Top Lerwick Wine Tours: Reviews & Tastings in Shetland

You know, Lerwick might not be the first spot that springs to mind when you’re thinking about wine, is that right? Yet, this Shetland town is now developing a surprisingly pleasant scene for wine fans. Very few people link Shetland with wine, of course. Though distilleries are the norm, I mean a handful of adventurous spots actually feature wine tasting tours in this really gorgeous and historic place. So, if you’re up for trying something unexpected while enjoying the wild views of Shetland, I have curated a listing of the top five wine experiences close to Lerwick, as a matter of fact.

1. Shetland Distillery & Wine Experience

At first blush, a distillery tour that, like, includes wine tasting? That sounds a little bit odd, don’t you think? Yet, this unique combination has become popular up here. The Shetland Distillery provides trips that explore the craft of making gin and whisky, naturally, in fact it finishes with a classy wine tasting. You get the best of both, like your palate dances between strong spirits and sophisticated grape notes. After some people visit the distillery, so too it’s almost because they discover, surprisingly, that certain wineries are now contracting with local distilleries to make specialty wine from a few locally sourced ingredients.

Here, is that not great?, is a peek into what’s up: The trip begins by learning how Shetland Distillery does its thing, basically exploring what they make and also some of the traditions behind them. Following that, that tasting session is directed to a selection of wines very thoughtfully picked to contrast and go well with Shetland’s distinct flavors. That whole thing takes about two to three hours, yet is almost worth the cash in the event you’re someone that likes learning what makes Shetland distinctive. By the way, you could potentially expect to pay around £50 – £60 per person, which seems fairly average to be honest.

Why It’s Special: What makes it so different? Well, it’s this combination of local spirit-making along with wine tasting. The pairing of different alcohol sorts sets up a totally unique experience.

Read our full review: Shetland Distillery Full Review and Details

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2. The Dowry: Wine and Dine

Right in the heart of Lerwick, The Dowry isn’t strictly a wine-tour kind of deal, and yet they host some incredibly tasty wine-tasting nights which makes it pretty good. The spotlight here’s on matching amazing food with the wines and they often highlight wines from independent vineyards – those spots with really interesting stories. If that makes sense? In some respects, it’s kind of like having dinner, however there’s somebody who definitely knows their wines offering you comments about all the wine options in an effort that you get to enjoy any one you’re after!

Generally speaking, events can include things such as a tasting selection of artisan cheeses accompanied by specially chosen wines from European family-owned wineries. This sort of gig definitely appeals, I would assume, if you are trying to do something nice when you get some hours off from exploring and being outside a little. Really, it is a snug destination after spending a lot of time outdoors. A regular tasting session usually stretches about two hours. If this place can offer me cheese and also good wine, it’ll receive an easy one, for example.

Why It’s Great: This experience gives you quality pairings. A whole lot of thought went into deciding the right food to go along with all the different wine available.

Read our full review: The Dowry Lerwick Full Review and Details

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3. Shetland Food and Drink Trail: Wine Discovery

You know what might also grab you?, is that Shetland Food and Drink Trail has locations scattered all around the isles that give you more insight in relation to wine options. Such trips highlight several regional manufacturers of tasty treats and those offering various drinks. Very much focused upon exhibiting exactly how local vendors combine their traditions with food, the wine element comes into play when certain spots feature local food products coupled with different drinks such as wine. The ideal place to receive something authentic, would you say? So, they are focused much less on typical tours while highlighting some interesting food/drink options from Shetland!

This idea will give you flexibility because it can depend upon the actual producers included on any particular route, in fact many spots allow one to add wines which were very carefully picked by them to enhance any meal and any experience in general. Still, keep in mind there is quite a lot of room to be creative: I really think that, if you are to make arrangements ahead of your visit and speak directly to that producer, chances might be available to include things such as niche-specific requests. To be clear: You are very much at liberty to create an extremely memorable meal doing that.

Why This Rocks: Not to mention the immersion it gives into some native things of Shetland plus just how versatile that is!

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4. Private Wine Tasting at Braewick Cafe

Oh, this is really great!. So Braewick Cafe could be an extremely stunning location that sits high on Eshaness cliffs and looks over some water and rock formations down below, clearly there isn’t anywhere as breathtaking as that around the globe. Very few of them host traditional wine-tasting events as standard offerings to everybody coming up to the cafe – however they do in some cases accommodate customized intimate wine events suited just perfectly when trying that fancy private gathering thing with close friends, or maybe to have something intimate with your spouse. Very many wine fans I know of, come to that place quite regularly.

Usually those tastings, that are a bit, set some amount of premium wines side by side against locally sourced cuisine, like that of the fresh seafood so very commonly spotted across Shetland’s eating places. By the way, that’s something you shouldn’t sleep on! As a matter of fact, that kind of personal setup helps to make wine introductions very much a one-on-one deal between individuals together inside that cozy setting of Braewick. At the end of the day, because such engagements typically need planning in advance, that could very well make yours unforgettable indeed as everything might center just precisely over all tastes of all attending. So, if your objective lies towards creating those personalized luxurious affairs then explore some options about picking Braewick up next year!

Why We Rate It: You should check out the unique opportunity given it is customized around Shetland’s wild side.

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5. Lerwick Hotel Wine and Dine Evenings

You know what?, is that Lerwick Hotel, probably its city’s prime spots as lodging plus cuisine for most people out there that can be within range, is basically conducting those regular vino/dinner type get togethers directed straight at combining delicious dinner plans paired against very wonderful wine collections. Anyway, one good reason I recommend going for spots along these lines often, boils primarily from how those make evenings out somewhat educational while remaining both pleasant as something just to be done with acquaintances!. Very different wines appear next throughout those various servings – one being specifically meant alongside exactly whatever plate comes when each is presented appropriately together with some detailed commentary explaining which ones you’re trying currently alongside insight related primarily with vineyards origins of what you had just drunk recently.

In other words, Lerwick Hotel seems great by trying what suits those evenings right given where some can experience great pairings that really lift things off given where both eating and taking wines can begin, usually in fact by the local stuff from the islands that can then go from beyond places further over too much that helps expand all people looking into trying wines throughout places around these shores also, it becomes important realizing too, that this thing could often easily take two solid time for people who actually attempt those from that place anyway. Ultimately make room across evenings across their time and see specifically why many like yourself definitely enjoy these greatly, for example?

Why That’s Beneficial: In some respects that this kind combines schooling during such amazing food!

Read our full review: Lerwick Hotel Full Review and Details

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Read our full review: Lerwick Wine Tours and Tastings Full Review and Details