Winery in the Andes Mountains named world's best vineyard for the third consecutive year; five Latin American sites make top 100 list.

A winery in Argentina has been selected as the best in the world for the third consecutive year in The World's Best Vineyards ranking, which assesses the views of almost 600 international experts.

The Zuccardi Valle de Uco winery, located in the province of Mendoza, topped the 2021 list, which evaluates the facilities of the wineries and the quality of their products to choose the top 100 best wine tourism destinations in the world. 

"We are very happy. It is an important recognition for us and also for the region, because it is a large international jury that rotates from year to year," Miguel Zuccardi, one of the vineyard's managers, told AFP. 

"This allows us to continue putting Mendoza, and the Uco Valley in particular, on the top of the wine world map," he added.

The ranking, compiled annually by almost 600 sommeliers, wine experts and luxury travel journalists from around the world, rates the best places to taste and learn about wine and grape cultivation, as well as the architecture of the wineries, their sights, restaurants and hotels.

In total, five establishments in Latin America made the top 100. Uruguayan winery Garzón, which ranked fourth overall, is the region's second-best winery. In 2019 and 2020 it had been second, finishing behind Zuccardi. 

"It is a great honour for Bodega Garzón to be among the best five destinations for wineries and vineyards in the world," Christian Wylie, Garzón's general manager, told AFP.   "It is very important to make ourselves known worldwide. And also at the national level. It is a place of prominence, of honour, which helps to position Uruguay in the world."

For Wylie, the mention is particularly important in the context of the pandemic, given how hard the tourism sector has been hit. 

At this time, it is good for international tourists "to know that in Uruguay there is something of this world level so that they can come to know it," he added.

The 10 wineries that lead the global ranking published this week are: Zuccardi Valle de Uco (Argentina), Marqués de Riscal (Spain), Chateau Margaux (France), Bodega Garzón (Uruguay), Montes (Chile), Antinori nel Chianti Classico (Italy), Catena Zapata (Argentina), Viña VIK (Chile), González Byass-Bodegas Tío Pepe (Spain) and Creation (South Africa). 

Source: https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/culture/zuccardi-valle-de-uco-ranked-worlds-best-winery-for-third-year-running.phtml