It is one thing to buy wines from the local supermarket or wine boutique and savor them at home. Or for wine aficionados, to attend tastings, rub shoulders with other like-minded folks or even start your own wine cellar at home. But for the true oenophiles, nothing beats the experience of visiting the vineyards of your favorite wines, and tasting them at their source.

"For most people, it's a feel-good experience," says Milton Wee, who manages a wine boutique. "Many wineries, particularly in the States and Australia, have special arrangements with local tour agencies to bring in tourists.

"The wines that are served out are easy-drinking ones that come at a nominal fee. And the entire experience is wrapped up with a sumptuous meal. So visitors come away with a lasting impression of that winery."

However, for wine aficionados who appreciate something more adventurous, staying away from commercial tours and planning your own itinerary might reap handsome rewards.

"From my own experience, I wanted to visit all those wineries from which I've been drinking wine and reading about in books, just to see what the place is all about," Milton says.

The next question to ask is, of course, which region to visit. It may be tempting to plonk for the Old World regions in Europe like Bordeaux, Tuscany or Bilbao-Rioja, which are steeped in viticultural history. But in recent years, the United States, Australia and New Zealand have risen to prominence as top wine destinations.

In the next few pages, we take you on an exciting sojourn through some of the most captivating wine regions in Australia.