Best of Wine Tourism 2023 announced

The best of the best South Australian wine tourism experiences were named over the weekend at the opening night of CheeseFest – Gather and Graze.

The 2023 Best of Wine Tourism Awards are a celebration of wine tourism and recognise excellence in South Australia’s wineries and wine tourism experiences.

The awards are part of South Australia’s membership in the prestigious Great Wine Capitals Global Network. Membership to the network acknowledges excellence in grape and wine production and highlights the world’s finest wine tourism regions.

It formally recognises South Australia as one of the top wine producers and wine destinations in the world and benchmarks against prestigious regions such as Bordeaux and the Napa Valley.

Award winners will go on to represent Adelaide, South Australia at the International Best of Wine Tourism Awards. The international awards will be presented in Mendoza, Argentina as part of the Great Wine Capitals Annual Meeting and Conference from 30 October to 3 November 2022.

Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Clare Scriven congratulated the seven winners on their world-class wine tourism experiences right here in our backyard.

"It’s fantastic to be able to recognise our world leading wine makers from South Australia, which is undoubtedly Australia’s premier wine state," she said.

"At any one time, there are nearly one billion bottles of South Australian wine on tables and in cellars around the world. It’s estimated that South Australia produces 50% of Australia’s bottled wine, and around 80% of Australia’s premium wine. In 2020-21, the South Australian wine industry generated $2.8 billion in revenue.

"This year, the awards had an increased focus on sustainability, highlighting the growing importance of sustainable practices across all areas of wine production and in tourism experiences."

Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison said wine tourism is a vital part of South Australia’s tourism industry, particularly for regional areas of the state.

"Nearly 60% of the total $6.2 billion in visitor economy expenditure in the year to December 2021 – including wine tourism – was spent in regional South Australia," she said.

"The range of winners recognised in the 2023 Best of Wine Tourism Awards showcase the high quality of innovation, sustainability and tourism experiences across South Australia’s wine tourism industry."

The 2023 Best of Wine Tourism Awards categories and winners are:

Wine Tourism Accommodation: This category is for businesses located on a winery or vineyard that provide guest accommodation on the premises, including hotels, motels, cabins and bed & breakfasts.

• Winner – Beresford Estate – McLaren Vale Beresford House is a 5-star tourism accredited destination providing the highest standard of luxury accommodation in the premier McLaren Vale wine region.

Wine Tourism Restaurant: This category is for businesses that operate restaurant facilities at a winery or vineyard and provide a quality wine and food experience using local or regional produce.

• Winner – Sidewood Estate – Adelaide Hills Sidewood Estate’s cellar door and restaurant is set among stunning landscaped gardens. Located in the heart of the Adelaide Hills wine region at the entrance to Hahndorf, and only 25 minutes from the CBD.

Innovative Wine Tourism Experience: This category is for wineries that offer special and innovative, educational and/or other leisure activities and experiences for individuals and groups at the winery, at the cellar door or on the winery property. This could also include wineries which stage on-site wine and food events.

• Winner – Paulett Wines – Clare Valley Pauletts have been making award-winning wines for nearly 40 years in the Clare Valley. The cellar door and Bush DeVine restaurant offer unique canape and wines tasting experiences as well as an interactive, technology driven self-guided tasting experience which pairs Riesling to native Australian inspired dishes.

Wine Tourism Services: This category is for wineries or vineyards that excel in their cellar door service offering. The cellar door experience must stand out as memorable and the venue must offer a personal experience that sets it apart from its competitors.

Two winners were named:

• Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards – McLaren Vale Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards is a sixth-generation family-owned business in the heart of McLaren Vale. The Oliver family produces a collection of small batch, handcrafted wines from their 100 hectare property, hosting guests in their heritage cottage cellar door.
• Torbreck Vintners – Barossa Torbreck is an internationally-recognised Barossa Valley winemaker, producing a number of highly- awarded premium wines. At Torbreck’s cellar door in Marananga, they aim to present a world class and professional experience which exceeds the expectations of the discerning domestic and international wine visitor and ensure a visit to Torbreck is part of any wine collector’s itinerary in the Barossa.

Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices: This category is for wineries or vineyards that have implemented environmental practices and sustainable innovations or developments that aim to enhance the visitor experience. The practices can be either in the vineyards, winery, packaging, cellar door or restaurant.

• Winner – Beach Road Wines – McLaren Vale Beach Road Wines Cellar Door and Restaurant has been operating for nine years under owners Briony and Tony Hoare. The alfresco restaurant in among the vines has spectacular panoramic views over McLaren Vale. Sustainability is at the heart of the entire operation.

Tourism Collaboration Excellence A special award recognising excellence in inter-region and cross sectoral tourism collaboration.

• Winner – Grapes for Good and Zoos SA – Langhorne Creek Grapes for Good is a partnership between six leading Langhorne Creek wine producers and Zoos SA which supports the conservation efforts underway at nearby Monarto Safari Park and creates a trail for people to discover the wines of Langhorne Creek.

The Awards are coordinated by the Great Wine Capitals steering committee, which includes representatives from the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), South Australian Tourism Commission, the South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA), University of Adelaide, and University of South Australia.

To learn more, visit adelaidegreatwinecapital.com.au/awards.