Wine Tourism: The Awards

The Drinks International Wine Tourism Challenge was judged at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust HQ. Christian Davis reports

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IS THERE A BETTER WAY of making friends and influencing people than inviting them to your place, producing a prodigious welcome, followed by unstinting hospitality and ultimately giving them a truly great, memorable time?

The Danes call it hygge or hyggelig – being welcoming, relaxed and cosy with friends and family. The wine trade calls it ‘wine tourism’. Appreciating wine is about relaxation and enjoyment, usually sharing with family and friends. There are aspects of growing vines, producing and processing grapes and finally making wines, that will interest everyone.

There is the history, geography and geology of the location. Botany, gardening and, finally, the science involved with turning grape juice into the alcoholic beverage we all love.

Get your visitor centre right and what is there not to like? A decent playground and great toys in the gift shop and you may have made a memorable experience and engaged your next generation of wine drinkers.

So, with that in mind, Drinks International launched the Wine Tourism Challenge. The concept being to highlight and award excellence and to give plenty of food for thought to those who have yet to open their doors to end consumers.

 THE JUDGES


Click the next page to view: BEST VISITOR CENTRE

                                  

Click the next page to view: MOST INNOVATIVE EXPERIENCE

Click the next page to view: BEST FOOD AND WINE MATCHING 

Click the next page to view: BEST RETAIL EXPERIENCE

Click the next page to view: BEST PROMOTIONAL BODY

Click the next page to view: BEST WINE EVENT

Click the next page to view: BEST ACCOMMODATION