Many years before fine wine became truly global in the mid-1990s, savvy buyers would often buy more than they intended to drink, selling the excess at a later date to fund new purchases.

In today's market, as the global demand and consumption of the World's finest wines increases, there is opportunity to build a collection of wines to provide a financial return over the longer term.

Before you invest, head to some of the world's best wine regions to do your research -- and sample a glass or two.

Bordeaux Prestige Tour, France

A list of wine tours could never be complete without a nod towards France, considered by many to be the home of wine, and this is one of the most exclusive trips on this particular index.

While many other holidays will look to add more into the mix, with sightseeing and cooking running alongside wine tasting, this one prides itself on being all about the grape.

Taking place in May and June, and with only three trips per year, places are hard to come by, but those partaking in luxury travel to the south of France can enjoy seeing the harvest of the likes of Médoc or Château d'Yquem, grapes which are responsible for production of some of the finest sweet white wines in the world.

Vintage Spain, Spain

While the French trip may be all about the wine, one holiday that will offer something very different can be taken across Spain.

The Vintage Spain vacation will allow visitors to partake in wine tasting at a range of the most important regions in the nation, including the likes of Rioja and Ribera del Duero.

The beauty of this tour comes in the fact that there is no solid itinerary, with stops being coupled with visits to museums, local restaurants and even the homes of those making the wine to allow visitors the chance to be taken in by the culture surrounding the drink.

A Taste of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia

At $750 per person per day, this is one of the most expensive wine tours around, and visitors are treated to a bespoke list of things to do, manufactured to meet their needs.

Highlights will include the chance to enjoy visits to a truly wide range of vineyards, including the likes of Clarendon Hills in Blewitt Springs, d'Arenberg in McLaren Vale, Wendouree in Clare Valley and Henschke, in the Barossa, producer of the critically acclaimed Hill of Grace Shiraz.

And the unique element of this trip will also be evident in the chance to enjoy a biplane flight to reach the remote Coonawarra and taste barrel samples of Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the most celebrated wines in the entire country.

Arblaster & Clarke, Austria and Croatia

While many wine trips will take you to Tuscany and the south of France, the chance to enjoy something off the beaten track can allow you to discover an undiscovered gem in the wine world.

The trips provided by Arblaster & Clarke offer the chance to visit the likes of Austria and Croatia, which are growing in popularity, but are yet to be discovered by all but the most discerning oenophiles.

With culinary outings and tasting sessions at the Austrian Wine Academy, as well as a talk from master wine maker Heidi Schrock, these trips can provide something truly different from that expected elsewhere.

Zephyr Adventures, South Africa and USA

While most wine tours offer the chance to travel between a range of vineyards in any region, none will offer an experience as unique as that found with Zephyr Adventures.

When enjoying a luxury city break in San Francisco, visitors can make the short trip to try one of these specialised vacations in Oregon on the US Pacific coast, for example.

Not for the unfit, an adventure such as this will require guests to partake in a cycle and hike each day to find some of the finest grapes around and sample some wonderful boutique wines.