For wine connoisseurs, staying in a hotel surrounded by vineyards with on-property winemakers allows them to take advantage of wine tastings and see firsthand how the winemaking process works. The type of travelers that wine resorts appeal to are the ones who want to unwind while indulging in their passion for wine right at the source. However, these properties, while exclusive, are certainly not prohibitive based on wine knowledge. For the budding oenophile, staying at a wine-focused resort can be the perfect opportunity to learn more. The purpose of these resorts is to offer traveling revelers a glimpse into burgeoning vino destinations and long-standing wine institutions around the world. That said, these are the best wine resorts that put you in the heart of vineyard life.
Entre Cielos, Mendoza, Argentina
In the heart of one of the largest wine regions in Latin America, Entre Cielos is a 24-room resort sitting on 20 acres—eight of which are Malbec vines. From the rooms’ floor-to-ceiling windows, guests have views of the working vineyards and the snow-capped Andes mountains. Each room and suite features custom furniture and ultra-mod accents, a perfect design contrast to the vineyard and mountain views outside. For oenophiles who want full terroir exposure, the property’s Vineyard Lofts sit right among the Malbec vines and have private outdoor patios. Finally, Entre Cielos has three of their very own wine labels—Marantal Young, Marantal Classic, and Gran Marantal—that guests should absolutely try during their stay.
Harvest Inn, St. Helena, California
Choose a vineyard-view room at Harvest Inn and you’ll wake up to a perfect floor-to-ceiling view of Whitehall Lane Leonardini Family Vineyards’ out your window. The must-book room is the Vineyard View Collection Spa, which has a hot tub on the outdoor private terrace overlooking the vineyard. Their 81 rooms feel more like wine cottages and each room is stocked with a high-end local wine upon welcome. You’ll be able to unwind just walking the property, with their brick-and-ivy aesthetic and the juxtaposition of vineyards and sky-high redwood trees. There are a couple tasting rooms right next door (like HALL Wines and Louis M. Martini Winery), and Harvest Inn’s complimentary car can bring guests to wineries within a three-mile radius. You’ll find that any wine served at the resort has been meticulously selected; Their highly curated wine selection is organized by distance from in-house restaurant Harvest Table—the closest wine is sourced from mere steps away.
Jackalope Hotel, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Mornington Peninsula, about an hour outside of Melbourne, is an Australian wine region known for their Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Sauvignon Blanc—the cooler peninsula air coming off the water truly paves the way for Pinot Noir success. The 28 acres of Willow Creek Vineyard vines, planted in 1989, come right up to the Jackalope property. There’s a stunning view of the vines from the pool deck, as well as from some guest room balconies. As for the vin, Willow Creek Vineyard has become one of Mornington Peninsula’s most sought-after wine producers, and they make only single-vineyard wines sourced from the property. While in the heart of Australian wine country at Jackalope Hotel, visit Quealy Winemakers and Port Phillip Estate.
Il Borro Toscana, Italy
Welcome to the 19th-century estate that was once owned by the Medici family and the House of Savoy and is now property of the Ferragamo family. Il Borro Toscana is situated in a thousand-year-old Tuscan village and produces not only its own wine and olive oil, but its own electricity (that’s right, the medieval villa is decked out with solar). It’s not all about the vineyards here, it’s just as much about the wine cellar. Part of the property’s restoration goal was to utilize the old wine cellars for new production. As Il Borro nurtures their vineyards and scales up their wine production, the estate’s wine cellars have been well-restored and are now hard at work aging fine wine. Wine even informs the art choices of the property at their Vino&Arte gallery that outlines a historical timeline of vino “in the works of the great masters (Goya, Mantegna, Piranesi, Manet, and many others) and modern artists (such as Warhol or Picasso).” Guests can tour the cellar and vino-centric gallery before tasting the villa’s premium wines.
Delaire Graff Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Exclusive lodges sitting on a wine estate in prime South African vineyard territory. That’s what’s waiting at Delaire Graff Estate. Stellenbosch is the quintessential wine region in South Africa, though of course it neighbors Franschhoek Wine Valley and is just an hour and a half north of Hermanus’ coastal wine country. Delaire Graff Estate has two presidential lodges, one of which overlooks the estate’s vineyards and the other with a view of Stellenbosch Valley and Table Mountain. As for the actual wine grown on property, Delaire pushes the boundaries of their terroir to develop bold, big reds and fresh, bright whites. They’ve even achieved “First Growth status in South Africa–reward for creating our country’s most desirable wines on first pressing.”
L’And Vineyards, Évora, Portugal
L’And Vineyards resort, located in Portugal’s Alentejo region, is just 15 minutes from the ancient Roman city of Évora (and less than an hour from Lisbon). The vineyard’s stylish digs and simple, warmly appointed suites capitalize on the area’s serenity. Retractable over-the-bed roofs offer stunning nighttime views of star-lit skies, and outdoor fireplace-equipped patios look out over greenery and patches of farmland. At L’And Vineyards, it is nearly impossible to have anything but an all-wine-all-the-time experience. The vineyard is home to a Caudalie Vinothérapie spa, navigating the property requires walking past planted grapevines (even the infinity pool is surrounded by them), wine classes are held in the cellar, and guests can choose their own grapes to eat or use for spa treatments.
