Top international wine tourism award for Marlborough pioneer

Top international wine tourism award for Marlborough pioneer

Marlborough’s Brancott Estate Heritage Centre has been named one of the world’s best wine tourism experiences.

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel is presenting Brancott Estate with an International Best of Wine Tourism Award at this Saturday’s Wine and Food Festival.

Brancott Estate Heritage Centre is one of nine Global Best of Wine Tourism winners, selected from 350 applicants by an international jury in Napa Valley, California last month.

Festival visitors can also meet and celebrate alongside the regional winners of the Great Wine Capitals’ (GWC) Best of Wine Tourism Awards, with the GWC tent showcasing wine and food experiences available right on our city’s doorstep, as well as further afield.

Regional awards are being presented to:

• Northburn Station, Central Otago, for Best Wine Tourism Restaurant and Best Architecture and Landscapes
• Selwyn Food and Wine Trail for Best Wine Tourism Service
• Brancott Estate Heritage Centre, Marlborough, for Innovative Wine Tourism Experience and Best Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices

The GWC network links cities that are gateways to world-famous wine regions. Christchurch, along with the South Island’s wine regions, joined the prestigious network four years ago.

Brancott Estate Heritage Centre Manager Kathy Hughes says wine activities are an important part of what New Zealand has to offer international visitors.

“As a pioneer of wine tourism, we are thrilled with this latest award. It is a fantastic achievement by the Brancott Estate Heritage Centre team and testament to the quality customer experience offered to all visitors.”

New Zealand's representative on the international judging panel was Joanna Fountain, a senior lecturer in Tourism Management at Lincoln University.

"Brancott Estate Heritage Centre provides an exceptional educational experience. The setting is awe inspiring and the welcome and service is highly professional and customer-focused. They are worthy winners and a great ambassador for wine tourism in the South Island.”

Visitors to the Great Wine Capitals tent can find out more about the Selwyn Food and Wine Trail. The Trail offers the opportunity to experience the beauty of the Selwyn district and enjoy its amazing food and wine scene.

Also at the Great Wine Capitals tent, you can hear from the Waipara Valley Winegrowers, who will be running two more of their sell-out masterclasses and tastings this year. These will be held at 12 noon and 2pm and entry is on a first come, first served basis with room for 60 people at each seminar. A Marlborough wines masterclass and tasting is also on at 1pm. Be in quick when the doors open as these seminars were fully-booked last year.

Also in the Great Wine Capitals tent - for those of you who want to take your keen interest in wine, wine tourism or event management to a higher level, have a look at Lincoln University’s information on their specialist degree programmes.

ENDS

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