{"id":14700,"date":"2021-09-25T08:41:29","date_gmt":"2021-09-25T12:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.winetraveler.com\/?p=14700"},"modified":"2023-07-11T17:18:57","modified_gmt":"2023-07-11T21:18:57","slug":"10-top-unique-wineries-experiences-around-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winetraveler.com\/travel-resources\/10-top-unique-wineries-experiences-around-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Unique Wineries & Experiences You Must Try Around The World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sarah Phillips recommends some of her favorite unique wine experiences and asks other #Winetravelers to share theirs. Let us know the most interesting moments you’ve encountered at wineries in the comment section at the end of this article.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are plenty of good reasons to love wine travel: Beautiful landscapes, interesting people and \u2013 of course \u2013 copious wine tastings. Several destinations also offer something a little more unusual. Think llama trekking and Merlot; nuclear bunkers and Cabernet Sauvignon; meteoric craters and Mourvedre\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Unique<\/a>
Inside the bunker at Chateau Siran. Image courtesy Sarah Phillips<\/a><\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tour a Nuclear Bunker at Chateau Siran, Bordeaux<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The wine at Chateau Siran<\/a> is classic, but the tourism experience is quite unusual. You\u2019ll start with a walk-around of historic artifacts. These range from 2,500-year-old amphoras to an eclectic range of Toby Jugs and tonnelets (small pottery barrels) historically used to serve wine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next up is the nuclear bunker, which was installed to protect the wine library \u2013 and family \u2013 during the cold war, opening (and shutting) its door for the first time in 1980. Visitors enter the bunker through a nuke-proof door made in Switzerland<\/strong><\/a> before descending into the 30,000-strong wine cellar. Bottles date back to 1912, so if disaster strikes while you\u2019re in the area, you might have quite a party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On sunny days, you can enjoy a light lunch and bottle of wine on the winery roof, surrounded by vineyards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 30 Top Wineries To Visit For Wine Tasting in Bordeaux: From Famous to Boutique<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"10<\/a>
Aerial perspective of vineyards in North Carolina. Image courtesy Greig Santos-Buch<\/a><\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Go Llama Trekking at Divine Llama Winery, North Carolina<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A two-mile trek with llamas, followed by a wine tasting, might not be the most obvious way to spend a day off, but it is memorable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt was an unexpected day of fun\u201d, says Zippy Sandler of Champagne Living Media.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Divine Llama winery<\/a> is home to the largest llama farm in the Southeast United States. It also has a winery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt’s nice having a furry companion to keep you company as you walk the beautiful property. Be sure to head to the tasting room for some of the area\u2019s best wines. We were lucky enough to see some baby llamas in the barn. The wide-eyed faces are indelible in my memory,” Zippy says.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Roam Among Giant Sculptures at Donum Winery, Sonoma<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Are you a big fan of art? Or a fan of big art? In either case, you might enjoy a trip to Donum Winery<\/a> in Sonoma, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThere are over 40 giant sculptures placed around the estate by artists including Keith Haring, Tracey Emin and Louise Bourgeois,\u201d says Wine Communicator Charlotte Kristensen<\/a>, who describes the estate\u2019s Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as \u201ctop-class.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Kristensen recommends booking in advance and checking the website to plan which sculptures you\u2019d like to see. \u201cMake sure you get a selfie with Richard Hudson\u2019s \u2018Love Me\u2019 2016, a sculpture of a giant polished steel heart,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Scenic Sonoma Itinerary: Everything You Need To Know For a 3 Day Trip<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Unique<\/a>
Guests who visit Domaine du Meteore in the South of France will have the opportunity to dine in a 10,000-year-old meteor crater.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dine-in a Crater at Domaine du Meteore, South of France<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

