Ask Lonely Planet: Wine-lovers' options on tap

A typical fromagerie visited on one of the culinary exploration trips offered in Burgundy, France. Photo / Supplied

In August my partner and I will be travelling between northeast Spain and Holland. We're aware we'll be travelling through some well-known wine-producing areas and are interested in spending a few nights in one or two places en route. Can you suggest a couple of places to base ourselves and some contacts for short tours?
Margaret Nash

If you're sticking to the eastern regions of France on your way up to the Netherlands, you'll pass through the greatest wine region in all of France, Bordeaux, and then through the Loire Valley.

If you are passing more or less through the middle of France via Lyon and Dijon, you will experience the wines of the Rhone region and Burgundy, and finally the dizzying Champagne. Either way, when leaving northeastern Spain you will be able to taste the wines of the Languedoc, France's most productive wine-growing region, making up to 40 per cent of the country's wine.

Bordeaux produces more fine wine than any other region in the world. The region's foremost wine-growing areas are Medoc, Pomerol, St-Emilion and Graves.

Bordeaux makes a great place to stay. There are some great museums, chic boutiques, lovely architecture, plenty of parks and gardens and, of course, some excellent restaurants.

The tourist office runs many wine tours and chateaux visits; day trips cost from $110 to $170 and include wine tastings and lunch. For DIY touring, pick up a free wine map from the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux.

If you're looking for something exuding quaint medieval magic, then St-Emilion, with its intricate web of cobblestone laneways, churches and bell towers, would make a good base. Check out the Au Logis des Remparts (email, logis-des-remparts@saint-emilion.org) or the Hostellerie de Plaisance.

The Loire region is France's third-largest wine producing area, although these days people come here to visit the many astonishing chateaux and lodges. Tours and Bois make convenient and pleasant stopovers. Vineyards stretch out along the Loire around Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire. Although neither village is particularly handsome, this area offers ample opportunity to buy and taste wine. Visit the Vouvray tourist office for more information.

If you find yourselves in the Rhone Valley, you're in for a treat. Not only are there some lovely light reds to be enjoyed, but the focus of the region, Lyon, is the gastronomic capital of France. It's a lively and fascinating city and you'll want to spend at least a few days here. You can visit hilly Beaujolais, 50km northwest of Lyon, a land of streams, granite peaks, pastures and forests. For details on wine cellars here, contact the Beaujeu tourist office or the tourist office in Lyon.

The two focal towns of the Champagne region are Reims (Taittinger, Mumm, Pommery) and Epernay (Moet & Chandon, De Castellane, Mercier). With a car, you can travel the Champagne Route on your own as it weaves its way among neatly tended vines covering the slopes between small villages. All the major champagne houses offer interesting guided tours followed by a tasting. Go to their websites for more information.

Ways to see South America
My partner and I are planning a trip to South America in November for 10 weeks. We're flying into Buenos Aires, planning to travel in Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, and, time permitting, Chile. What is the best way to travel between each country? We also want to do an Amazon tour or make our way through Brazil on boat. Is that possible and where is the best place to start?
Romana Satalic

Bus transport is well-developed on the continent, but road conditions, bus quality and driving skills vary widely. Highland Bolivia and Peru and the Brazilian Amazon have some of the worst roads. At the other extreme, you'll find excellent roads and luxurious coaches to take you around the rest of Brazil, Chile and even the main routes in Bolivia.

Air travel is preferred by many long-distance travellers, but there's a catch: airports are often far from city centres and not easily reached by bus; high taxes make this way of getting around very expensive and planes rarely depart on time. Having said that, the major routes between larger cities are more dependable and more frequently serviced.

Rivers still perform the function of highways throughout much of Amazonia, with passenger-carrying vessels of many shapes and sizes putt-putting up and down the many rivers and creeks. Riverboat trips are a uniquely Amazonian experience, offering a slow pace and the opportunity to sleep in hammocks and watch the river, forest and local life glide by. For most people a few days is enough; anything longer can be tedious, with day after day of the same food, the same scenery and the same drunken banter from fellow travellers.

Some boats have camarotes (cabins) and suites with air-conditioning and private bathrooms. If that sounds incongruously luxurious, buy yourselves some hammocks, some rope to hang them and a sheet or light sleeping bag. Most boats have three decks. The top deck is for hanging out, while the middle and lower decks are for hammocks. Three simple meals a day served buffet-style are included in the fare. You can also order cheap hot sandwiches at the kitchen on the upper deck. Bring your own fruit, nuts, chocolate and a few litres of water.

In Brazil, popular river trips are Belem to Manaus or Manaus to Tabatinga, and many points in between. The two-day trip from Belem to Monte Alegre costs around $120/$160 for hammock/cabin, while the five-day trip to Manaus costs about $200/$280. Day tours from Belem cost $20 to $65 and are available from Amazon Star Turismo.

From the boat terminal in Manaus, there are boats going downstream to Belem, stopping in Itacoatiara, Parintins, Santarem and Monte Alegre. Up the Rio Solimoes, boats call at Tefe, Benjamin Constant and Tabatinga. AJATO in Manaus operates comfortable speedboats upstream to a number of places, costing around $140 for the 14-hour trip to Tefe and $280 for the 36-hour trip to Tabatinga.

As part of your planning, be sure to read the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade's travel advisories for the countries you're planning to visit at safetravel.govt.nz.