River cruise wine guides
The best wine river cruises in Europe
Curated by Michele Edington, Certified Sommelier
A wine river cruise threads through Europe's vineyards instead of just its cities, docking where the grapes actually grow. Every route runs through its own wine world — Riesling on the Rhine and Mosel, Bordeaux on the Gironde, Port on the Douro, Syrah and Grenache on the Rhône, Grüner Veltliner and Tokaji on the Danube. Compare the routes below, then open a guide — your own personal sommelier for the trip, with the grapes, regions, and best wine stops on each route.
| River | Countries | Key wine regions | Signature grapes | Wine stops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gironde, Dordogne & Garonne (Bordeaux region) | France | Bordeaux (city), Sauternes & Barsac, Entre-deux-Mers | Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot | 8 |
| Rhone & Saone | France | Cote Chalonnaise, Maconnais, Beaujolais | Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Aligoté | 8 |
| Danube | Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary | Wachau Valley, Kremstal & Kamptal, Vienna (Wiener Gemischter Satz) | Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Neuburger | 7 |
| Rhine | Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland | Mittelrhein (Rhine Gorge), Rheingau, Rheinhessen & Pfalz | Riesling, Müller-Thurgau / Rivaner, Weißburgunder / Pinot Blanc | 7 |
| Moselle | Germany and Luxembourg | Mosel, Luxembourg Moselle | Riesling, Müller-Thurgau / Rivaner, Elbling | 6 |
| Douro | Portugal and Spain | Douro Valley | Rabigato, Touriga Nacional, Viosinho | 5 |
| Elbe | Czechia and Germany | Bohemia (Melnik & Litomerice), Saxony (Sachsen), Saale-Unstrut | Muller-Thurgau, Rulandske modre (Pinot Noir), Riesling (Ryzlink rýnský) | 5 |
| Main | Germany | Rheingau, Franken (Franconia) | Riesling, Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir, Weißburgunder / Pinot Blanc | 3 |
| Seine | France | Champagne | Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier | 1 |
Gironde, Dordogne & Garonne (Bordeaux region) river cruise
8 wine stops · Bordeaux (city), Sauternes & Barsac and Entre-deux-Mers
Rhone & Saone river cruise
8 wine stops · Cote Chalonnaise, Maconnais and Beaujolais
Danube river cruise
7 wine stops · Wachau Valley, Kremstal & Kamptal and Vienna (Wiener Gemischter Satz)
Rhine river cruise
7 wine stops · Mittelrhein (Rhine Gorge), Rheingau and Rheinhessen & Pfalz
Moselle river cruise
6 wine stops · Mosel and Luxembourg Moselle
Douro river cruise
5 wine stops · Douro Valley
Elbe river cruise
5 wine stops · Bohemia (Melnik & Litomerice), Saxony (Sachsen) and Saale-Unstrut
Main river cruise
3 wine stops · Rheingau and Franken (Franconia)
Seine river cruise
1 wine stops · Champagne
Common questions
- Which is the best wine river cruise in Europe?
- Every major route has a specialty: the Rhine and Mosel for Riesling, the Gironde for Bordeaux's Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the Douro for Port, the Rhône for Syrah and Grenache, and the Danube for Grüner Veltliner and Hungarian Tokaji. The best route depends on the wines you want to taste.
- What is a wine river cruise?
- A wine river cruise follows one of Europe's rivers by ship, with excursions built around vineyards, tastings, and wine regions instead of typical sightseeing alone. The wine changes with the water: Riesling on the Rhine and Mosel, Bordeaux blends on the Gironde, Port on the Douro, Syrah and Grenache on the Rhône, and Grüner Veltliner and Tokaji on the Danube.
- What wine regions do European river cruises pass through?
- Across these routes you'll cruise past Bordeaux (city), Sauternes & Barsac, Entre-deux-Mers, Saint-Emilion / Pomerol (Libourne), Cotes de Bordeaux (Blaye, Bourg), Medoc (Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estephe), Cote Chalonnaise and Maconnais, among others.