World’s 50 best vineyards for 2021 revealed: Last year’s Argentinian winner is No1 again, Spain comes second, France’s Chateau Margaux is third and RUSSIA beats the U.S
- Argentina’s Zuccardi Valle de Uco was named the top wine tourism destination – for the third time in a row
- The stunning Bodegas de los Herederos del Marques de Riscal in Spain’s Rioja region took second place
- The top entry for the Australasia region was New Zealand’s Craggy Range – in at No.11
Advertisement
The world’s 50 best vineyards for 2021 have been revealed – and the winner from 2019 and 2020 has taken the No.1 spot yet again.
Argentina’s Zuccardi Valle de Uco was named the planet’s top wine tourism destination in a ceremony that took place at the Schloss Johannisberg winery in Rheingau, Germany.
The stunning Bodegas de los Herederos del Marques de Riscal in Spain’s Rioja region took second place, closely followed by Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux, France.
Argentina’s Zuccardi Valle de Uco, pictured, was named the planet’s top wine tourism destination for the third year running
![The stunning Bodegas de los Herederos del Marques de Riscal in Spain’s Rioja region took second place](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/09/21/16/48197665-10013065-The_stunning_Bodegas_de_los_Herederos_del_Marques_de_Riscal_in_S-a-177_1632237094349.jpg)
The stunning Bodegas de los Herederos del Marques de Riscal in Spain’s Rioja region took second place
The 2021 ranking represents 16 countries and includes first-time entrants onto the list from Lebanon and Russia, with the latter’s Sikory Winery – famous for its rocky clay soil – coming 20th and the Lefkadia Valley hitting number 23.
Lebanon’s Karam Wines was the highest new entry, reaching 14 in the list.
The top entry for the Australasia region was New Zealand’s Craggy Range, in at No.11, while the Robert Mondavi Winery in the Napa Valley flew the flag for North America, coming 40th overall.
No vineyard from the UK made the top 50.
The World’s Best Vineyards list ‘aims to highlight the sheer diversity across both established and emerging wine tourism destinations’, with the list decided by votes from 600 global wine and travel experts.
![Chateau Margaux (pictured) in Bordeaux, France, was named the world's third-best vineyard](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/09/21/16/48197643-10013065-Chateau_Margaux_pictured_in_Bordeaux_France_was_named_the_world_-a-178_1632237094371.jpg)
Chateau Margaux (pictured) in Bordeaux, France, was named the world’s third-best vineyard
![The world's fourth-best vineyard? That'll be Bodega Garzon in Uruguay, pictured](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/09/21/16/48197675-10013065-The_world_s_fourth_best_vineyard_That_ll_be_Bodega_Garzon_in_Uru-a-179_1632237094372.jpg)
The world’s fourth-best vineyard? That’ll be Bodega Garzon in Uruguay, pictured
![Pictured here is Craggy Range vineyard in New Zealand - the No.11 vineyard in the world](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/09/21/16/48201597-10013065-Pictured_here_is_Craggy_Range_vineyard_in_New_Zealand_the_No_11_-a-181_1632237094373.jpg)
Pictured here is Craggy Range vineyard in New Zealand – the No.11 vineyard in the world
![Russia's Sikory Winery, pictured, came 20th - way ahead of the best-ranked U.S vineyard](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/09/21/16/48201651-10013065-Russia_s_Sikory_Winery_pictured_came_20th_way_ahead_of_the_best_-a-180_1632237094372.jpg)
Russia’s Sikory Winery, pictured, came 20th – way ahead of the best-ranked U.S vineyard
![The Robert Mondavi Winery in the Napa Valley flew the flag for North America, coming 40th overall](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/09/21/16/48202683-10013065-The_Robert_Mondavi_Winery_in_the_Napa_Valley_flew_the_flag_for_N-a-182_1632237094373.jpg)
The Robert Mondavi Winery in the Napa Valley flew the flag for North America, coming 40th overall
In the opening speech of the ceremony, Andrew Reed, Managing Director Wine and Exhibitions at William Reed, highlighted how vital wine tourism is to the global economy.
He said: ‘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, 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.’
Visit www.worldsbestvineyards.com for more on the winners.