

Join me in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand 🇳🇿 🍷✈️

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand with .repost
・・・
Are you a w**e professional passionate about the industry?
Join us for Knowledge Day at the Great W**e Capitals Annual Conference in Hawke’s Bay, 18–22 October 2026. This year’s theme, ‘Social Terroir: Breaking New Ground’, explores how global expectations, culture, and innovation are reshaping the industry.

This is a unique opportunity to join delegates from the 10 Great W**e Capitals of the world, sharing global knowledge and perspectives on issues the w**e industry is facing, while hearing from respected industry experts.

Keynote speakers include Dr John Barker, Director General of the International Organisation of Vine and W**e (OIV) and Jamie Knee, ( Jamie Knee-PetiteW**eTraveler™ ) an award-winning w**e travel writer.

Tickets are selling fast!
Register now at the link in bio Hawke's Bay, New Zealand for keynote insights, panel discussions and networking with global experts.


**ecapitals **etourism **e

09/20/2026

I came to Castilla y León this week for , but some of my favorite moments happened far from the awards stage. 🍷🇪🇸

They happened around tables, walking vineyards, tasting grapes straight from the vine, and reconnecting with w**e friends from Chile, Bordeaux, Portugal, Argentina, London and Georgia, plus friends from Riesling Camp in the Finger Lakes. Now that is a small w**e world. ❤️🥂

We explored Rueda and Ribera del Duero, tasting bright Verdejo, beautiful rosés and, of course, Tempranillo. I tasted Tempranillo, Muscat and Moscatel right from the vine, walked vineyards planted around 750 metres above sea level, and saw vines ranging from young plantings to some over 100 years old.

But once again, this week reminded me why I call it “W**e as a Passport.” W**e may open the door, but it is the people I meet on the other side who make me want to keep traveling.

Old friends, new friends, w**emakers, growers, long tables, shared bottles and conversations that somehow continue from one w**e region to the next. These are the moments I bring home, plus a nomination for Top World W**e Travel!! 🏆✈️🎉

**eTravel **eAsAPassport **e **eTraveler **etravelmedia

09/19/2026

I’m in Spain for the week for W**e Travel, and the Vinoinfluencers Awards vinoinfluencers.

I am excited that I was nominated as top W**e Travel Writer/ Presenter!! Very surprised and thrilled! Gracias Spain! 🥂🏆🎉

**etravel **eawards **etravelmedia

09/18/2026

I’m delighted to share that I’ll be joining the Great W**e Capitals Annual Conference in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand this October as a keynote speaker. Great W**e Capitals

This year’s theme, “Social Terroir: Breaking New Ground,” feels especially timely. My work has always been rooted in the belief that w**e is more than what is in the glass. It is a passport into people, place, culture, hospitality and the stories that make us want to travel.

I’m looking forward to contributing to this international conversation alongside w**e tourism leaders from around the world, and to sharing how thoughtful storytelling and a true sense of place can turn a w**e experience into a lasting connection with a destination. Get tickets here: https://www.gwchawkesbay26.com/knowledge-day

Hawke’s Bay, I cannot wait to see you. Hawke'sBay

**eCapitals **eTourism **eTravel **eAsAPassport **eTraveler W**eTravelMedia

09/15/2026

There is so much more to Piedmont than the w**es we already know by heart. 🥂🇮🇹

In Valdivilla, near Santo Stefano Belbo in the province of Cuneo, Cadgal is exploring a more ambitious side of Moscato d’Asti, one shaped by old vines, limestone rich soils, marine sediments and a desire to show that Moscato can possess complexity, personality and even remarkable ageing potential. CADGAL

That is what I love about w**e travel. A familiar grape suddenly tells you something completely new about a place.

A few notes from my tasting:

~Piemonte DOC Pinot Nero
Red cherry, cranberry and raspberry with gentle spice, bright acidity and fine tannins. Fresh, elegant and wonderfully food friendly.

~Moscato d’Asti Vigna Vecchia 2019
The fascinating one. Citrus, mint, sage and acacia honey, with a beautiful balance of sweetness and acidity. After bottling, Vigna Vecchia rests for 60 months in cases filled with sand, a remarkable approach that speaks to Cadgal’s belief in Moscato’s longevity.

~Moscato d’Asti Lumine 2025
Acacia, sage and rosemary followed by green apple, peach and apricot. Lively, aromatic and wonderfully fresh.

~Canelli Moscato Sant’Ilario 2024
Yellow peach, apricot, acacia and sage, with a more layered and refined expression of Moscato.

