Christine Austin's top destinations for plenty of sunshine and amazing wine

It is a well-known fact that there are no vines planted in ugly places, so wherever you choose, there will always be something good to look at.

In addition, wine producers love to welcome visitors, not only so they can sell you some wine, but they have a definite pride in what they do, so are always happy to talk about their land, their grapes and their wines.

Many wineries now have restaurants or at least somewhere to sit and enjoy a glass or two of wine, perhaps with a cheese plate to keep you going to the next visit.

South Africa

If you want to escape right now, then the best place to head for is South Africa. It is straight down the time line, so there is no jet lag, and the evening flight means that you can have dinner, watch a movie and settle down to sleep.

You wake up over Africa and enjoy the view as the plane banks over False Bay and lands at Cape Town.

This is a fabulous city, with lots to do, and you can use it as a base to explore Constantia, the historic wine region south of Cape Town. Head to Groot Constantia for tourism, Klein Constantia for a taste of the legendary Vin de Constance and Steenberg for lunch.

If you want to visit several wine estates, it makes sense to relocate to Stellenbosch, so you avoid the traffic jams in and out of Cape Town.

There are many estates well worth a visit. My favourites are Jordan, De Morgenzon, Glenelly and Oldenberg but there are so many more. The Platter Guide (Amazon) gives you estate descriptions and outline maps to help guide you through the region.

You can pick up a car and drive yourself around, but the downside is that someone in your group cannot taste the wines, so consider hiring a driver.

There are many companies that operate tours, but a private driver will take you where you want to go, not just their regular route. Contact me if you need details.

Vergelegen is not just a great estate to visit, for its gardens, wine and excellent restaurant, they now offer environmental tours. This will take you through their own private reserve where they have created an environment to sustain local wildlife.

They are also part of the Rau quagga project, which is attempting to retrieve some of the DNA of this extinct animal. If you are lucky, you may see the family group of almost-quaggas resident at Vergelegen. Environmental tours are very restricted in number. Book well in advance.

One of the easiest areas to get around is Franschhoek, where the Wine Tram (www.winetram.co.za) weaves around several estates and operates a hop-on hop off service.

Head first to Babylonstoren, an old Cape Dutch farm first established in 1692, that has been transformed into a fabulous garden, with restaurant, farm shop, wine tasting and there is even an up-market hotel that you can stay in.

It is easy to spend a whole day there, wandering in the grounds and enjoying the scenery. This is just one of the stops on the Winetram line. Other estates include Vrede en Lust, Boschendal and Grande Provence.

Madeira

With a consistent warm climate, Madeira makes a great place to visit at any time of the year, but it is particularly good in spring. Madeira wine has centuries of tradition behind it, and it has been a regular on so many sideboards that it developed an old-fashioned image, but all that is changing, slowly. If you haven’t tasted a really good Madeira, then you are in for a treat.

The ones that have been aged for decades are hard to find and expensive to buy in the UK which makes it well worth touring some of the Madeira producers when you visit this beautiful island.

Blandy’s is the one to head for if you are staying in Funchal. Located in a historic building in the centre of Funchal, you can tour the cellars, see casks of Madeira wine gently gathering age and taste through several wines of different ages.

A more modern approach to Madeira is shown at Barbeito, in Câmara de Lobos, just a short taxi ride from Funchal. Younger than Blandy’s by several generations this is a relative newcomer to Madeira wine production. Located on a modern business park, the surroundings are less historic, but the quality of the wine is outstanding.

Tours and tastings are offered on weekdays, and it makes sense to have a morning appointment, so that after your visit you can walk down the hill into the delightful town where there are many excellent fish restaurants.

Cyprus

On my first visit to Cyprus last year, I was astonished to discover just how sunny and warm this island is, even in February. The Cyprus wine industry has experienced many challenges in recent years, not least the banning of the word ‘sherry’ on its fortified wines which led to a massive drop in sales.

But there is a new wave of enthusiasm for new vineyards, indigenous grape varieties and quality winemaking, quite often with the younger generation taking over from their parents, some after gaining international experience.

Many wineries are delighted to welcome visitors. These are some of my favourites.

Vlassides Winery - Sophocles Vlassides studied at Davis, the world-famous wine school in California and has built his own state-of-the-art winery which is built into the mountain to remain naturally cool. The wines are exceptional, and visitors are welcome. www.Vlassideswinery.com

Marathasa winery, is at the top of a mountain, reached by a steep, winding road, but the journey is well worth the trek, not only for the view but also for the wines now being produced. You can taste the wines, and join a walking tour of the vineyards. www.marathasa.com

Tsiakkas winery is run by two brothers, Ektoras and Orestis who have replanted ancient terraces with modern vines. They welcome visitors to their tasting room but also are planning cabins so visitors can stay on-site and appreciate the stunning views of their region.