People have been aware for millennia that drinking wine is a pleasurable experience, and oenophiles are not shy about travelling far and wide to sample the very best wines straight from the world’s top vineyards.
Stretching across rolling hills or hidden in the country, the most scenic wineries are scattered from Argentina to New Zealand and South Africa to Spain and offer exciting experiences for those looking to learn more about wine, taste the produce and enjoy some picturesque views as they visit the vines.
Wine also has social and cultural components that unite wine lovers for group adventures and other unique experiences. If you’re looking for your next adventure and have a fondness for wine then read on to learn all about eight of the top wineries you can visit across the world.
Chard Farm Winery, New Zealand
New Zealand bristles with wineries that could contend for the best on the planet, and the family-run Chard Farm stands out for several reasons. Spread across five vineyards in Central Otago, the only New Zealand region with a continental climate, Chard Farm’s location could appeal even to teetotallers. Under the watch of towering mountains, the family-run business is snuggled into a dramatic valley, and it’s also the approach that captures attention.
“Rather than entering wine competitions, we like to chase the interesting instead of the special,” the owners say. It’s an idea corroborated by the conspicuous stone architecture, the in-depth knowledge of the surroundings, and the involvement of the Otago community. Tourists are just as welcome as locals to taste exquisite Pinot Noir from 12 to 5pm every day. In short, the 20-km drive from Queensland is well worth it.
Chateau Montelena, California, USA
Wineries like Chateau Montelena have been the benchmark for the rest of the world ever since the fabled Judgement of Paris blind tasting competition. A contest that happened in 1976 was when European judges unwittingly rated California wines as superior to French wines, unintentionally globalising the wine industry.
Framed by a private lake, Chateau Montelena is one of the oldest and most scenic wineries in the Napa Valley. Apart from the tastings and cellar door sales, the brains behind Chateau Montelena also offer tours in and around the Gothic wine castle.
Marques de Riscal, Spain
Housed in a futuristically shaped building designed by luminary architect Frank O. Gehry, Marques de Riscal is a visual delight. A hotel, function centre and winery in one, the eccentric structure deftly blends mid-19th-century style in the cellar with 21st-century avant-garde in the Michelin-starred restaurant.
Hand on heart, Marques de Riscal brims with distractions, yet, its wines have won many medals in the heart of Spain’s Rioja Alavesa region. Few were surprised when Marques de Riscal won Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Best European Winery award in 2013.
Chаteau Tamagne, Russia
There’s something truly unique about the award-winning ‘quiet wines’ and sparkling grape varieties of Kuban-Vino. It’s one of the largest wineries in Russia, producing under the trademarks Chаteau Tamagne, ARISTOV, Vysoky Bereg and Kuban-Vino. You see, each bottle embodies many years of experience, skill and talent of the Krasnodar winemakers, particularly along the fertile Taman Peninsula.
Establishing new vineyards has been a priority, aimed at the revival and development of the vinery, according to Aleksandr Kretov, entrepreneur, keen oenologist and managing shareholder of Ariant Group. “Currently, there are about 27,000 hectares of vineyards in the region. Recent renovations of the vineyards are almost complete – unproductive plantations have been uprooted and new high-efficiency, in-demand grape varieties have been planted,” says Kretov.
The Krasnodar region has become a mecca for wine tourism, and Chateau Tamagne Oenology Center offers tours and tastings among the picturesque vineyards that stretch along the shores of the seas and estuaries. Visitors can absorb exciting stories about winemaking in this unique wine region as they hold conversations with Kuban-Vino’s wine growers and winemakers.
Holden Manz Wine Estate, South Africa
South Africa has produced high-quality wines since the 1650s, yet it was only recently that it made waves on a global scale. While the Huguenots introduced French winemaking to South Africa’s Franschhoek Valley, it was the locals’ creativity and resourcefulness that contributed to the area’s success.
Besides the red grape juice, a trip to a winery like Holden Manz almost begs travellers to explore the outdoors of Africa, beckoning with sceneries like Stellenbosch, Overberg, and Constantia.
Klus 177, Switzerland
“Our work isn’t just our job, but also our passion,” says Irene and Antoine Kaufmann. Since 2017, the Swiss couple has been helming the French estate in the picturesque and historic ‘Klus,’ as the Swiss term it – a ravine in Aesch, near Basel, close to Germany.
Committed to sustainability and respect for nature, they ushered in a new era, introducing an organic and the first biodynamic winery in the region. More than a marketing cliché, Irene and Antoine ‘live awareness for nature’ in everyday life in the vineyard, cellar, and catering for the employees.
In a bid to create a more liveable place for future generations, they grow traditional as well as new grape varietals, use selected, legume-based seeds instead of fertilisers, and strengthen plants with infusions of nettle and horsetail herb extracts. The commitment is mirrored in the cellar, where slow pressing of whole bunches and spontaneous fermentation for wines emphasising terroir happens. “We’re convinced only nature-friendly viticulture results in great wine quality,” explains Irene and Antoine.
Dominio Del Plata, Argentina
Located at arguably the highest altitude of top wineries worldwide, Dominio Del Plata sits in Argentina’s Mendoza region at an average of 1,150 metres above sea level. Warm days with plenty of sunshine and cool nights allow Malbec and Bonarda grapes to mature and gradually develop ripe and concentrated flavours.
Argentina is the fifth-largest wine producer in the world. Although its output has long since caught up to its quality, it still draws considerably fewer tourists to its wineries than other major producers. Those who visit are rewarded with exceptional hospitality in this emerging powerhouse, much like people who visit South Africa for wine.
Best known for its Malbec, a Bordeaux varietal brought to Argentina from France in the mid-19th century, Mendoza’s Dominio Del Plata is the crown of Argentina’s wine nation.
PB Valley Estate, Thailand
Situated on the edge of the Khao Yai National Park, some 150 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, PB Valley Estate captures the finest of the region in its bottles. “Red wine grapes like Shiraz, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and white wine grapes like Chenin Blanc and Colombard are the main varieties on our grounds,” the owners say. “They grow once a year, only during the cool and dry season. Thus, pruning happens in late September and early October.”
Harvesting lasts from late January to mid-March. However fresh the table grapes are, seedless maroons originally from Australia grow all year round in a protected area of the estate. “We offer guided tours of the vineyards, including the protected area that makes for enchanting pictures,” the owners add.
While it’s slightly cooler at the birthplace of the Khao Yai wine region compared with Bangkok, people can visit throughout the year. The tours take place across dragon fruit and passion fruit orchards, as well as the tasting of Berton Vineyard Metal Label, Sauvignon Blanc 2021, PB Valley and Geoff Hardy Red Meritage 2018, and PB Khao Yai Reserve Shiraz 2015 at the education centre. It’s a worthwhile reward for the two-hour drive from Thailand’s capital, Bangkok.
