The top European wine regions for 2025 have been revealed, with Rioja in Spain named the best destination for a vineyard mini-break this summer.
Travel insurance experts at Quotezone.co.uk have analysed this surging travel trend and created the 2025 Vineyard Mini-Break index that ranks the top wine regions in Europe.
They looked at some of the most famous wine regions from across the continent including Rioja, Tuscany and Bordeaux – where couples and even hen parties are now exploring for beautiful and relaxing trips that offer a different experience, with quality food and drink.
The wine regions were ranked based on several factors that wine enthusiasts should consider when planning their trip, including the average costs for a winery tour, a bottle of wine, and a 3-star hotel stay.
The experts also analysed weather conditions and looked at the awards the regions have received for their vineyards and quality wines.
Rioja, the largest wine region in Spain, has been named the wine capital of Europe, boasting over 600 wineries and over 65,000 hectares of vineyards.
Rioja is a great destination for summer holidays, as it offers great weather conditions with warm temperatures and a low chance of rain.
Rioja also offers relatively low prices compared to other famous European wine regions, with an average winery tour priced at just over £19 and a bottle of wine costing an average of around £22.
Rioja’s wines are renowned worldwide, earning recognition in prestigious awards and top rankings last year, including the Decanter World Wine Awards and the World’s Best Vineyards.
Second in the ranking is the Piedmont wine region in Italy, best known for its Barolo and Barbaresco wines. With over 44,000 hectares of the region under vine, Piedmont makes up almost a fifth of Italy’s total wine exports.
Piedmont wines offer great value for money, with a bottle of wine costing £24.90 and a one-night stay for two adults in a 3-star hotel in the region starting from just £42.
In third place is Tuscany in Italy, known for its Sangiovese-based dry red wines and gorgeous landscapes.
Holidaymakers planning to visit Tuscany in August can expect sweltering temperatures, with 24.5 degrees on average, and with plenty of accommodation options available in the area, travellers can find a hotel room for just £40 a night.
Fourth in the ranking is Bordeaux in France, famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines.
Bordeaux is ranked highly in the Top 50 World’s Best Vineyards list, and 518 wines from the region were represented in last year’s Wine Decanter Awards. Tourists wanting to book a winery visit in Bordeaux can expect to pay an average of £15.
Also making the top five is Portugal’s Douro Valley wine region, boasting high temperatures, a low chance of rain and low-cost wines.
Following the top five are famous French wine regions Rhone Valley, Champagne and Burgundy, as well as Tokaj in Hungary.
Last in the ranking is the Mosel wine region in Germany, largely due to its lower temperatures and higher chance of rainfall, and slightly higher costs for accommodation, with 3-star hotel prices starting from £72.
Quotezone travel insurance expert Helen Rolph said: “Wine tourism is on the rise, and with many travellers looking to visit beautiful vineyards and wineries across Europe this year, we’ve created the 2025 Vineyard Mini-Break index to help holidaymakers decide which destinations offer the best value for the experience.
“We’ve ranked ten famous European wine regions based on several factors including weather conditions, the average costs for a bottle of wine, winery tour and accommodation, as well as the amount of awards and recognitions the regions received last year.
“Our index revealed that the Rioja wine region in Spain is the number one wine destination in Europe, which came as quite a surprise as it’s not as well-known as some of the other competitors including Bordeaux, Tuscany and Burgundy.
“Rioja offers great weather and is also well represented in different industry awards and rankings, all while offering premium-quality wines at a reasonable average price.
“Also among the top three were the Piedmont and Tuscany wine regions in Italy, both receiving excellent scores across all categories, making them ideal mini-break material.
“While some travellers choose which region to visit based on their wine preferences, if you’re keen for new experiences then this index is a handy guide for discovering new wines across Europe, and creating a great value mini-break with a difference.”
The full 2025 Vineyard Mini-Break index can be found here.
Quotezone can help travellers compare and find savings on all sorts of travel insurance, no matter where their summer adventures take them.
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