Wine and cocktails – the ultimate showdown. Both can be strong or sweet, exotic or fruity, dry or full-bodied. When it comes to choosing one over the other, wine has always had an advantage. When you are travelling to different cities around the world, you can notice how these drinks are actually tightly connected to the location, and thus when you mention France, Spain, or Italy in terms of drinks, you immediately think of wine. Not cocktails. The reason is – wine is the symbol of love, happiness, friendship, and it is even related to the oldest religions of humanity. Moreover, wine is being produced in these countries and is the core of wine tourism that is very popular all around the world.
Visiting different cities means meeting their culture, and enjoying their dishes and drinks. How would you know what to try when you visit certain European cities? Should you go for the best wine choices or some extraordinarily delicious cocktails? One of the wine trends popular in 2022 is getting introduced to earth-friendly and organic wines that are being proudly produced in these countries. So, should you choose wine over cocktails? Yes, and here are five more reasons why, especially when visiting these European cities.
From Paris with Passion and Love
If you intend to visit Paris soon, you make a wonderful choice. One of the most famous European cities with a vast history, mixed cultures, fantastic tourist attractions, and many museums you will enjoy visiting.
The reason why wine is a better choice than cocktails while enjoying this beautiful city is that Paris is a place that is a symbol for wine of any kind. Wine experts still consider France to be producing the best wines globally; therefore, it would be a shame not to try some wines when in the city of love and passion.
But there is another reason as well. You can enjoy any beverage, but when in Paris, drinking wine is also a way to connect with the culture where some of the best artists ever used to drink reds like Picasso, Van Gogh, Modigliani, Matisse, Cézanne, and many more.
And when it comes to reds, Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf Du Pape Tradition 2016 comes from the famous Rhone wine region, and it is a perfect blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Grenache grapes. This fantastic wine will most certainly take your breath away while enjoying this romantic city.
Palermo Has It All
When you think of Italian cities, you first think of Rome, Milan, etc. This is logical since these cities are some of the most popular destinations you should visit.
But, one place that has it all together; history, tourist attractions, museums, beautiful architecture, and much more, is Palermo. Also, Palermo is not as nearly crowded as the cities mentioned above. It may not have the artistic history like other Italian cities, but it has the spirit of Sicily and breathtaking nature.
And the reason why you should choose wine over cocktails is because Palermo is a mix of love and hatred, a mix of passion and blood, which wine also symbolizes. It has an enormous history, and it would be obnoxious not to try some wine in such a city. We all remember Sicilians drinking wine in the ‘’ The Godfather’’, and cooking with red wine. By the way, Francis Ford Coppola also has a winery and has been producing wine for years.
And when it comes to Sicilian wines, a great choice is to try the COS Cerasuolo Di Vittoria 2017, made from 60% Nero d’Avola, 40% of Frappato grapes, and 100% of Italian love.
Sparkle Your Energy In Madrid
We all know that Madrid also has a vast history with impressive architecture and all other benefits of visiting it because of the art and beautiful restaurants one can enjoy. Still, another reason why Madrid is a wonderful city is that it’s predominantly sunny.
And yes, you can say that cocktails pair well with such weather, which is true, but this climate pairs even better with some sparkling wine. The reason is simple; cocktails will drain your energy because of high alcohol percentages, and you won’t be able to travel and therefore see all the beauties that Madrid offers.
On the other hand, with a sparkling refreshing wine like the Artadi Izar-Leku Brut 2016, you will sparkle your energy and enjoy the sun. Also, Madrid offers outstanding cuisine, and wine is a much better match for food than cocktails anyway. Since there are so many beautiful restaurants, you can enjoy some local food with this sparkling wine while enjoying the sunshine that caresses your skin.
Dubrovnik, Seafood, and… White Wine
A city where Toni Kukoc and Michael Jordan sometimes go on vacation, a place where the top-rated production of Game of Thrones used to film, Dubrovnik will charm you with its sea, beaches, sunshine, tourist attractions, and delicious seafood.
And when it comes to such amazing local seafood recipes, a cocktail would most certainly be a mistake. You will be amazed by the local food in Dubrovnik, which mainly pairs only with wine. Also, there is no point in visiting such an amazing city without trying their local food masterpieces, especially the seafood, which pairs perfectly with white wine.
And since you are in Croatia, why not try some Croatian wine, even better wine from the Dalmatia region, where Dubrovnik is settled. A perfect choice would be the Grgic Posip 2018 since the Posip grapes are authentic to the Dalmatia region, near the island of Korcula. This white wine will make your dinner even more delicious, and you will have the whole Dubrovnik experience.
Enjoy the Slowness of Coimbra
Last but not least, Coimbra is a city near the Atlantic Ocean, and all aspects mentioned above all together apply to this wonderful city as well. From history to art, and everything in between.
Therefore, such a place deserves to be enjoyed with a glass of white wine while enjoying the views of the enormous ocean waves connecting with the sand of their beautiful beaches.
A perfect choice would be to try the Wine & Soul Guru 2019 since Coimbra will provide you with soul-warming experiences; also, Portugal is a place where everything is slow and enjoyable, and people don’t want to rush anywhere. This wine is made from a perfect mix of Codega, Gouvelho, Rabigato, and Viosinho grapes. Such an atmosphere pairs a lot better with this white wine than with electrifying cocktails.
