The World’s Most Beautiful Vineyards

The World’s Five Most Beautiful Vineyards

A holiday to a wine resort is one sure-fire way of guaranteeing a good time. Wine inexplicably tastes better when you’re drinking it whilst admiring the vines that created it. Of course, with good wine, comes good food and luxurious accommodation. And then there’s the educational aspect of learning more about the production of wine, and understanding more about the tasting of it, that adds to the overall experience.

There’s something magical about the landscape formed from vine cultivation – it has a pretty, fairy-tale look about it. Here’s our pick of the most beautiful vineyards in the world.

1. Rippon Vineyard, Wanaka, New Zealand

While the Marlborough vineyards are an amazing region, the Rippon Vineyard has that little extra something. Its fields of vines slope down to the mirror-like waters of Lake Wanaka, beyond which stand imposing snow-covered mountains. The little island floating in the middle of lake in front of the vineyard, fit for a princess, adds a sprinkle of fairy dust to this place.

2. Sharpham Vineyard, Devon, England

The steep slopes of this Devonshire vineyards lead down to the sparkling waters of the River Dart. Visitors to the vineyard can select from a few packages that include a guided or self-guided walk, food options as well as the obligatory wine and cheese tasting. A grand old house overlooks the grounds and forms the basis of this estate. Down by the river, a pretty white boathouse is one of the region’s most sought-after holiday lets.

3. Chateau Potelle, Napa Valley, USA

California’s Napa Valley is packed with vineyards that all have a shared charm of the North American sunshine and mixture of lush vegetation framing the vines. But Chateau Potelle is widely regarded as one of the prettiest in the area, hidden on a hill away from the main road and dotted with art works collected by the French owners.

4. Cinque Terre, Italy

This isn’t so much one vineyard in particular, but all the tiny vineyards that are dotted around the cliffs of this part of Northwest Italy. The random, seaside walkways will lead you in and around these tiny plots that are like the Med’s answer to allotments. The views down to the sea and the tiny villages and towns that lie below are made even prettier by the green vines curling about you.

5. Mooiplaas Wine Estate, Near Cape Town, South Africa

Mooiplaas means ‘beautiful farm’ in Afrikaans, and it’s certainly the prettiest vineyards in the Stellenbosch region. The vines lie on the steep slopes of ancient, mineral rich soils in the cool, sunny Bottelary Hills. The wines produced here are wonderful, and the views from the winery are stunning, taking in forested hills and the distant mountains.

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About The Author:  This guest post is courtesy of www.exsus.com
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