Azores

Azores: Pico Volcanic Vineyards

The most alien vineyard landscape on Earth. Since the 15th century, settlers built 987 hectares of stone walls from loose basalt rock to create "currais" - tiny plots that protect vines from Atlantic storms while trapping heat from black volcanic rock. UNESCO protected this in 2004. The cooperative founded in 1949 by 270 growers rescued the vineyards from extinction, and today their Verdelho - a grape that once fetched Russian czar prices - has VLQPRD protected status. All this 1,000 miles from mainland Portugal, with Mount Pico (2,351m, Portugal's highest peak) looming behind.