Many of the river cruises that Fred. offers have a theme that ties all of the destinations together and serves as the main purpose for the holiday. For example, there is the ‘Castles Along The Rhine’ trip which, you’ve guessed it, takes cruisers on a tour of the many different castles situated on the bank of the river Rhine. There are also chocolate themed cruises, Christmas cruises and, the subject of this particular blog post, wine themed cruises.

Europe is home to some of the best wine regions in the world, and so whether you like full-bodied reds or fresh, light whites there is a tipple to tickle everyone’s fancy. Here are some of the best wine regions on the continent and the European river cruises that can take you there.

Douro Valley –

The Douro Valley, and in particular Porto, has been famous for its fortified wine for hundreds of years but also has some brilliant reds, whites and rosés to show off. The Douro River runs for over 500 miles as it twists its way through the Iberian countries of Portugal and Spain, and the variety of scenery offered at the side of your vessel is fantastic. From lively and modern cities such as Porto and Gaia to the rolling hills that are littered with vineyards, or Quintas, as they are known to the locals.

There are sure to be plenty of chances to taste some of the region’s many distinct varieties of port, and you may even discover some new favourite wines to add to your collection. A Douro river cruise is the best way to discover this region.

Mosel –

The Mosel wine region is arguably the most well-known and prestigious of all thirteen German districts. This area is renowned the world over for beautifully crafted white wines with Riesling being the most prevalent of all the grape varieties used. The iconic long-neck and green colour helps the bottles to stand out on the shelves and the low levels of alcohol that are often used make these wines accessible to a wider audience of drinkers.

Unsurprisingly, the best way to sample a taste of this region is on a Mosel river cruise. These trips will take you through the German towns of Koblenz and Cochem before heading into Luxembourg. They are often combined with trips along the Rhine to offer a long and more detailed cruise of the area.

Rhone Valley –

France has vineyards situated all over its rolling hills and valleys and is famous for many different types of wine. From the most infamous sparkling wine in the world, Champagne, to the classic Bordeaux region where many of the most expensive reds are produced and sold; there is no shortage of wine country here.

And on the subject of reds, the Rhone Valley has an abundance of fruity favourites in the form of Cotes du Rhone wines that are steadily growing in popularity. Containing large quantities of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre; wines of this kind are usually dark in colour and feature a whole bunch of rich flavours.

Choosing a Rhone river cruise will allow you to enjoy the breath-taking French countryside whilst also stopping at picturesque towns like Arles, Avignon and Tournus to sample a wine that is finding its way onto our tables more and more and that has come a long way since the early days when it was considered to be a basic choice.

Fred. has many wine inspired river cruises that will allow you to try some of the best vineyard productions in Europe. If you would love to wind your way through any of these wine regions, just give us a call on the number at the top of your page or enquire online today.