Vik, in Chile, is “The World’s Best Vineyard”. Ceretto the best Italian winery, at No. 19

“Experience”, according to everyone, is the key word in today wine tourism, a factor increasingly more important not only for the business of individual wineries but also for the economy of territories and for wine culture overall. The wineries themselves, obviously, drive everything in any corner of the world, serving as the hub around which an experience unfolds with wine at its center, but with the good of wine combined to the beauty of the places and to the environmental, scenic, historical, cultural, gastronomic, social, and anthropological context in which these wineries are located. And, the best Italian winery in the world, in terms of wine tourism experience and beyond, is once again Ceretto, headed by one of the families who have most shaped the recent history of Langhe food and wine scene, not only through wine but also hazelnut groves and fine dining, including the three-Michelin-starred Piazza Duomo in Alba with Enrico Crippa in the kitchen, which already since 2009, has opened the doors of Tenuta Monsordo Bernardina (with its now-iconic Acino - Grape) to visitors from all over the world. The Piedmontese winery ranks in position No. 19 in “The World’s Best Vineyards”, which places Chile Vik in absolute No. 1 place, ahead of Schloss Johannisberg in Rheingau, in Germany, and of Bodegas Ysios in Rioja, in Spain. This ranking was revealed just few hours ago at Amelia Park Wines, one of the most important wineries in the Margaret River region of Western Australia (with WineNews invited to attend the event in person, under the direction of Western Australia Tourism, to discover a surprising wine region deeply connected to Italy between emigrants from Italy and Italian vine varieties which have found a home in this corner of the world they call “the land of the gods,” which we’ll showcase in a video in the coming days, and which Condé Nast Traveler has selected among the top 10 destinations to visit in 2026, ed).
A classification, “The World’s Best Vineyards” which is not based on specific criteria but on votes from over 700 judges worldwide, divided into 20 geographic areas (industry professionals, sommeliers, critics, tourism experts, and so on), who vote for wineries based on the overall experience of hospitality and tasting, and not only basing on wine quality or the beauty of the territory.
“What we want to highlight with this ranking regards the most beautiful experiences in the world of wine, and, therefore, our judges (25% of whom rotate each year to keep the list dynamic) don’t follow a strict set of rules but vote based on their overall experience at the winery, valorizing those places and personalities that make wine-related experiences unique”, explained Emma Sleight, Head of Content for Global 50 Best, to WineNews. “Starting from this year, this ranking officially falls under the “50 Best” brand (part of the William Reed group, ed), because we have realized that, just as people plan trips to dine at a certain restaurant, stay at a certain hotel in that city to visit a certain bar, the same increasingly happens for wineries, which have become the centerpiece of a 360-degree experience that goes far beyond wine tasting”.
And, in this way, Vik winery joins the “Hall of Fame” alongside past winners of the ranking (Antinori in Chianti Classico, top in 2022; Argentina Catena Zapata in 2023; and Spain Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal in 2024), which will therefore be out of competition in 2026.
“We are thrilled to announce the World’s 50 Best Vineyards 2025 list and to award Vik as The World’s Best Vineyard, sponsored by Resy & Tock. The estate has shown exceptional commitment to creating captivating vineyard experiences, seamlessly blending innovative design with the stunning Millahue Valley landscape and offering interactive tastings to delight every visitor. This year list highlights the diversity and innovation of vineyards shaping the global wine scene. It is a celebration of excellence, passion, and the stories behind each vineyard, and we can’t wait for wine enthusiasts worldwide to discover these extraordinary places”, commented William Drew, Editorial Director of The World’s 50 Best Vineyards.
The wineries ranked from No. 1 to No. 50 (with plenty from South America, Chile and Argentina leading, ed) join those already revealed in recent days in positions 51 to 100. In a classification, which, in addition to Ceretto at No. 19, for Italy, as we reported here, sees Castello Banfi, one of the most important and beautiful estates in the Brunello di Montalcino area, owned by the Mariani family and now headed by Cristina Mariani May, at No. 61, ahead of Arianna Occhipinti brand, in Sicily, at No. 78; the historic Campanian estate Tenuta Cavalier Pepe at No. 81; and, then, Marchesi di Barolo, the Abbona family historic Langhe and Barolo winery at No. 80; and Masi Cellars, wineries of Masi Agricola, among the most important in Valpolicella (which recently inaugurated Monteleone21, a new experiential hub near its historic Gargagnago di Valpolicella) at No. 83, to finally get back to Montalcino with Casanova di Neri, one of the area most acclaimed and award-winning wineries, headed by Giacomo Neri with his children Giovanni, Gianlorenzo, and Marianna, at No. 87.