Top 10 New World vineyards

The family-owned Casa Silva winery is the oldest and most traditional in the Colchagua Valley, and renowned as one of the most beautiful in Chile. The wine and food served here is simply sublime and the lodging is very characterful and housed in the former hacienda. The wine tour is extremely informative and their fabulous restaurant is located in one of the old barrel rooms.

Cavas Wine Lodge is an institution in Argentina's premier wine region Mendoza, with impeccably high standards and exceptional food and wine. The lodge is flanked by the snow-capped Andes and surrounded by pristine wine bodegas, which can be explored on foot or by bicycle. Their extensive wine cellar showcases 250 carefully selected wines from the best local vineyards.

Marlborough is New Zealand’s largest wine growing region and has an enviable international reputation for producing the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world. Cloudy Bay can certainly live up to this superlative accolade, producing a fabulous Sauvignon Blanc, but our top tips are their fantastic Te Koko, an alternative style of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and their superb Pelorus Brut.

Consider an alternative to the norm and head out of the Winelands to Hermanus. The more established vineyards of Hamilton Russell and Bouchard Finlayson are just a half hour's drive from Birkenhead House, but if you fancy something a bit more up and coming, head to Creation. Established in 2002 this contemporary vineyard offers a great range of superb wines.

When Laurence Graff set about creating his vision of the Delaire Graff Estate he vowed to make it one of South Africa's premier wineries and hotels. The founder of Graff Diamonds has achieved just that… and then some. This has fast become the place to stay in the Winelands and with one of the best vineyards in the region at your doorstep, you are sure to not be disappointed.

The Grand Marnier family's Lapostolle Residence in Chile's Colchagua Valley is famous for its state-of-the-art gravity-fed winery dedicated solely to the production of its flagship wine Clos Apalta, which has been winning international awards since 1997. With nearly 100 acres of surrounding vineyards, the residence is a paradise for wine lovers looking for the most exclusive lodge in Chile.

Located in the heart of the Barossa Valley, 1.5 hours drive north of Adelaide, is Penfolds’ Barossa Valley Winery and Cellar Door. Built in 1911, this site became the focal point of Penfolds winemaking in the 1970s, as more fruit was sourced from the Barossa Valley and surrounds. Today, it proudly boasts the largest premium red wine barrel hall in the Southern Hemisphere.

A small and intimate posada surrounded by the award-winning Bodegas Salentein vineyards at the foot of the Andes in the up-and-coming Valle de Uco region of Mendoza. Their state-of-the-art bodega produces a fabulous range of wines including their signature Malbec and guests can enjoy a fascinating vineyard tour during their stay.

Set up and owned by actor Sam Neill, whose long-standing interest in wine, particularly red wine, has resulted in some fabulous Pinot Noirs from his boutique Central Otago Vineyard. The region's continental climate with its dry summers, cool autumns and cold winters provide the perfect environment to nurture the perfect grape and the wine that results is nothing less than superb.

Planted in 1967, Vasse Felix was the first vineyard and winery established in the Margaret River region of Western Australia. It remains family owned, with the simple aim of producing, 'the best possible wine.' Vasse Felix is one of the Region’s most welcoming estates with its contemporary cellar door, nationally-acclaimed restaurant and art gallery.