Indian vineyard makes the 2020 'World's Best' cut

Argentina’s Zuccardi Valle de Uco has been named the top winery in the world for the second successive year by the aptly named World’s Best Vineyards, which this week unveiled its Top 50 wine tourism destinations.

Coming in second was Bodega Garzon in Uruguay, also repeating its 2019 result, followed by Domäne Wachau in Austria which surged to third after placing 16th last year.

They were among 18 countries in this year’s Top 50 picks, which also included first-time winners from India (KRSMA Estates), Bulgaria (Wine Cellar Villa Melnik) and Japan (Château Mercian Mariko Winery). There were also 17 new destinations featured in the list.

The 2020 event was the first time organisers had conducted the awards virtually.

The World’s Best Vineyards list aims to raise the profile of wine tourism and despite the difficult circumstances that the travel industry has faced this year, the organiser William Reed and 2020 host partner Sonoma County Winegrowers wanted to recognise the efforts of wineries around the globe.

The announcement of the Top 50 hopes to drive travel to these destinations as cellar doors begin to open again to visitors. Founder Andrew Reed applauded the wine industry for its quick adaptability to current restrictions on travel: “It is testament to this amazing community of winemakers and wineries that your flexibility and speed of response has allowed you to adapt your business model to survive, and even thrive!”

On a local front, there were three Australian vineyards on the list, all in South Australia – Penfolds Magill Estate (24th), Henschke (25th) and d’Arenberg (34th). There were two New Zealand vineyards in the mix – Rippon (13th) in the Wanaka region on the South Island and Craggy Range (17th), south of Napier on the North Island.

The complete list is below:

Position	Vineyard name	Country	2019 position
1	Zuccardi Valle de Uco	Argentina	1
2	Bodega Garzón	Uruguay	2
3	Domäne Wachau	Austria	19
4	Montes	Chile	6
5	Robert Mondavi Winery	United States	12
6	Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal	Spain	9
7	Château Smith Haut Lafitte	France	16
8	Quinta do Crasto	Portugal	4
9	Antinori nel Chianti Classico	Italy	18
10	VIK Winery	Chile	14
11	Catena Zapata	Argentina	5
12	Fürst von Metternich-Winneburg’sche Domäne Schloss Johannisberg	Germany	21
13	Rippon	New Zealand	8
14	Delaire Graff Estate	South Africa	39
15	Weingut Dr. Loosen	Germany	10
16	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	United States	NEW
17	Craggy Range	New Zealand	11
18	González Byass – Bodega Tio Pepe	Spain	NEW
19	Château Pichon Baron	France	NEW
20	Opus One Winery	United States	19
21	Ceretto	Italy	NEW
22	CHÂTEAU MARGAUX	France	22
23	Bodegas Salentein	Argentina	26
24	Penfolds Magill Estate	Australia	13
25	Henschke	Australia	NEW
26	Bodega Bouza	Uruguay	44
27	Clos Apalta	Chile	6
28	Champagne Taittinger	France	NEW
29	Champagne Billecart-Salmon	France	NEW
30	Château Mercian Mariko Winery	Japan	NEW
31	Château d’Yquem	France	NEW
32	Bodegas RE	Chile	32
33	Château Mouton Rothschild	France	39
34	d’Arenberg	Australia	29
35	Viña Errázuriz	Chile	17
36	GAJA	Italy	NEW
37	DOMAINE SIGALAS SA	Greece	35
38	Château Oumsiyat	Lebanon	NEW
39	Wine Cellar Villa Melnik	Bulgaria	NEW
40	Viña Casas del Bosque	Chile	30
41	BODEGAS VIVANCO	Spain	24
42	Familia Torres	Spain	28
43	VIU MANENT	Chile	23
44	Maison Ruinart	France	46
45	Domaine Marcel Deiss	France	NEW
46	KRSMA Estates	India	NEW
47	Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars	United States	NEW
48	Château Heritage	Lebanon	49
49	Quinta do Noval	Portugal	NEW
50	Trapiche	Argentina	NEW