Wine Travel
Explore luxury wine travel through curated editorial by Jamie Knee, founder of Petite Wine Traveler and a leading voice in wine travel and enotourism. This collection of wine travel articles highlights destinations such as Napa Valley, Santa Barbara wine country, France, Italy, and beyond, with insider access to winemakers, vineyard experiences, and luxury hospitality. Each story connects wine, culture, and place, offering a thoughtful perspective on global wine travel for readers seeking depth, beauty, and meaning in every destination.
Discover Croatia’s coastal wine treasures along the Adriatic — from Pošip and Plavac Mali to Malvazija in Istria, with wine travel writer Jamie Knee.
Celebrate Easter at San Ysidro Ranch, where pastel florals, gourmet cuisine and storybook gardens transform springtime into a luxurious holiday experience. From house-baked pastries and sparkling mimosas to lobster Benedict, artisan desserts and charming lawn festivities, this Montecito treasure hosts a brunch as magical as the season itself.
Discover Ospi Montecito, a stylish California-Italian restaurant where house-made pasta, thin-crust pizza and Southern Italian wines meet coastal sophistication. From crispy provolone with Calabrian chili honey to perfectly executed rigatoni alla vodka, this new dining destination brings bold flavor and refined ease to the heart of the American Riviera.
Pinot Noir is more than a fall favorite. From coastal vineyards in Santa Barbara to the cool hills of Burgundy and Oregon, this expressive varietal shines year-round with bright acidity, silky texture and food-friendly elegance. Discover why its versatility, seasonality and sense of place make Pinot Noir the red worth pouring in every season.
Step into Palm Springs, where mid-century glamour meets desert sunshine, poolside leisure and modern design culture. From Modernism Week’s stylish celebrations to retro cocktails, mountain views and boutique escapes, this vibrant destination delivers timeless charm and effortless cool. Discover why this desert oasis keeps calling me back, season after season.
Experience one of California’s most meaningful wine events, where philanthropic spirit meets world-class winemaking. The Santa Barbara Wine Auction brings top vintners, collectors, chefs and community leaders together for an unforgettable evening of generosity, culinary brilliance and outstanding wines. A celebration that proves passion for wine can truly make a difference.
Explore the vineyards that define Santa Barbara’s cool-climate excellence, from sunlit hillsides to fog-kissed valleys where pinot noir and chardonnay thrive. This journey uncovers the region’s most iconic estates, immersive tasting experiences, and the coastal terroir that continues to captivate wine lovers around the world. A scenic escape into one of California’s most exciting wine destinations.
BY JAMIE KNEE | AUGUST 20, 2024 Sip and Savor: Summer Delights in Montecito Montecito is a coastal escape where cocktails, wine, and casual elegance meet. As a Montecito/ Santa Barbara–based luxury wine travel writer, I love highlighting the places that make our community shine, from seasonal celebrations like the San Ysidro Ranch Easter…
BY JAMIE KNEE If you’re considering a Bordeaux Wine Tour, look no further. Here, we delve into the rich history and exquisite flavours that make this region a must-visit for wine enthusiasts. I just returned from hosting an enchanting Bordeaux Wine Tour river cruise. I am brimming with stories and memories. This famed wine regionreveis…
BY JAMIE KNEE | JULY 16, 2024 Why Santa Barbara White Wines Shine in Summer Sunshine, sandals, and sipping something cool – that’s the ultimate summer trifecta, right? As your proud Santa Barbara wine expert and self-proclaimed white wine enthusiast, I’m here to declare this the summer of white wine! Forget the stuffiness of…
Enotourism · Luxury Travel · Cultural Experiences By Jamie Knee, Petite Wine Traveler Forget everything you thought you knew about wine tourism. The world’s most sophisticated travelers aren’t just visiting vineyards anymore, they’re using wine as a portal to culture, place, and meaning. And the brands, tourism boards, and luxury hospitality groups that understand this…
Why Europe’s pink wines still set the mood, and why California’s Central Coast belongs in the conversation By Jamie Knee If rosé is still the it girl of the season, it is because spring gives her the perfect stage. Spring arrives in color and light. Gardens bloom. Afternoons soften. The table begins to move outdoors…
Selected for The Forum by Forbes Travel Guide By Jamie Knee I’m honored to share that I have been selected for The Forum by Forbes Travel Guide, a new global speakers bureau created for thought leaders in service, culture, and performance across hospitality and beyond. Forbes Travel Guide announced the launch of The Forum at…
Wine Travel Writer, Wine Presenter, and Global Media Voice By Jamie Knee Enotourism has become one of the most compelling expressions of modern travel, and it is gaining attention for its unique approach. At its most beautiful, it is not simply about tasting wine. It is about stepping into a landscape and understanding how culture,…
Why Italy’s elegant culture of early evening drinks, small bites, and lingering conversation feels like the perfect expression of wine as a passport By Jamie Knee I have long loved aperitivo. It is one of my favorite rituals when traveling in Italy, that lovely pause in the late afternoon or early evening when a glass…
What Building a Wine Travel Website Taught Me About Owning a Platform, Growing a Brand, and Creating a Home for Storytelling By Jamie Knee When I first started Petite Wine Traveler, I was not trying to build noise. I was trying to build meaning. I had been traveling through wine regions, meeting winemakers, discovering cultures…
How the Future of Wine Tourism Depends on Human Connection, Welcoming Experiences, and Access at Every Level By Jamie Knee, Petite Wine Traveler Lately, I keep returning to one very clear idea: wine travel is at its best when it feels accessible, social, and deeply human. Some of the most meaningful wine experiences are not…
What Global Wine Regions Taught Me About Belonging, Storytelling, and the Power of Travel By Jamie Knee Wine travel is often discussed as a luxury, a leisure pursuit, or a beautiful way to spend time. It can certainly be all of those things. But at its most meaningful, wine travel is something deeper. It is…
By Jamie Knee The Meaning Behind a Wine Travel Awards Nomination Wine has always been about more than what’s in the glass. For me, it has always been about place, people, and the feeling that stays with you long after the experience ends. That’s why recognition in wine travel carries a different kind of meaning.…
A Luxury Wine Travel Guide to the Balearic Islands By Jamie KneeLuxury Wine Travel Writer | Petite Wine Traveler | Global Wine Communicator Just off Spain’s eastern coast, floating in the Mediterranean, the Balearic Islands have long captured the imagination. Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza each belong to Spain, yet each carries its own rhythm, its…