Winners of inaugural wine tourism awards announced

An historic Waipara vicarage nestled among vineyards and a pioneering Marlborough winery are among the winners of the inaugural Christchurch | South Island Best of Wine Tourism Awards.

The four award winners were announced today and will go on to compete for the prestigious Great Wine Capitals Global Network international awards.

The awards honour outstanding wineries and other tourism related businesses in the Network’s member cities and regions. Christchurch | South Island, which includes the Waipara Valley, Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson and Central Otago wine regions, was welcomed as the newest member of the Network in November 2009.

The Old Glenmark Vicarage, set in the heart of the Waipara wine valley near Christchurch, was chosen as the winner of the accommodation award. Built in 1907, the historic vicarage overlooks a boutique winery and offers its guests beautiful accommodation and an enticing insight into the world of wine-making.

Allan Scott Family Winemakers won the wine tourism award for its Twelve Trees restaurant. The restaurant offers superb indoor/outdoor dining, with food that is created in a provincial vineyard style to compliment the estate’s wines.

Central Otago’s specialist wine tours company, Appellation Central Wine Tours, won the award for wine services. Judges singled out Appellation for its exceptional level of service and the highly engaging experience it offers clients.

Yealands Estate Wines won the award for Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices.

The purpose-built sustainable Marlborough winery is CarboNZero certified and has pioneered several world-leading environmental initiatives.

Woollaston Estates winery in Nelson was highly commended in the same category.

Judges said the award winners stood out because they all shared a passion for wine and a commitment to providing their customers with the highest level of service and a complete experience. Their enthusiasm and knowledge about wine-making made them great ambassadors for the wine producing regions of the South Island.

The judges included Central Otago-based tourism consultant Tara Druce; senior lecturer in tourism at University of Otago, Dr Richard Mitchell; head of school of tourism, hospitality and wellbeing at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, Elizabeth Latham; Hell’s Kitchen 2003 winner and Chair of New Zealand Farmers Market Association, Chris Fortune; managing director of Quality Tourism Development, Craig Wilson; product development manager at Tourism New Zealand, Monica Armesto; and senior lecturer in tourism at Lincoln University, Dr Joanna Fountain.

The Christchurch | South Island Best of Wine Tourism Award winners will now go on to compete in the Global Wine Network’s international awards. The international winners will be announced at a gala dinner during the Great Wine Capital Global Network’s AGM and international wine conference, which is being held in Christchurch from October 31 to November 4. They will receive a Best of Wine Tourism trophy and plaque, as well as international recognition through the Great Wine Capitals Global Network.