10,000 years ago, a meteor landed in Faug\u00e8res in the South of France. It left a large crater. Today, that crater is filled with vines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Domaine du Meteore<\/a> now offers dinners (Wednesday \u2013 Saturday evenings) under the stars, deep inside the crater. At lunch, you can collect a picnic and make your way down. Produce is local and fresh, and portion sizes are large. The estate\u2019s refreshing white wines are an ideal accompaniment on a warm day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sleep in Wine Barrels at Quinta da Pacheca, Portugal<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you really want to live, eat, and even sleep wine for a couple of days, consider Quinta da Pacheca<\/a><\/strong> in the Douro Valley<\/strong><\/a>. Ten converted wine barrels are available as hotel rooms. Each sleeps two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cSleeping in the barrel was quite special, especially when you realize that the bung hole is a skylight over the bed, allowing you to look up at the stars as you fall asleep,\u201d says wine enthusiast John Masserini who visited from Miami.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But the wine cellar is even better: \u201cIt has an amazing vintage cellar, with a stunning library of single harvest tawny colheitas going back to the \u201860s. The table wines are also fantastic, so join the tasting that includes those,\u201d he suggests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guests who arrive around harvest can participate \u2013 including grape-trodding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlan your trip WAY in advance,\u201d Masserini suggests. \u201cThere are only 10 barrel rooms and they book up quickly – especially around harvest.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 11 Delicious Facts About Port and Fortified Wine<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Unique<\/a>
The road to Bodega Colome. Image courtesy Jacqueline Coleman<\/strong><\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Reach New Heights at Bodega Colome, Argentina<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With vines planted at up to 3,111 meters above sea level, Bodega Colome<\/a><\/strong> in Salta, Argentina, boasts some of the highest vineyards in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wine writer Jacqueline Coleman<\/a><\/strong> calls it a \u201cmust-see\u201d for adventurous Winetravelers, but notes that getting there isn\u2019t easy: \u201cTo get to the property, you have to drive miles up the mountain on a dirt road after you leave the tiny town of Molinos. You\u2019ll need a good car, lots of water, and perhaps a satellite phone if you want to communicate with the outside world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s worth the journey. \u201cDriving through Salta is one of the most incredible road trips you can take,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, as well as tasting wine and seeing those high-altitude vineyards, you can visit the James Turrell Museum \u2013 the only museum in the world dedicated to the American artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Special Wineries in Argentina You Must Visit<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Unique<\/a>
A taste of the exterior at Darioush Winery in Napa. Image courtesy Darioush.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Taste in a Persian Palace at Darioush, Napa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One minute you\u2019re driving down the Silverado trail, surrounded by famous vineyards. The next, you\u2019re stepping into a large Persian palace; cavernous inside, with pillars inside and out. The wines are impressive, too. They will please fans of serious Napa wine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit Darioush<\/a> at sunset and you\u2019ll be rewarded with a silhouette of pillars against a magnificent color palette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 10 Boutique & Unique Wineries To Visit in Napa California<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go Truffle Hunting at Tenuta Santa Maria Valverde, Valpolicella<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This experience in Valpolicella, Italy, combines food, wine, and adventure. You\u2019ll start by following a truffle dog through the forests in search of the region\u2019s famous black truffles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe hosts are very knowledgeable and welcoming, and the scenery is breathtaking. In early autumn, the colors of nature are amazing\u201d, says Chiara Gomiero of handywineguide.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

After hunting for truffles, you won\u2019t have to hunt for your lunch, which will be served alongside Tenuta Santa Maria Valverde’s<\/a><\/strong> Amarone wine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Inside<\/a>
Inside the cellars at Lopez de Heredia. Image courtesy Jo Lory.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Experience History at Lopez de Heredia in Rioja, Spain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lopez de Heredia<\/a><\/strong>, one of Rioja\u2019s oldest wineries, is responsible for making some of the region\u2019s most traditional (and delicious) wines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A visit to the estate is worthwhile, too, according to Master of Wine student Jo Lory. \u201cThe guides are brilliant, and the whole experience, from the founding story to the cobweb and penicillin mold festooned cellars is fascinating and unique.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She says that the El Calado Cellar was a highlight: \u201cIt was excavated by hand out of the ground rock in the 1890s. The longest tunnel stretches over 200m out to the Ebro river, where you pop out of the dark to a view of their Gravonia vineyard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 22 Top Rioja Wineries To Visit on Your Next Trip To Spain<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taste the \u2018Real American Grape\u2019 at Chrysalis Vineyards, Virginia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Norton<\/a><\/strong> is among a minority of grape varieties used to make wine that is indigenous to North America. This is why Jennifer McCloud, owner of Chrysalis Vineyards<\/a> in Virginia and the world\u2019s largest plantings of Norton, calls it \u201cthe real American grape.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Chrysalis, you can taste it in its many guises: carbonic, off-dry, light, full-bodied and age-worthy \u2013 and even a pet-nat<\/strong><\/a> (don\u2019t miss that one).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The property also makes its own cheese and has a large pizza oven. So you won\u2019t go hungry during your visit, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Visit Virginia’s Wine Country: 10 Top Wineries Near Washington DC<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you enjoyed this guide, consider joining the Winetraveler Facebook Group<\/strong><\/a> to connect with other Winetravelers and for additional travel inspiration around the world. We also highly recommend taking a look at this article<\/strong><\/a> if you’re curious about more unique wineries around the world, this time focusing on North America.<\/p>\n\n\n

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