New no1 wine tourism destination

There will be a new number one when this year’s World’s Best Vineyards list is unveiled in Mendoza, Argentina, on October 26.
It’s been announced that Zuccardi Valle de Uco – top of the list for the past three years (2019-2021) – will be the first vineyard to enter the new ‘Best of the Best’ hall of fame, and therefore will no longer be eligible for the annual vote.
However, after a successful return to in-person events last September, with the countdown of the World’s Best Vineyards Top 50 list live from Schloss Johannisberg in Germany, the 2022 announcement will come from Zuccardi’s stunning stone winery in the Uco Valley.



Guests at the ceremony will be able to enjoy many of the features that have made this wine destination such a shining beacon in the world of wine tourism:

• A stunning winery standing majestically amid the desert of the Uco Valley, completed in 2016 from the very land it inhabits and a fitting symbol for the giant leaps the Zuccardi family has made in winemaking since 1963.
• The spectacular wines of third-generation Sebastián Zuccardi, who has pushed the vineyards further up into the Andes, with his wines becoming ever-purer expressions of the places that created them.
• The flagship Piedra Infinita vineyard on the alluvial plains of the Tunuyán River in Altamira; named after the seemingly infinite amount of stones that had to be removed in order to plant vines there in the first place. Now the source of award-winning Malbecs.
• The winery’s restaurant, Piedra Infinita Cocina (above), which serves regional produce alongside an awe-inspiring view of the Andes.
• A gorgeous tasting room (below) underneath the shining metal dome that signals this winemaking activity from afar whilst reflecting the brilliant sunshine.

It’s not just Zuccardi that makes Mendoza a magnificent region for wine tourism; four other Mendoza wineries are currently in the Top 50. These are: Catena Zapata (no7), Trapiche (no18), El Enemigo Wines (no24), and SuperUco (no42).
Dr Nora Vicario, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Province of Mendoza, sums up the reason for the region’s success: “Here you can breathe the wine and its culture, unlike anywhere else.”

'We hope the event will raise the profile of these amazing destinations'

Andrew Reed, managing director of the Wine and Exhibitions division at organising company William Reed, says: “We’re delighted to be back on the road again, spreading the word about wine tourism. We’re incredibly grateful to the Government of Mendoza for their support, and we hope the event will raise the profile of these amazing destinations.”
As well as naming the World’s Best Vineyard and the Top 50, the event will also crown the top wineries in Australasia, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and South America.
The World’s Best Vineyards, launched in 2019, showcases the very best of wine tourism and aims to elevate the visitor experience in the vineyards and surrounding areas. The Voting Academy comprises more than 500 leading wine experts, sommeliers and travel journalists who submit their nominations based on factors such as the quality of the overall experience, ambiance, cuisine, activities, views, staff and value for money. The results are then collated and converted into the Top 50 list.
To see what happened at The World’s Best Vineyards’ 2021 event, click here.