The 20 Best Winery Restaurants List

We considered all 67 wine-producing countries, but the fact is that the majority of winery restaurants that made the cut are located in prominent wine-producing regions like Napa Valley, Calif., Rioja, Spain, and Tuscany, Italy. However, the list does include some surprising gems, like the Restaurant at Weingut Nigl in Senftenberg, Austria.

Our list includes winery restaurants in 11 countries — Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and the U.S — and 18 cities.

Some notable restaurants that made the cut include La Taverna at Castello Banfi in Montalcino, Italy; The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, Calif.; and Terrôir at Craggy Range in Havelock North, New Zealand.

With six entries, the U.S. has the most restaurants on our list, with four in California and two in New York. It’s not surprising that U.S. winery restaurants topped the list, given that it is the fourth-largest producer of wine in the world (France is the top, producing 4.6 million liters of wine in 2010, followed by Italy, Spain, the U.S., and Argentina, according to the Wine Institute) and Americans consume the most wine in the world. It’s also not unexpected that California claimed the most spots on the list, as the state produces an average of 90 percent of the total wine produced in the U.S. each year. The U.S. wine market is the largest in the world, with an estimated $34.6 billion in sales in 2012, according to the Wine Institute.

Any list like this one is bound to stir up disagreements among discerning diners and wine aficionados; even our own staff was divided on which winery restaurants should make the final cut. 

After checking out The Daily Meal’s 20 Best Wineries Around the World, share your compliments and critiques in the comments section below — or on Twitter using the hashtag #bestwineries — and let us know what places you think should have been included, or should have been left out.

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If you visit Porto and only have time for one meal, head across the river to Vila Nova de Gaia because this is where you should have it. Barão de Fladgate may not have Michelin stars or be the trendiest option in town, but it’s an experience you absolutely should not miss. Located at Taylor’s Port Lodges, your visit to Taylor’s and Barão de Fladgate will be full of charm and history. When you arrive, spend a little time exploring the beautiful gardens and admiring the nostalgia in Taylor’s Library Room. Move onto lunch at Barão de Fladgate’s stunning hillside terrace, with panoramic views of the Douro river valley and Porto’s vibrant historic center. You might be so distracted by the environment that you forget you are there to eat, but any dish coming out of the kitchen is sure to catch your attention and get your mouth watering.

The food at Barão de Fladgate has one foot strongly planted in traditional Portugese cuisine, and the other somewhere bright and full of inspiration. The products you’ll find on the menu are the kind that have been eaten in the area of hundreds of years, but the craft and attention paid to preparation and service at Barão de Fladgate are on par with a 5 star resort, albeit one with someone’s extremely inventive grandmother running the kitchen. You’ll feel wined and dined, but at the same time, things feel somehow familiar and comforting.

It’s easy to slip away into a dream here, but don’t forget, you are in one of the oldest Port houses in existence, it would be a shame to leave without learning a thing or two. In addition to suggesting fantastic port pairings, Taylor’s offers tours of their grounds and cellars, lined with barrels of aging wine. The guides are knowledgable and friendly, teaching you about the history, production and profiling of Port wines, as well as some of Taylor’s very own 4 century long history. The tour wraps up with tastings of three Port wines to round out your education. For those already well versed in Port and it’s history, Taylor’s also offers additional premium tastings and private tours structured to your personal whims.

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