CAPE WINE FARM WINS GLOBAL WINE TOURISM AWARD

The awards are sponsored by the Great Wine Capitals Global Network, a network of global cities in the northern and southern hemispheres that include internationally renowned wine regions.

Western Cape vineyard Vergelegen was among wineries celebrated at the 2017 international “Best Of Wine Tourism” awards ceremony at the Sao Bento da Vitoria Monastery in Porto, Portugal.

Encompassing the so-called “old” and “new” worlds of wine, the competition is designed to reward wineries that have distinguished themselves in terms of the excellence of their facilities in various categories, from arts and culture to sustainable wine tourism, and delivering quality experiences to the public.

The international winners are chosen from those selected as the “best of” from each Great Wine Capital.

There were 359 entrants and 59 local award winners this year.

The awards aim to encourage travel, education and business exchanges between the prestigious wine regions, which include Bilbao-Rioja in Spain, Bordeaux in France, Germany's Rheinhessen region, Mendoza in Argentina, Porto in Portugal, the Napa Valley in San Francisco, Casablanca Valley in Valparaiso, Chile, and the Cape Wineleands.

Other 2017 International Best of Wine Tourism award winners were Seppeltsfield in Australia; Bodegas y Vinedos de Paganos in Bilbao; Chateau Marquis de Terme in Bordeaux; Rheinhessenvinothek in Rheinhessen; Zuccardi in Mendoza; Quinta do Bomfim in Porto; Trefethen Family Vineyards in the Napa Valley; and Portofino Restaurant in Valparaiso.