The Best Wine Regions You Don’t Know About Yet

There’s something special about tasting a wine while looking out on the very fields where those grapes were grown, soaking up the terroir that produced the distinctive aromas and flavors. Sure, you can do this in Tuscany or Napa—but what I love most is when a WOW List expert turns me on to wine country I didn’t know existed, with unusual varietals I can’t find back home.

That’s what happened when I visited the Azores (Portugal’s mid-Atlantic island paradise) and found vineyards on Pico Island that look like nothing I’d seen before. The low rock walls protect the plants from wind and saltwater spray, and the indigenous Verdelho grape blends tropical fruit notes with a mineral kick from the volcanic soil. It was, very literally, a delicious taste of the Azores.

Our Insider’s Guides for countries and regions around the world often highlight such viticultural finds. Check out the ten surprises below, from bubbles cultivated in northern Italy to a vineyard in the heart of Paris.

In Moravian Wine Country, a Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups

Where Alpine Lakes Irrigate Franciacorta Grapevines

This Spanish Town Holds the Key to the World’s Best Sherry

Search Out Hungary’s Family-Owned Vineyards and Wine Cellars

Paris Has a Secret Vineyard, Right in the Heart of the City

Beyond Sicily's Beautiful Beaches, Its Wineries Beckon

Meet Winemakers Along Croatia's Coastline and Islands

Discover Excellent Values in Chile's Wine Country

Bring Home Austrian Wines Not Exported to the U.S.

An Expert Can Lead You to Lesser-Known Wine Regions in Provence