Travel differently: wine cruises and private tours through the world’s vineyards
For wine lovers, travel is no longer limited to traditional estate visits. Today, high-end experiences invite enthusiasts to discover the world’s greatest vineyards through wine cruises, private tours and ultra-personalised stays.
These exclusive journeys offer privileged access to estates rarely open to the public, confidential tastings and meetings with exceptional winemakers. They also inspire a new way of designing a custom wine cellar, conceived as an extension of these unique experiences.
Wine cruises: discovering vineyards along the water
Specialised cruises combine luxury, gastronomy and in-depth exploration of iconic wine regions.
Key destinations:- The Douro Valley: sculpted landscapes, prestigious port wines, cascading terraces
- Burgundy and the Saône Valley: Grand Crus, villages rich in history
- The Rhine Valley: outstanding Rieslings, family-run estates
- California: Napa and Sonoma viewed from the Pacific coastline
On board, travellers enjoy:
- masterclasses led by renowned sommeliers
- food and wine pairing dinners
- vertical tastings
- private visits to partner estates
These experiences inspire refined tasting areas within a design-driven wine cellar, where each bottle recalls a moment of the journey.
Private vineyard tours: the bespoke experience
Private tours offer full immersion in the world of wine, away from groups and classic tourist circuits.
Advantages:- access to estates usually closed to the public
- privileged meetings with winemakers, vineyard managers and cellar masters
- barrel tastings
- parcel-by-parcel exploration of terroirs
- private transfers — sometimes by helicopter for remote vineyards
These journeys often inspire the way a custom wine cellar is organised: by estate, by parcel, or by vintage — a personal map of discoveries.
Exclusive methods and rare cuvées: the traveller’s treasure
These experiences often provide access to:
- micro-cuvées
- limited editions
- rare formats (magnums, jeroboams)
- non-commercialised vintages
Such bottles deserve dedicated attention within a custom wine cellar:
- shelves adapted for large formats
- independent preservation zones
- special display for rare cuvées
- a space dedicated to wine-travel memories
The cellar becomes a true travel diary.
Gastronomic cruises: when Michelin-starred chefs join the vineyards
Some cruise lines combine exceptional wines with haute cuisine. Michelin-starred chefs come aboard to create menus inspired by the regions visited.
The experience includes:
- rare pairings
- vintage wines served in perfect conditions
- comparative tastings
- workshops exploring terroirs
This gastronomic staging inspires refined service areas in design wine cellars: tasting counters, precise lighting, dedicated zones for decanters and glassware.
Vineyards accessible only by sea: the ultimate exclusivity
Some regions reveal their full beauty only when approached by boat:
- cliffside vineyards in Italy (Cinque Terre)
- Greek vineyards on volcanic islands
- Madeira’s Atlantic-facing vineyards
- Chilean vineyards overlooking the Pacific
These wines — shaped by wind, salt, rock and light — naturally belong in a custom wine cellar dedicated to marine, volcanic or island wines.
Why these journeys influence custom wine-cellar design
Wine travellers often return with:
- rare wines
- special formats
- limited editions
- a strong emotional connection
- a clearer vision of the ideal organisation
This translates into cellar design through:
- thematic zones (travel wines, islands, altitude, sea)
- display cases for rare cuvées
- modular shelves for unique bottle shapes
- a tasting area inspired by estate salons
- design elements evoking visited places (light wood, stone, minerals, smoked glass)
The cellar becomes the natural extension of the journey.
Conclusion: travelling differently, collecting differently
Wine cruises and private tours offer rare immersion into the world’s most beautiful vineyards. These exclusive experiences enrich not only wine culture, but also the way enthusiasts organise and enjoy their cellar.
A custom wine cellar becomes an inspiring space — a place that tells stories of encounters, travels and tastings, a personal showcase for liquid memories.
