[Press release] The Great Wine Capitals Global Network recently announced the winners of the 2014 International Best Of Wine Tourism awards at a ceremony held at the Culinary Institute of America’s Greystone campus in St. Helena, California.
The nine international winners were chosen from 53 local ‘Best Of‘ winners from nine Great Wine Capitals. In all, 350 applications were received this year. The international winners for 2014 are:
Bodegas Dinastia Vivanco in Rioja, a museum and winery complex, celebrated for its Enoturismo y Experiencias that offers a wide range of exhibitions, courses and other innovative experiences (www.dinastiavivanco.es)
Château de Rouillac in Bordeaux that dates back to the 19th century when it belonged to the famous Baron Haussmann who introduced many urban planning reforms to Paris under Napoleon III (www.chateauderouillac.com)
Vergelegen in the Cape Winelands in South Africa. Dating back to 1685, Vergelegen is renowned for the preservation of its historic buildings and its elegant gardens. (www.vergelegen.co.za)
Brancott Estate Heritage Centre at Brancott Vineyard in Marlborough (South Island in New Zealand), the site of the original Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc plantings www.brancottestate.com
Castello di Gabbiano in Tuscany, with its medieval castle that dates back to the 16th century (www.castellogabbiano.it)
Weingut Eppelmann in Rheinhessen, recognised for its innovative use of QR codes in communicating with hikers (www.eppelmann.de)
Bodega Ruca Malen at the foot of the Andes near Mendoza (Argentina), celebrated for its restaurant. (www.bodegarucamalen.com)
The Yeatman in Porto (Portugal), a luxury wine hotel with an award-winning wine cellar and Michelin star restaurant acclaimed for its modern interpretation of traditional Portuguese cuisine. (www.the-yeatman-hotel.com)
The Hess Collection Winery on Mount Veeder in Napa (California, USA), renowned for its extensive private collection of international modern and contemporary paintings and sculpture. (www.hesscollection.com)
About the Great Wine Capitals Global Network
Founded in 1999, the Great Wine Capitals Global Network is an alliance of ten internationally renowned wine regions – Bordeaux, France; Cape Town|Cape Winelands, South Africa; Christchurch|South Island, New Zealand; Florence, Italy; Mainz|Rheinhessen, Germany; Mendoza, Argentina; Porto, Portugal; Bilbao|Rioja, Spain; San Francisco|Napa Valley, USA and Valparaiso|Casablanca Valley, Chile.
The Best Of Wine Tourism awards serve as an industry benchmark for excellence and recognize leading wineries and wine-tourism related businesses within each Great Wine Capital that have distinguished themselves in areas such as innovation, service and sustainable practices. For more information visit http://www.greatwinecapitals.com.