Wine and tourism in the best wineries in the world – 07/15/2023 – Red or White

The result of the third edition of the World’s Best Vineyards list came out this week, which elects the 50 most interesting wineries in the world from the point of view of wine tourism. The idea is not to select the best wines, but the best experiences. Experiences that, of course, also include wine tasting (but only worth it if it’s in loco). This year, Catena Zapata, from Mendonça, Argentina, was the big winner. In second place, Bodegas de Los Herderos de Marqués de Riscal, in Rioja, Spain. In third, Vik, in the Cachapoal Valley, Chile. Next comes Creation, from South Africa; upset Smith Haut Laffitte of Bordeaux, France; Bodega Garzón, from Maldonado, Uruguay; Montes, from the Colchagua Valley, Chile; Schloss Johannisberg, from the Rheingau, Germany; to Salentein, from Uco Valley, Argentina, and El Enemigo, Mendonça, Argentina.

Nicolás Catena, father of the current administrator, Laura Catena, was mainly responsible for transforming the malbec grape into an Argentine brand. In the famous Mayan pyramid, which has the Andes Mountains in the background, not only the architecture and topography are impressive. The winery offers different, very rich experiences, such as tasting wines in barrels, the opportunity to create your own blend and pairing wine and music.

Nearly 500 wine, travel and wine tourism experts from around the world chose seven wineries of their choice each. The most voted wineries made the list. These experts make up what they call the academy. The academy is divided into 22 regions of the world (each of which is worth a chair), and each of these chairs is occupied by a leader responsible for recruiting 36 panelists.

At least 25% of each panel needs to be renewed each edition. First place winners in past editions become part of a gallery of fame and are no longer eligible. In 2021, the champion was the Argentine winery Zuccardi. In 2022, the Antinori nel Chianti Classico winery from Tuscany, Italy. Among the rules is written that: “Academy members must vote for the experience of the vineyard, not the winemaker.” The beauty of the vineyards, the architecture, the receptivity of the team, the creativity of the experiences, all this counts.

Europe remains the preferred destination with 23 wineries in the top 50, but there are wineries from all over the world, such as China, Georgia and Japan. From Chile alone there are seven and from Argentina, five chosen vineyards. It has two Uruguayans (Bodega Garzón and Bodega Bouza). Although there is a Brazilian chair and some panelists are from here, no Brazilian winery, however, was among the top 50 or even among the top 100. “Brazil has wineries with conditions to compete”, says Daniella Romano, who occupies the chair of Brazil. “But the competition has participants from all over the world. Strong participants. We cannot say who will win. Perhaps what Brazil needs is to do more marketing of its wine tourism.”

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