The global network Great Wine Capitals awarded the best wine tourism alternatives in Mendoza. WineSur provides readers with all the winners.Mendoza, one of the eight world wine capitals and member of the Great Wine Capitals network, awarded the best exponents of tourism, granting them gold, silver and bronze medals in seven categories.
In a gala performance, the Independencia Theater gathered important authorities and businessmen. Representatives of wineries, restaurants and tourism operators received awards and now the winners may go for further international awards, may improve their promotion worldwide and may participate in events related to wine tourism in the cities involved.
The Great Wine Capitals network’s mission is to encourage tourism, academic and cultural development in every member city, by means of joint projects. Since 1998, it has performed the contest Best of Wine Tourism, selecting the best exponents from each of the eight capitals at a first stage. Then, the gold medal winners from each category and city compete to get the international award at the Great Wine Capitals’ General Assembly. This year the assembly will be perform in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 31st October to 4th November.
The awards ceremony
This time, the panel of judges included 28 important figures that are a reference in the assessed fields. The judges had the difficult task of selecting the winner companies from Mendoza that competed in up to two of the seven categories: architecture, parks and gardens; art and culture; accommodation; innovative wine tourism experiences; sustainable wine tourism practices; restaurants and wine tourism services.
The evaluation highlighted the most original and innovative aspects, taking in consideration service quality, tourism offer originality, customer service and commitment as in the development of wine tourism.
And the winners are…
1. Accommodation
Gold: Posada Salentein
Silver: El Aguamiel
2. Restaurants
Gold: Bodega O Fournier
Silver: Bodega Ruca Malén
Bronze: Bodega Los Toneles
3. Architecture, Parks and Gardens
Gold: Bodega Diam Andes Clos de los 7
Silver: Bodega O´Fournier
Bronze: Pulenta State
4. Art and culture
Gold: Bodega El Faraón
Silver: Finca La Anita
Bronze: Bodega O' Fournier
5. Innovative wine tourism experiences
Gold: Bodega El Faraón
Silver: Belasco de Baqueano
Bronze: Los Toneles
6. Wine tourism services
Gold: Ketek Eventos & Turismo
Silver: mendozaholidays.com
Bronze: Hon Travel
7. Sustainable wine tourism practices
Gold: Bodega Norton
Silver: El Aguamiel
Written by Ricardo Santos for Winesur.com
Translation: Ana Tagua
Source: http://www.winesur.com/top-news-2/the-winners-of-best-of-wine-tourism-2011























































































































