From Chile to New Zealand, from Australia to South Africa, the regions offering wine connoisseurs a chance to sample the proverbial nectar are numerous and diverse. That said, it would be most unwise to ignore the Mediterranean’s wine regions when it comes to experiencing the pleasures wine tasting has to offer.

Vouching for one such region are Ingmar Spiteri and his girlfriend Marica Barbara who, by virtue of a few connections, found themselves touring Italy’s Valpolicella region in the Venetian province of Verona and sampling its rich, liquid bounty. Known as The Valley of Many Cellars, this viticultural zone ranks second only to Chianti when it comes to Italian DOC wine production.

The only question is, why did they choose Valpolicella out of the various Mediterranean wine regions?

“While attending a wine bar open day,” recounts Ingmar “we met a friend who works for a local Maltese company which imports wine from Speri Viticoltori in Valpolicella. Coincidentally, Marica and I were going to Veneto the following week and so, knowing how fond of wine we both are, he offered to organise a visit to the winery for us.”

Realising the opportunity, Ingmar and Marica accepted the offer – a split-second decision which begot no regrets.

“While travelling towards the winery, we saw a large amount of vineyards,” says Ingmar. “It was wonderful. We received a very warm welcome upon arrival and were also treated to a small tour of the place.”

The winery was a hive of activity at the time, something which neither Ingmar nor Marica failed to notice.

“Since they export a lot of wine,” says Marica, “even to countries as far away as the United States and Australia, workers were darting all around us while preparing a number of boxes for transportation. It was impressive.”

Nodding his agreement, Ingmar adds that a number of workers were focused on making the necessary preparations for a wine festival which was due to take place the following week.

Being a family-run business steeped in tradition, the Speri Viticoltori winery is understandably a source of great pride for the family. As a result, the tours which they organise tend to benefit from a more personal touch than those organised by corporate wineries.

“Since everything had been arranged from beforehand,” says Ingmar, “we benefited from a private tour and were lucky enough to meet the owner. They took us to the canteen, which houses an impressive number of enormous wine barrels. Towards the end, they even invited us to taste the various wines they produce.”

Ingmar tells me how Speri Viticoltori specialises in a particularly rich wine known as Amarone della Valpolicella, which is the region’s top wine. “They also produce a Ripasso,” he continues, “and we were given the chance to taste both wines. It was a wonderful experience.”

“When the tour was over,” adds Marica, “they invited us to buy some of their wine. Let’s face it, you cannot refrain from buying once you are there.”

Would they recommend Valpolicella to their fellow wine connoisseurs as an ideal wine tasting region?

“Definitely,” says Ingmar, “especially since they hold various wine festivals and fairs. People from around the world visit the region during such events specifically to taste the wine produced there.”

While Valpolicella is undoubtedly an ideal location for a wine tasting experience, it is far from being the only one which the Mediterranean has to offer.

In Spain’s southern region of Andalucía are three cities popular for the production of sherry – Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María. Together, these three cities form what is referred to as the Sherry Triangle, as Joseph Herbert and his wife Josianne tell me.

“Josianne and I went for a holiday to Seville, Spain, during the New Year period with a few friends,” says Joseph. “While there, I wanted to go for a wine tasting experience and chose Sandeman – one of the world’s top wine producers – in the Sherry Triangle.”

With the confidence of the knowledgeable man that he is, Joseph tells me how, contrary to Maltese perception, sherry is a fortified wine and not an apéritif. And make no mistake – questioning his knowledge in such matters would be foolish as this wine lover is learned enough in wine culture to have achieved a Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certificate.

“The production of sherry is a process which kicks-off with the typical fermentation phase associated with wine production. Following that, the wine is fortified through a two-fold distillation process,” says Joseph.

Similarly to Ingmar and Marica in Italy’s Valpolicella, Joseph and Josianne were treated to the fabulous views offered by the stretch of vineyards on their way to the winery. However, the actual experience itself was of a slightly different nature, though no less enjoyable.

“Due to the producer’s corporate nature,” says Joseph, “the winery’s tours do not benefit from a personalised nature. You find yourself in a group of 25 to 30 people and must wait for the previous tour to end before you are allowed to start yours.”

The visit itself consisted of a guided tour around the factory, during which the winery’s history was told, together with some information on the region and the grapes used in the sherry’s production. The tour’s end involved a wine tasting session followed by a sales pitch.

“What the tour did not incorporate,” admits Joseph, “were the vineyards themselves. Rather, it concentrated on the production and was therefore limited to the factory. However, this was to be expected and it was a pleasant experience nonetheless.”

Does this mean that they would recommend Spain’s Sherry Triangle to other Maltese wine enthusiasts as an ideal location in which to experience the pleasures of wine tasting?

“Definitely,” says Joseph, “especially since sherry in Malta is not as appreciated as much as it deserves to be.”