By Isabel Kershner SDE BOKER, Israel — Say “wine tasting,” and the words immediately conjure images of verdant hills in Napa Valley or Tuscany. What they don’t bring to mind: the desert.

Spain’s arid Almería province has captured international acclaim after a locally-produced rosé wine secured recognition among the world’s finest at the renowned Brussels World Wine Competition 2025.

The buds had just broken in the high-desert vineyards — a lush start to my early May road trip through Arizona’s wine country. Friends had been skeptical when I mentioned my latest assignment.

A desert. I’m not joking ... the Okanagan lakes can look like Lake Como or Lake Garda in Italy. But with better wine – and cacti. A good place to get a sense of the Okanagan is the tremendous ...