The Top 12 Most Beautiful Wine Regions in the World
With the New Year, it is time to start planning for your next vacation. What better places to look at the ones with gorgeous countryside, amazing rolling rolls, divine grapes, and farm-to-table food. As a wine enthusiast, you are most likely choosing places that have the best wine. Here are regions that have amazing scenery and culture as well as some of the best wine in the world.
12 Most Beautiful Wine Regions in The World
1. Rioja, Spain
This magical place is named after the River Oja. It is the oldest Denominación de Origen that Spain has, it leads to bad all the way to 1925 when it started being recognized for its pristine tradition and top-quality winemaking. They usually produce Rioja red wines that are a blend of Graciano, Garnacha, Tempranillo, and Mazuelo grapes. Rioja is most famous for its oak aging and for having the largest barrel cellars in the whole world.
The region is split into 3 smaller regions that are Rioja Baja, Rioja Alta, and Rioja Alavesa which are all different in altitude, soil, and climate. They are protected by the Demanda and the Sierra de Cantabria mountains and the valley is formed in between, and because of that, there are two ranges in the microclimate which makes it great for growing grapes.
2. Franschhoek, South Africa
Franschhoek is located between the gigantic mountains in the middle of Cape Winelands and is one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world. It is a really popular destination for people who know their wine. Franschhoek was founded by the French Huguenots in 1688. This village is really charming and draped with beautiful vineyards.
It has a wide range of some of the finest wines like the Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz, and Semillon. You can also take part in one of the most popular wine and food tours that include all things from grape picking and wine tasting to olive tasting and chocolate making. The best time to visit Franschhoek is from September to February.
3. Burgundy, France
As most know, France is one of the places that have the most wine regions in the world so picking the right one can be hard. Because there are so many good choices you need to know what their specialties are. Burgundy is one of the most beautiful wine regions of France that has the best fine wines like the amazing Pinot Noir and let’s not forget the breathtaking scenery.
Because it’s such a popular place amongst wine lovers, you have to make sure that you book your wine tour in advance so you don’t miss out.
4. Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is located in Argentina and it has the amazing Andes Mountains as a backdrop. If you ask other countries Mendoza has an unfair advantage because it is fortunate enough to have different microclimates and its terrier, which can be seen by the variety of wine that they produce. Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo are the two most popular vineyards that you can visit.
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5. Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Hunter Valles was established in the 19th century by James Busby that has a nickname for the father of Australian wine. He earned that name by bringing 20,000 vine cuttings from Europe to Australia. Hunter Valley is known for its earthy Shiraz and full-flavored Chardonnay, which developed its rich flavors with age.
As with most of the wineries, you can take private wine tours in Hunter Valley, but you need to book them in advance because of their popularity. They are also hosts of the Hunter Valley Wine & Food Festival.
6. Central Otago, New Zealand
Central Otago is surrounded by gigantic snow-capped mountains and obscured but amazing glacial lakes. Going to visit Central Otago is a win-win situation because it is one of the world’s most beautiful destinations and on top of that they produce some of the most amazing wines. It had to make it to the list of the most beautiful wine regions in the world.
Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir are the two dominant grape types because they are rich and velvety which is perfect for making wine. Because Central Otago is a quick trip from Queenstown it is a true favorite for wine lovers.
7. Champagne, France
If you are a fan of champagne, it’s only logical to go to Champagne to drink the best champagne. It is a world-famous wine region, best known for its sparkling white wine. This is where you will get to enjoy the charming towns that have a lot of history and some of the most amazing wineries.
8. Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico
For every true wine lover, Mexico is on everyone’s bucket list of discovering the most beautiful wine regions in the world. Their most produced wines are Merlot, Zinfandel, Barbera, and Cabernet Sauvignon. They also have white wines such as Chardonnay and Colombard. There are so many unusual wineries like the one that is made out of recycled boats or the one that produces only four mono-varietal wines.
Because most wine lovers are also cheese lovers there are a lot of places that offer both of them like the La Cava de Marcelo. It is the only cheese cellar in Mexico where you can try the native cheeses of Baja with a glass of their best local wine.
The best time you can visit is from August to September. That is also the time when they are hosting the Fiesta de la Vendimia, which consists of wine tastings, dancing, blessing the grapes, and live music.
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9. Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Hawkes Bay is the oldest place amongst the most beautiful wine regions in the world that goes wine in New Zealand, they have been producing it for over a hundred years. The main focus is on red wines such as Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, but they also make some mean Chardonnay.
Because New Zealand is known for being scenic whichever vineyard you decide to visit you will be blessed by some spectacular views. It is also the best place you can visit because it has warm summers and mild winters so you can go wherever you want.
10. The Barossa Valley, South Australia
The Barossa Valley was founded by German pioneers back in 1842, and it is a place where they have some of the oldest vines in the world more precisely over a century old. The Langmeil Freedom vineyard was founded in 1843 and it is still going strong.
It is about an hour-long ride from Adelaide to try some of the most full-flavored Shiraz, Eden Valley Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay you can have. There are over 150 wineries that you can visit and try some of the best wines.
11. Tokaj, Hungary
Tokaj is the world’s first wine region to set the boundaries and comes in the list of most beautiful wine regions in the world. They mainly produce a broad spectrum of sweet wines like Sweet Szamorodni, Late Harvest, and Aszú which is a rustic dessert wine that is made by a 400-year-old method of soaking botrytis-affected berries in a wine base to get that distinguished sweetness. But, Tokaj doesn’t not only produce dessert wines, but they also have started producing dry Tokaji wines.
Their single dry style mainly made from Furmint grapes is the main reason for it being one of the leading wineries out there. Nowadays, Tokaji is no longer to be thought of as competition for the Foie Gras or dessert wines only.
The best way you can enjoy the Tokaji dry white wine is to pair it with a filling dish of well-prepared red meat. But no doubt getting to taste the single-vineyard dry wines is the only reason that you need to visit this amazing place.
12. Istria, Croatia
Istria is the largest peninsula Croatia has. It has some of the prettiest hilltop towns that are protected by UNESCO. This amazing region is full of Roman amphitheaters, magical beaches, the famous National Park Brijuni, and majestic rustic villas.
It has so many wine and food markets to offer and that is what makes it a true paradise for nature and gourmet lovers. Istria also has its unique wines like the white Malvasia, Muscat, and ruby-red Teran.
Summing Up…
This is not in any way a complete list of all beautiful wine regions in the world. You have to know that you don’t have to be a professional sommelier to visit these destinations, all you need to do is appreciate the wines that each place has to offer. No matter which location you choose you will surely enjoy the majestic views, divine wine, and some good food.
So this was it for today. I hope you have enjoyed reading this.
Have a Good Day! 😇
