CONTACT US  & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We are a small, family-run company, not a booking platform. Richard Hewitt — sommelier, author and professor — hosts the journeys himself, and we have spent years building direct friendships with the winemakers, hoteliers and chefs who receive us. You travel with people who know the door to knock on, not with a coach full of strangers.

Intimate. We travel by private microbus, sit together at one table, and stay in characterful smaller hotels. That size is what allows family cellars to welcome us properly and lets us change plans on the day when something better presents itself.

No. Our guests range from curious beginners to seasoned collectors. Richard explains each wine in the context of the place, the soil and the family who made it, so you learn naturally and never feel tested.

Tours are hosted in English. Richard also speaks Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese and Greek, which is how we open doors in villages where English is not spoken.

Portugal, Spain and Italy are our home ground, with regular journeys through the Douro, Alentejo, Rioja, Navarra, the Basque Country, Catalonia and Tuscany. We also design bespoke journeys further afield on request.

Start with Explore the Tours to read the day-by-day itineraries, then check Travel Dates for the departures currently open. Every tour page has a downloadable PDF itinerary so you can sit with it properly before deciding. If nothing quite fits, write to us and we will suggest a route.

Yes. Published itineraries are a guideline of what a journey looks like, not a fixed list. On escorted departures we adapt as the week unfolds; on private journeys we build the route around you from scratch.

We do. Private parties, anniversaries, milestone birthdays, wine clubs and corporate groups all travel with us on dates of their choosing. Tell us the region, the dates and roughly what you want the week to feel like, and we will draft an itinerary for you.

Yes. If you prefer to drive yourself, we design the route, book the cellars, hotels and tables, and hand you a full roadbook with introductions, so you are expected everywhere you arrive.

You will normally have a first outline within a few days of your enquiry. More complex journeys, or ones needing a call to align dates and tastes, may take a little longer.

Spring and autumn are the classic seasons — mild weather, open cellars and, in September, the harvest. Summer suits the Atlantic coast and the mountains, and winter is quiet, generous and ideal for private journeys.

Choose a departure on Travel Dates, then complete the reservation form. Your place is held once the deposit is received and we confirm by email. Until then your request is a hold, not a confirmed booking.

We confirm your reservation in writing, secure your rooms and cellar visits with our partners, and stay in touch as the departure approaches. Closer to travel you receive a full roadbook with times, addresses, packing notes and practical details, along with our numbers for the road.

Because each departure is costed on the hotels, cellars and tables it actually uses, and private journeys are priced individually. Write to us or send a reservation request and we will send full rates and what they include by email.

Deposits are taken by card through Stripe — Visa, Mastercard, American Express and most debit cards. Bank transfer can be arranged for the balance; just ask.

The balance is due before departure, on the date given in your confirmation. Full payment terms are set out in our Terms & Conditions.

Always. You will receive an acknowledgement when your request arrives and a separate written confirmation once the deposit is processed and your place is secured. Please check both before making travel arrangements.

Contact us directly by email or phone — changes and cancellations are never made through the website alone. Refunds follow the cancellation policy in our Terms & Conditions, so please read it before you book.

Yes. Extra nights, airport transfers, private tastings, restaurant bookings before or after the tour — tell us what you would like and we will arrange it.

Accommodation throughout, daily breakfast, most lunches and dinners with wine, private transport, entrance fees, cellar visits and tastings, local guides and Richard's hosting from start to finish.

International airfare, travel insurance, personal purchases and wine shipping, and the occasional meal left free so you can wander on your own.

Solo travellers are warmly welcomed and are a regular part of our tables. Single rooms are available on request, and we can sometimes arrange a shared room instead.

Moderate. Expect cobbled village streets, cellar stairs, vineyard paths and a few hillside towns. Comfortable shoes matter more than fitness, but do tell us in advance if walking is difficult and we will adapt.

Usually, yes. Tell us about allergies, vegetarian or other requirements when you book and we will brief the kitchens ahead of time. Some very restrictive diets are harder in rural family restaurants, so let us discuss it early.

Yes, and most guests do. Cellars we visit are used to arranging shipping, and Richard will advise on what is worth carrying and what is better sent.

We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance covering cancellation, medical care and baggage. It is not included in the tour price.

We would love to hear from you, warmly or critically. Email us your thoughts and photographs — we often feature guest stories and pictures in the Journal and on our social pages, always with your permission.

Most do. Familiar faces are the point of what we build, and returning guests are usually the first to hear when new departures open.

Write to Vinotourspt@gmail.com or call us directly. We are a small company, so your message reaches Richard or someone who was on the road with you, not a call centre.