Travel

11 Of The World’s Most Beautiful Vineyard And Wine-Estate Hotels

César Lanzarote by Annua, Canary Islands

From sun-drenched valleys in South Africa to Devonshire hills overlooking Britain’s Jurassic Coast, these wine-country retreats offer top-notch terroir as well as exquisitely contemplated architecture. Come for the vintage, stay for the views. By NATASHA BIRD

Lifestyle
César Lanzarote by Annua is the former home of artist César Manrique’s family – a fusion of nature and architecture inspired by the surrounding volcanic landscape

César Lanzarote by Annua, Canary Islands

On an island shaped by lava and light, César Lanzarote by Annua has not a whiff of the familiar Europeans-abroad tropes. It is more like a private estate for those in the know. Housed in the former summer residence of the family of artist César Manrique, nestled in a series of surrounding vineyards, it is a quiet, but stunning tribute to Lanzarote’s creative and ecological legacy. Architect Antonio Zamora has reinterpreted the island’s vernacular through wind-sculpted lines and lava-stone walls, while interior designer Virginia Nieto layers linen, ceramics and sun-faded neutrals into rooms that read as inhabitable artworks. Malvasía vines, once neglected, have been restored; the hotel is already producing small-batch wines from its own estate, with ambitions that stretch well beyond boutique quantities.

Overlooking the Exe Estuary and Devon’s World Heritage Jurassic Coast, Lympstone Manor offers English country-house glamour and Michelin-starred dining – with excellent wines and views to match

Lympstone Manor, Devon, UK

Overlooking the silver sweep of the Exe Estuary on England’s Jurassic Coast, Lympstone Manor pairs English country-house grandeur with sincere oenological (winemaking) knowledge. Chef-proprietor Michael Caines, who transformed the once-dilapidated mansion into a Relais & Châteaux retreat, was captivated by the southwest-facing parkland, as well as by the house itself. Today, more than 10 acres of vines ripple down towards the water, producing estate wines that include the award-winning Triassic Pinot Noir and Isabeau Rosé, as well as a Classic Cuvée NV that speaks confidently of England’s sparkling potential. Guests can wander the 28-acre grounds, tour the vineyard throughout the summer, and then return for Michelin-starred dining that prioritizes locally sourced produce and the estate’s own bottles. With just 21 rooms, six shepherd’s huts and a new Pool House restaurant circling a heated outdoor pool, it is both pastoral escape and polished luxury retreat.

Wine tasting is a requisite recreation at São Lourenço do Barrocal, where the estate’s wines are produced organically from hand-harvested grapes
São Lourenço do Barrocal’s 20-meter pool is surrounded by sun loungers, olive groves and vineyards, offering a tranquil, rustic and scenic swimming experience

São Lourenço do Barrocal, Portugal

At the quiet heart of Portugal’s Alentejo region, you will find São Lourenço do Barrocal, a gorgeous living estate. In the same family for more than 200 years, its whitewashed monte was once a small farming village, now gently restored by eighth-generation custodian José António Uva into a study in rural understatement. Ancient holm oaks cast long shadows over olive groves and 150,000 square meters of vineyards, while granite outcrops and Monsaraz shale root the vines deep into history. Wines are produced organically from hand-harvested grapes, including indigenous varieties such as Touriga Nacional and Roupeiro, alongside carefully chosen international blends, all reared under the heat of the Alentejo sun.

Explore Argentina’s diverse wine country by way of Awasi Mendoza’s 55-acre vineyard – your adventure awaits

Awasi Mendoza, Argentina

Tucked in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, amid 55 acres of vineyards, the 17 sublime, luxury villas of Awasi Mendoza (formerly Cavas Wine Lodge) give guests a privileged position within Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, often called the heart of Argentine wine country. Each villa comes with a private guide and a jeep so that visitors are able to roam the sweeping, sun-kissed landscape at their own pace – and with a wholly personalized itinerary. But the vineyards are perhaps best explored on horseback, alongside local gauchos, or while enjoying hands-on experiences such as grape clipping and stomping, open-air Argentine cooking classes, and, of course, wine tasting.

With elegant décor echoing the serenity of their magnificent setting, Babylonstoren’s understated cottages embody quiet luxury

Babylonstoren, South Africa

In the heart of the Cape Winelands, Babylonstoren is set on one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms. The elegant, understated estate offers sweeping views of the conical Babylonstoren Hill, Simonsberg and the Banghoek Mountains – and boasts gardens renowned for their biodiversity, several farm-to-fork restaurants, the ‘living’ Garden Spa nestled in a bamboo forest, and accommodation comprising a farm hotel and beautifully appointed cottages. There are extensive opportunities for wine and olive oil tasting here, with 13 different grape varieties growing across the estate’s sprawling vineyards.

The 12th-century Castello di Vicarello offers guests an exquisite flavor of traditional Tuscan charm

Castello di Vicarello, Italy

Set in the wild and rolling Tuscan region of Maremma, Castello di Vicarello is an artfully restored 12th-century castle hotel, surrounded by organic vineyards and olive groves. With just nine suites – each uniquely designed – the atmosphere is intimate and indulgent. Unsurprisingly, food and drink are a highlight here, in a region world-renowned for its delicacies, with fresh ingredients grown in the gardens and rich wines produced from the award-winning vineyard.

A stay at Como Le Montrachet ensures some imposing vistas of France’s Côte-d’Or region in Burgundy

Como Le Montrachet, France

In Côte-d’Or, a region synonymous with wine, Como Le Montrachet is a new addition to the beautiful Burgundy landscape. A thoughtful reimagining of a 19th-century inn, located just a stone’s throw from the legendary Le Montrachet vineyard in the quaint village of Puligny-Montrachet, the hotel offers tastings within its own vineyards, as well as tours of the local wine houses and their history.

Savor some of South Africa’s finest award-winning wines in luxurious style at Cape Town’s breathtakingly beautiful Delaire Graff Estate

Delaire Graff Estate, South Africa

Another Cape Winelands classic, Delaire Graff Estate is backdropped by vineyards where Bordeaux reds and Chardonnay grapes grow. Gaze out from the villa’s scenic picture windows, terraces, botanical gardens and swimming pools over the Stellenbosch Valley towards Table Mountain. As the sun sets over the Helshoogte Pass, there are few views quite as cinematic to accompany an award-winning portfolio of wines.

Villa La Coste, France

Art and wine combine at this sublime Provençal spot with an enticing creative spirit, halfway between Aix en Provence and the Luberon Nature Park, in the center of the biodynamic Château La Coste vineyard. The refined hillside residence of Villa La Coste embraces the beauty of its surroundings across 28 suites and expansive gardens, where views take in the vines and valleys below.

Boutique vineyard Jackalope specializes in an Australian wine-tasting experience with a cool, contemporary edge

Jackalope, Australia

Bringing a focus on alluringly sleek design to the heart of the rustic, world-renowned wine region of the Mornington Peninsula, Jackalope gives an intoxicating aspect to the boutique vineyard in which it resides. Floor-to-ceiling windows gaze out over the rolling countryside, where, in deep volcanic soils, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme.

Enjoy a taste of French Provence – California style – at Napa Valley’s incredible Auberge du Soleil

Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley, US

A marrying of two great wine destinations, French fine dining and a taste of Provence meet the spectacular, sun-kissed Napa Valley at Auberge du Soleil. Set amid 33 acres of heritage olive and oak trees, the hotel’s guest rooms and suites are elegant and pared-back, while the striking terrace is an unparalleled spot to sit and savor a Napa Valley wine served with a panoramic view.