I wanna be a billionaire so F.... bad...

[TheEngineer]

So I've seen many posts on if you were a billionaire, what wines,....etc,.... so don't worry, this is not one of them...

Also too many stories of how to make a small fortune on wine,...start with a large,..etc,... so again, not this one.

But I am a food porn type of guy and I do watch food network and travel channel (I wish I was with Anthony Bourdain in this italian travels....). I've been watching too many tv shows showing vineyard life. No I don't want to work in a vineyard either but I do want to own a vineyard...perhaps not. okay, I want to live near vineyards. Have access to them and be able to enjoy life as well.

Where did this all start? I can't believe it but I'm already starting to look for a "retirement/summer" home. I know that this is at least five years off but we need time to look at all these things. We've come down to a few places where we might be interested.

(1) South of France. Provence, near the coast from Marseille to Nice,... So you have all the great wines from Bandol, Aix, Cote du Liberon, etc,...

(2) Lake Como,...near Piedmont and all that is Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera's Dolcetto's, refreshing moscato's, etc,. shopping in Milan, and all that FOOD!!!!! I can see a big piece of LARDO now!!!

(3) South Italy, along the coast perhaps Puglia, (close to many wines including Campania (Taurasi), Basilicata (like the wines of La Firma) and what can beat southern Italy for weather.

(4) Outside Barcelona: omg I love Barcelona. and then we'd have the wines of Catalunya and Priorat. and then like most Spanish...I'd wish to own a vineyard too...

I'm sure there are others but these four regions are on the top of our list right now. I think (1) and (2) are really pricey and (3) and (4) are a bit more approachable......oh oh oh...gotta go, house hunters international is on.....

So what would be your dream area to move to unless you live in that dream right now in which case I'm totally jealous!

[hotwine]

For a vacation home: Italy, Italy and Italy. We've been talking about such a place that we could visit once each year and rent out for the remainder... nice dream. But in the meantime, we need to renovate the old ranch house, so that will probably receive priority.

[wondersofwine]

I might vote for Southern France but it does get HOT in the summer and air conditioning is not ubiquitous or always efficient. So a fall-to-spring retreat in southern France. Wouldn't mind a summer home in the Carinthian region of Austria on Lake Worthersee (I've had short visits there twice--once with my parents and once on my own.) Or a summer home in the Black Forest or along the Mosel in Germany would be nice.
Like you, I watch House Hunters International and the beautiful waters in the Caribbean are inviting (St. Thomas and other islands.)
http://www.austriatravel.co.uk/lakes-and-mountain-holidays/carinthia-lakes-and-mountains/

We stayed at Schloss Velden Hotel which has been renovated and reopened.

[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 08-24-2010).]

[winoweenie]

Having had enough bad encounters with the French, Italians, and Germans over the years count me as a dedicated USofA, no out-of-country resident. Make mine either Lake Tahoe or Carmel. Both shake my basement. WW
( Besides I understand the local vocabulary)

[This message has been edited by winoweenie (edited 08-24-2010).]

[wondersofwine]

WW, don't you vacation in Mexico regularly or is that on the California side of the border?

[winoweenie]

Rocky Pointe (Puerto Penasco) is commonally known as "The Arizona Coast)" but the question IIRC was where to retire and I sure as the blazes have no desire to retire in Mexico. Love going there for 3-5 days twice yearly but we prefer San Diego and Newport Beach. WW

[andrawes76]

Guys, wine country getaways, vacation homes for me...

Portugal - I REALLY want to buy out a Port producer there and have my own Oporto. Something small and ecclectic

Bordeaux - Either right bank producing Merlot or perhaps even producing Sauternes.

Chateauneuf du Pape - Probably the most underappreciated wine country in France. I would buy a small plot. Something small or charming.

Napa Valley - I would buy Freddy Constant's property at the top of Diamond Mountain and throw great parties up there. I would have an endless supply of Cabernet Franc to drink from...

[Kcwhippet]

I was kinda thinking of Ellensburg, WA. Look it up.

[hotwine]

KC, that looks a whole lot like a furrin country to me!

[winoweenie]

PW you could sneak down and swipe some grapes from Boots Lake Vineyard. WW

[Kcwhippet]

Very much domestic, HW. Got a lot going for it. On the other side of the mountains from all the rain. College town, so there's a lot going on for being in the boomies. In the middle of hay fields, hop fields, cherry orchards and vineyards - with a ton of wineries nearby. Big plus is the housing is way affordable. There's something even you would like there - the annual rodeo, which is a stop on the PRCA circuit.

[wondersofwine]

AARP magazine talks about retirement abroad and recommends Le Marche region of Italy as reasonably priced (first Tuscany prices inflated and now Umbria's prices have followed suit.)