Vergelegen in the Helderberg, which last year was declared the national winner, was judged this year’s regional winner in both the Arts and Culture and Significant Wine Tourism Experience categories, while the Wellington Wine Walk, comprising fourteen producers, won the Wine Tourism Service category. Delheim, in Stellenbosch won the newly created category of Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices.

Other category winners were Mont Rochelle in Franschhoek (Accommodation) and Rustenberg in Stellenbosch (Architecture, Parks and Gardens). The winner of the Restaurant category is still to be identified.

This year’s competition, said Morgenthal had drawn entries from a broader geographic base than in the past and reflected a greater level of sophistication as local producers sought to flavour the tasting room experiences they offered with a uniquely South African touch. He also commented on the fact that for the first time since the country’s involvement in the awards five years ago, entries had included collective submissions, pointing to a growing willingness to work together amongst domestic producers that boded well for the future of South African wine tourism.

The national winner will be announced at the plenary session of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network in Portugal in mid-November. Other member regions of the network, based in Bilbao-Rioja (Spain), Bordeaux (France), Florence (Italy), Melbourne (Australia), Mendoza (Argentina), Oporto (Portugal) and San Francisco-Napa Valley (US) will release the names of their national winners at the same time.

Said Morgenthal: “Our wine tourism has come of age. There is a growing pride in South African wines, their provenance, the context in which they are made and the philosophies that underpin them. There is an improved capacity to integrate wine and a culture of wine appreciation into the local way of life and there is a much enhanced degree of quality and attention to detail of what is on offer that certainly compares with international best practice.”

Clarence Johnson, mayor of Cape Winelands District Municipality, which is supporting the awards said that as had been anticipated, the competition this year was tougher than in the past, with a uniform improvement in cellar door experiences and in the attitudes of those who conceived and presented them.