~Barbera d’Asti Mavi
Wild strawberry and ripe cherry, lifted by bright acidity and soft tannins. Juicy, energetic and immensely drinkable.

For me, this is exactly why w**e can be a passport. One w**ery, five bottles, and suddenly you are transported into the hills, soils, traditions and families of Piedmont. And perhaps the greatest surprise is Moscato itself. In the right hands, it has far more stories to tell.

**e **e **eTravel W**eAsAPassport W**eTravelMedia Piemonte LuxuryW**eTravel petitew**etraveler

09/03/2026

What does luxury w**e travel look like at 35,000 feet? ✈️🥂🍾

This week I flew to Dallas for a media exclusive with American Airlines American Airlines and had the chance to be among the first to experience its newly reimagined Boeing 777 300ER, featuring 70 Flagship Suite seats for long haul routes including London, Tokyo, São Paulo and Sydney.

As American celebrates its Centennial anniversary, the airline is looking toward its next chapter in global premium travel, and naturally, I was especially interested in what was happening around the table.

The onboard w**e program travels beautifully around the world, beginning with Ch*****ne Bollinger Special Cuvée, followed by Taub Chardonnay from Russian River Valley, Yealands Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley, Salentein Reserve Malbec from the Uco Valley and Maynard’s Fine Tawny Port from Portugal.

My meal included a beautifully presented starter and salad followed by salmon with potatoes, asparagus and roasted tomatoes, enjoyed in the privacy of the new Flagship Suite.

This is the side of airline hospitality I find fascinating. W**e, food, service, presentation and cabin design all shape how we experience a journey, particularly on a long haul flight. A thoughtful w**e list can introduce regions, create a sense of occasion and become part of an airline’s identity.

I also had the pleasure of speaking with American’s Chief Customer Officer, and SVP of Customer Experience and Design, about this next chapter of the American experience.

Luxury w**e travel does not have to wait until we land. Sometimes W**e as a Passport begins somewhere over the clouds, with Ch*****ne in the glass and another part of the world waiting at the other end.

Thank you, American Airlines, for including me in such a memorable first experience.

**eTravel **e **eTravelMedia **eAsAPassport LuxuryTravel GlobalW**ePresenter Petitew**etraveler

09/02/2026

What happens when you sit down in Wiesbaden with some of Germany’s most important vineyard sites in front of you and simply let the w**es speak? 🥂🇩🇪

I was invited to taste at the 2026 VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS® Sneak Preview in Wiesbaden, working my way through Riesling, Spätburgunder, Silvaner, Chardonnay, Lemberger and more from across Germany’s leading w**e regions.

I tasted and scored privately, taking notes on acidity, texture, structure, fruit, balance, mid palate and finish. But when I returned home and began looking at which w**es had consistently risen to the top, something far more interesting emerged.

Certain regions kept calling me back. Certain vineyards appeared more than once. My notes revealed some very clear preferences in my own palate, and following those w**es back to their origins took me through Mosel slate, Nahe sandstone, Rheingau loess and marl, Franken limestone and some wonderful pieces of German w**e history.

This is not meant to be a definitive list of Germany’s best w**es. It is Petite W**e Traveler’s Top 20 from the w**es I personally tasted, and the story of how I arrived there. For me, that is where w**e tasting becomes w**e travel.

I’d love to know which German w**e region is calling you right now.

You can find the story on my website Petitew**etraveler.com (W**e Travel Articles)
In today’s stories
Or at https://petitew**etraveler.com/best-german-w**es-2026-vdp-grosses-gewaechs/

**e **eTravel **eWriter PetiteW**eTraveler enotourism

09/02/2026

An important conversation shared from W**e Enthusiast about something we do not talk about nearly enough in the w**e industry: what does balance look like when tasting w**e is part of your profession?

One thing I think is often misunderstood outside the industry is that professional tasting is not the same as drinking w**e socially. Spitting is standard practice when I am judging, evaluating w**es or working through a serious tasting. But I also believe the responsibility extends well beyond the tasting table.

W**e travel can mean several consecutive days of w**ery visits, lunches, dinners, events and tastings. On those trips I make a conscious effort to eat well, stay active, exercise when I can and, perhaps most importantly, prioritize sleep. I also keep my actual alcohol consumption in moderation outside of professional tasting.

For me, longevity in this profession means taking the same thoughtful approach to my health that I bring to the w**es I taste. I want to keep traveling, learning, judging, writing and sharing the stories behind w**e for many years to come.

A thoughtful piece and a conversation worth having in our industry. 🍷

**etraveler **eenthusiast **etravel **etasting **einmoderation