When you think of vineyards, the rolling hills of Tuscany, the green plains of Bordeaux, and the beachside orchards of Croatia typically come to mind. So you might be surprised to learn that a British vineyard has just been named one of the most beautiful in Europe.
In a study by ferry operator DFDS, English Oak Vineyard in Dorset has been named one of Europe’s 10 most beautiful vineyards.
DFDS analysed visitor Google reviews of over 500 vineyards across 40 countries in Europe to give the wineries a score out of 100. It analysed references to beauty to assign a beauty score, and references to satisfaction to give each vineyard a satisfaction score. The two outcomes were then combined to give each spot an overall score.
English Oak Vineyard came sixth place in the ranking with an overall score of 91.2. The Dorset winery scored 91 for beauty, and 91.7 for satisfaction. Opened in 2007, the family run winemaking spot has 23,000 vines which include 14 different Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay clones. English Oak was also named Europe’s number one winery for weddings.
Vinarija Rizman, a family-owned Croatian vineyard came in first place with an beauty score of 97.9. It beat Italian and French vineyards on the list including Poggio del Moro Boutique Winery in Tuscany, and Château de la Crée in Burgundy. Vinarija Rizman is home to 23 hectares of vines and 1,700 olive trees, all of which overlook the Adriatic sea.
You can read more about all the vineyards named most beautiful in Europe on Time Out here.
Thirsty for more? Here are the 12 best vineyards in the UK.
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