To love wine is not just to love wine. To sip the drips of Dionysus is to literally consume the history, culture and landscape of the grapes and their proper vintners. So if Greek mythology taught me that immortality is achieved through the surviving works of culture and civilization, I suddenly have a newfound understanding of this cutthroat world of winemaking and its hunger for glory and prestige.
Perhaps it is farfetched to grant godly status to a winemaker, but some talented souls have gone above and beyond channeling their inner Gaea and making wine, by crafting wineries that embody the crème de la crème in cuisine, geography and architecture. Fit for gods, but made for wine lovers, visits to these wineries are must-adds to your bucket list.
Marques de Riscal Winery (Elciego, Spain): The owners at Marques de Riscal knew what they wanted and how to get it. Successfully enticing architect Frank Gehry with a birth-year bottle of wine and the challenge of designing a contemporary winery, a world-class destination was crafted, boasting a Guggenheim-esque masterpiece (also a luxury resort) in the heart of the City of Wine.
For four more wineries that inspire wanderlust, click here. —Laura Starr
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