Drink Like Royalty at These European Castle Wineries

Sipping fine vintages in the shadow of an ancient stone tower or opulent palace is an experience that’s hard to beat. Fortunately, across Europe, centuries-old castles house some of the world’s most storied wineries—many of which open their doors to members of the general public. From sunny Tuscany to Germany’s misty Rheingau, here are nine castles where anyone can drink wine like royalty (for a little while, at least).

Image Courtesy of Castello di Grinzane Cavour

Castello di Grinzane Cavour

Piedmont, Italy

Italian native Nicola Camerlenghi, a professor at Dartmouth College who specializes in medieval architecture, says Castello di Grinzane Cavour is “unquestionably exciting to any wine lover.”

The medieval brick fortification sits atop a hill and features spectacular views of the vineyard rolling Langhe landscape. Consisting of a number of distinct structures and buildings, the oldest of which date back to the 11th century, it now offers an open-air wine museum, another museum that focuses on the Langhe region and its traditions, and a wine shop Enoteca del Castello. The store “boasts one of the largest selections of Piedmontese wines and assorted Langhe specialties in the world,” says Camerlenghi.

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The castle’s political intrigue excites history buffs as well. “Built a thousand years ago to protect the region from barbarian incursions, by the nineteenth century it became the property of the Benso family, whose descendent—Camillo—was one of the key political figures of the Risorgimento, Italy’s unification,” adds Camerlenghi.

Castello di Potentino

Tuscany, Italy

Maintaining a castle is a financial drain. So a growing contingent of castle owners are renovating properties to cater to tourists and wine enthusiasts. Camerlenghi calls it an offshoot of the recent boom of agriturismos, the working farms that offer lodging and meals to guests.

That was the goal of British expat Charlotte Horton and her family when they took over an abandoned 11th-century ruin and restored it to its former glory. Today, Castello di Potentino is a thriving winery, inn, and cultural center that hosts a wide array of events, from culinary classes and artist residencies to musical performances and international symposiums.

The elegant furnishings, inviting pool, and ten acres of Sangiovese, Alicante, and Pinot Noir grapes are all notable. But the real star is “Tumulus, a Sangiovese grape wine pressed by foot in ancient, possibly Etruscan era, carved volcanic stone basins, to which no yeasts or sulfites are added,” says Camerlenghi. “A spectacular and surprising expression of Tuscany’s most noble grape.”

Château de Chillon

Montreux, Switzerland

This 12th-century castle, which sits on a rocky island, is the most visited monument in Switzerland. It receives 400,000 visitors each year. But only recent guests have been able to experience Château de Chillon’s vineyards. Monthly Saturday tours (including one in English) only began last year.

The wine tasting tour goes through all the ins and outs of the winemaking process. It includes a walk through the three-acre vineyard, dominated by Chasselas plantings, as well as some Divico, Merlot, Gamaret, and Garanoir grapes. Visitors learn how the winemaking process at the medieval castle remains true to the vineyard’s 13th-century roots and, during a stop at the chapel, how Christian traditions impacted those practices. Guests also get to visit the cellar where the oak wine barrels are stored and taste through the wines in the dining room, while snacking on local charcuterie.

All proceeds from the tour go toward the castle’s restoration, helping to sustain the cultural monument for future generations. Wine tasting tours cost 26 francs to 31 francs per person.

Photo by Regis Colombo for Chateau de Vullierens

Château de Vullierens

Vaud, Switzerland

Overlooking Lake Geneva and the Alps, this sprawling estate has been in the same family for 700 hundred years. It is best known for its stunning manicured gardens that boast thousands of flowers in the spring, including over 400 varieties of irises, along with some 90 outdoor sculptures.

The 15-acre vineyard is planted with Chasselas, Pinot Noir, Gamaret, Garanoir, and other local and international varietals. Although Château de Vullierens is a private residence, the public is invited to sample their wines, including its Pinot Noir and Rose de Gamaret Garanoir, in the 16th-century cellar. Reach out in advance to schedule a wine tasting with an English-speaking guide.

Image Courtesy of Château Pape Clément

Château Pape Clement

Passec, France

Just over a 15-minute drive from the city of Bordeaux stands the imposing Château Pape Clément with its iconic turret. This neo-Gothic château sits on 150 acres of grapevines and multiple gardens, which include rare plants, an olive grove, and palm grove, along with succulent and vegetable gardens. A walk around the gardens is a must. For a deeper immersion, take the one-hour tour with the property’s landscape gardener, which ends with a glass of wine.

