The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is the setting chosen for the delivery of the Best Of Wine Tourism 2022 Awards of the World Network of Great Wine Capitals in the Bilbao-Rioja area. The choice is made among the 29 projects presented by 28 companies and the ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 14.
The Best Of Wine Tourism Awards recognize the companies that provide the best wine tourism services in the eleven main wine regions of the world: Adelaide (Australia), Bilbao-Rioja (Spain) Bordeaux (France), Cape Town-Cape Winelands (South Africa) ), Lausanne (Switzerland), Mainz-Rheinhessen (Germany), Mendoza (Argentina), Porto (Portugal), San Francisco-Napa Valley (United States), Valparaíso-Casablanca (Chile) and Verona (Italy).
This year the Bilbao Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation presides over the organizing committee of the award-giving event, which are also promoted by the Chambers of Álava and La Rioja, the Bilbao City Council and the Regulatory Council of the DOCa Rioja .
In total, 29 projects from 28 companies have been submitted to one of the seven outstanding categories: Accommodation; Restaurants; Architecture, Parks and Gardens; Art and culture; Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences; Wine Tourism Services and Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices.
29 projects from 28 companies have submitted their candidacy
Of the twenty-eight companies aspiring to the Best Of Wine Tourism 2022 of the World Network of Great Wine Capitals in the Bilbao-Rioja area, a total of twenty-one come from La Rioja: Sonsierra, Bodegas Mazuela, Bodegas Altanza, Viña Ijalba, Bodegas Campo Viejo , Bodega-Hotel FYA by Carlos Bujanda, Bodegas Corral, Bodegas Roda, La Bodega del Tesoro, Criteria Business Group, Wine Fandango, Franco-Spanish Wineries, Vinícola Real — 200 Monges, Finca La Emperatriz, Bodega Ojuel, Aitor Esnal Restaurant, Vintae - Hacienda López de Haro Winery, Rioja Group, Carlos Moro Wineries and Vineyards, La Vieja Bodega Restaurant and Zinio Bodegas.
In Álava, seven companies have been presented for the awards: Bodegas Solar de Samaniego, Bodegas Izadi, Wine Oil Spa Sercotel Villa de Laguardia, Bodegas Baigorri, Bodegas Lozano, Ciudad del Vino Marqués de Riscal and Bodegas Javier San Pedro Ortega.
The jury is made up of professionals of recognized prestige in the gastronomic, leisure-travel and tourism agencies area, who have selected and examined the finalist projects from among those presented to the contest.
Best Of Wine Tourism International
The winners of this eighteenth edition will be announced at the same awards ceremony, which completes a first local phase. Subsequently, the Best Of International will be chosen with the candidates from the other ten venues in the world network.
This recognition will be awarded during the Annual Conference of the World Network of Great Wine Capitals, which will take place in Mainz, Germany, between October 24 and 29 of this year.
Winners of the Best Of Bilbao-Rioja in 2020
Villa Lucía and Bodegas Valdemar (regional and international award ex aequo), Bodegas Murua and Bodegas Juan Carlos Sancha, with a special mention to David Moreno, were the companies recognized with the Best Of Wine Tourism 2020.
Last year the contest did not take place as a result of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic.
Winners of the International award in previous editions
Villa Lucía and Bodegas Valdemar (ceremony held in 2019); Wine Train (2018); Count of the Andes (2017); Bodegas y Viñedos de Páganos (2016); Marqués de Riscal (2015); Marqués de Murrieta (2014); Vivanco Dynasty Museum (2013); Finca Los Arandinos (2012); Bodegas Campo Viejo (year 2011); Wine Oil Spa-Hotel Villa de Laguardia (year 2010); Bodegas Muga (year 2009); Dinastía Vivanco Foundation (2008); Marqués de Riscal (year 2007); Ysios (year 2006); Paternina (2005); Dinastia Vivanco (2004) and Juan Alcorta (2003).
