NEW YORK, Jan 9 — Experts at Wine Enthusiast magazine have released their picks for the top 10 wine destinations of 2019, and the list includes a few unexpected places.

Alongside a few predictable, usual suspects — Beaujolais, France; Seattle, Washington and Maipo Valley, Chile — are destinations like Bangkok, Thailand and Tasmania, Australia.

Chosen by the magazine’s global editors, the destinations represent “the most exciting and comprehensive wine travel experience for savvy travellers.”

While best known for its exciting street food scene, in recent years Bangkok has also become one of the world’s most dynamic cities for inventive fine dining. One of the city’s best ambassadors of avant-garde cuisine is contemporary Indian restaurant Gaggan, which has topped Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking for the last four consecutive years.

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“We seek locales that offer world-class wines and wine-related experiences as well as unforgettable restaurants, hotels and cultural activities suited for the intrepid wine lover,” said executive editor Susan Kostrzewa in a press release.

“The list balances classic, famed regions with emerging, insider gems that have yet to be discovered.”

Wine Enthusiast’s 2019 Top 10 Wine Getaways include:

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Seattle, Washington

Maipo Valley, Chile

Lake Garda, Italy

Tasmania, Australia

Beaujolais, France

Temecula Valley, CA

Thessaloniki, Greece

Lisboa, Portugal

Lavaux, Switzerland

Bangkok, Thailand

The feature is in the February issue of the magazine out now. — AFP-Relaxnews