The estate’s wines, which include a red Grand Cru Classé de Graves, date back to 1252. Peter Neptune, Master Sommelier and wine educator who has travelled France extensively and serves as a wine host on European river cruises, describes them as “second to none.”

Tastings, tours of the castle vault, barrel cellar, and vineyards as well as luxurious suites for overnight stay are available to guests.

Château Loudenne

Bordeaux, France

Nicknamed the “Pink Castle,” Château Loudenne gets its moniker from its pastel-hued exterior and magnificent rose garden. The 17th-century Médoc estate, which boasts turrets overlooking the Garonne River, is one of the oldest Cru Bourgeois properties and is home to 150 acres of vineyards planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and other varieties on a riverfront hillside.

Neptune recommends the “excellent red and white wines” such as the Médoc Rouge and the Bordeaux Blanc. Free guided tours and tastings include the red blend, dry white wine, and rosé. The free tour takes visitors through the vineyard, winery, and underground barrel cellar with its historical exhibition. Visits and tastings are available for walk-ins April to September. Visits are by appointment-only the rest of the year.

Guests can spend the night in one of the elegantly designed eco-cottages.

Image Courtesy of Chateau Cos d’Estournel

Château Cos d’Estournel

St. Estephe, France

Dating back to the early 1800s, this unusual château looks like it could’ve been plucked straight out of South Asia (aside from its 245-plus acres of vines). Its pagoda-like architecture and ornamental interior reflect founder Louis-Gaspard d’Estournel’s passion for Indian culture, as do the statues and topiaries of sacred elephants found throughout the estate.

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Château Cos d’Estournel is visually stunning, but what really sets this Left Bank castle apart is its exceptional gravel terroir, says Nepture. Located in Médoc’s Saint-Estèphe region, its Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines are classified as second growth on Bordeaux’s prestigious Deuxième Grand Cru Classe 1855, the famous ranking system created for Napoleon III as part of the 1855 World’s Fair in Paris.

Sample its famous wines on private two- to three-hour tasting tours with optional lunch add ons by reservation. These are all quite pricey but Neptune calls this a “must-visit” for wine lovers seeking a one of a kind experience.

Abadía Retuerta

Ribera del Duero, Spain

Though Abadia Retuerta, two hours from Madrid along the banks of the Duero River, resembles a fortress, it was actually a monastery. Founded in 1146, the Romanesque and Gothic structure is now a five-star resort with a Michelin-starred restaurant and winery.

The approximately 500-acre vineyard includes mainly Tempranillo, with Syrah, Garnacha, and small amounts of Petit Verdot and Malbec. White varieties include Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo.

Daily by-the-glass tastings take place in the wine shop, located in the modern winery, across from the 12th-century abbey. For a more immersive experience, visitors can tour the estate in a private vehicle for 60 euros per person. The two-hour drive through the vineyards includes a visit to the abbey and tour of the winery’s cellar and barrels. It ends with tasting three of their wines. Reservations for guided tours must be made in advance through the website.

Schloss Vollrads

Oestrich-Winkel, Germany

Germany’s Rheingau region boasts an abundance of castles including the iconic wine estate Schloss Vollrads. It was built in several phases, starting in the 13th and 14th with the medieval-style residential tower, surrounded by a moat. After the Thirty Years’ War, Renaissance-style structures were added around the tower. Baroque elements in the gardens and interior living spaces followed in the 17th and 18th centuries.

One of the oldest wineries in Germany, the castle began selling wine to the St. Viktor monastery in Mainz in 1211. Today it produces only Rieslings and is known for its Grosses Gewächs, the prized wines that hail from the best vineyards in Germany, according to the country’s Grosse Lage classification system (akin to France’s Grand Cru).

The property offers walk-in wine tastings in the courtyard’s converted coach house everyday aside from Christmas. Guests can also take guided tours of the castle and winery or dine onsite at Gutsrestaurant. The upscale eatery serves locally-sourced fare including sausages, schnitzels, as well as a variety of vegetarian options in an intimate setting inside the estate’s greenhouse.

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