The 2021 World’s Best Vineyards revealed its Top 50 during a hybrid event Germany on Monday, 20 September 2021.
South Africa managed three spots on this prestigious global Top 50 list in 2021. Hemel-en-Aarde’s Creation Wines claimed the No. 10 spot — the highest entry ever for a South African vineyard (‘Estate’ might be more accurate …). Delaire Graff ranked no. 30 (down from number 14 in 2020) and a new Cape Winelands entry, Klein Constantia, took the 44th spot.
Vineyards at Creation.
Creation won *Best Vineyard in Africa*, an incredible achievement for owners Caroline and Jean-Claude Martin who jumped from no. 45 in 2019 into the top 10 this year.
The achievement is a culmination of the owners’ goal-driven vision and focus over the past couple of years, especially showing some serious innovation during the pandemic. Where others became despondent, Caroline and JC instead, faced the challenges head-on.
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- Creation co-owner Jean-Claude (JC) Martin.
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- Creation co-owner Carolyn Martin.
Zuccardi Valle de Uco has been voted the World’s Best Vineyard and Best Vineyard in South America for
the third year running.
World’s Best Vineyards unveiled the very best wine tourism destinations across the globe in a ceremony that took place at Schloss Johannisberg, Rheingau, Germany. The countdown of the Top 50 vineyards was announced in a hybrid event combining a real-life ceremony and digital live film to showcase the world’s best and most unique vineyards.
Argentina’s Zuccardi Valle de Uco topped the list, making it a hat trick of celebrations for the Andean winery. The stunning Bodegas de los Herederos del Marques de Riscal in Spain’s Rioja region took second place, and was closely followed by Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux, France. The 2021 Top 50 vineyards represent 16 countries and includes first-time entrants onto the list from Lebanon and Russia.
Karam Wines, Lebanon, won the 2021 Asia Continent Winner and the highest new entry.
The World’s Best Vineyards list aims to highlight the sheer diversity across both established and emerging wine tourism destinations and the list is voted by the Academy of 600 global wine and travel experts. This year saw 10 new destinations in the Top 50 with Karam Wines in Lebanon becoming the highest new entry and reaching number 14 in the list. There are two new Russian entries from the Krasnodar region with Sikory Winery famous for its rocky clay soil entering the list for the first time at number 20 and the Lefkadia Valley hitting number 23.
In the opening speech of the ceremony, Andrew Reed, managing director of wine and exhibitions at William Reed, highlighted that, “Wine tourism is hugely important to the global economy and local economies, creating jobs directly at the wineries but also encouraging visitors to the area and the associated revenue which that generates.
This is more important than ever with the recent global situation, and we know that by shining the light on wine tourism as we do with the World’s Best Vineyards the message gets out to more people to come and discover the uniqueness of wine and where it is made.”
Steffen Schindler, this year’s partner from Wines of Germany commented “We’d like to thank the organisers and the masterminds behind these awards for raising awareness of wine tourism worldwide and in Germany, of course. Wine tourism has become a very important economic pillar for many of our wine estates, and we know that the most loyal customers are those that have come to our estates and our wine regions in person.”
2021 Top 50 results:
1. Zuccardi Valle de Uco | Argentina
2. Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal | Spain
3. Château Margaux | France
4. Bodega Garzón | Uruguay
5. Montes | Chile
6. Antinori nel Chianti Classico | Italy
7. Catena Zapata | Argentina
8. VIK Winery | Chile
9. González Byass – Bodegas Tio Pepe | Spain
10. Creation | South Africa
11. Craggy Range | New Zealand
12. Château Smith Haut Lafitte | France
13. Champagne Taittinger | France
14. Karam Wines | Lebanon
15. Rippon | New Zealand
16. Quinta do Crasto | Portugal
17. Clos Apalta | Chile
18. Trapiche | Argentina
19. Quinta da Aveleda | Portugal
20. Sikory Winery | Russia
21. Chateau Oumsiyat | Lebanon
22. Domäne Wachau | Austria
23. Lefkadia Valley | Russia
24. El Enemigo Wines | Argentina
25. Henschke | Australia
26. Familia Torres – Pacs del Penedès | Spain
27. Soalheiro | Portugal
28. Viña Santa Rita | Chile
29. Quinta do Noval | Portugal
30. Delaire Graff Estate | South Africa
31. d’Arenberg | Australia
32. Abadía Retuertav | Spain
33. Château Mercian Mariko Winery | Japan
34. Schloss Johannisberg | Germany
35. Bodega Colomé | Argentina
36. Château Mouton Rothschild | France
37. Penfolds Magill Estate | Australia
38. Quinta do Bomfim | Portugal
39. Château Héritage | Lebanon
40. Robert Mondavi Winery | United States
41. Viña Casas del Bosque | Chile
42. SuperUco | Argentina
43. Bodegas RE | Chile
44. Klein Constantia Winery | South Africa
45. Viu Manent | Chile
46. Weingut Dr. Loosen | Germany
47. Ridge Vineyards – Monte Bello | United States
48. Château Cana | Lebanon
49. Quinta do Vallado | Portugal
50. Quinta do Infantado | Portugal
The first-ever Top 51-100 vineyards list can also be found here and on social @worldsbestvineyards on Facebook and Instagram and @wbestvineyards on Twitter.
