Bilbao-Rioja triumphs in the public awards of the world network of Great Capitals of Wine
The World Network of Great Wine Capitals — Great Wine Capitals Global Network has announced the winners of the Best Of from the public — Best Of People’s Choice Award. Two of the seven prestigious international awards have been achieved by the Best Of Wine Tourism Bilbao-Rioja 2023: Mayor de Migueloa Bodega, Hotel and Restaurant (Art and Culture category) and Santa María Briones Hotel (Accommodation category).
Mayor de Migueloa was the absolute winner by number of votes from the public in the entire international network and Bilbao-Rioja has also obtained an overwhelming majority in the international network, with 22.5% of all the votes collected on the GWC website.
Since 2003, the Great Wine Capitals Best Of Wine Tourism Awards have highlighted the quality of wine tourism businesses in Adelaide (South 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 Valley (Chile) and Verona (Italy).
The Best Of Awards distinguish the excellent practices of wine tourism services provided by wineries of the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin and other companies in the sector in Álava, Bizkaia and La Rioja, grouped in the Bilbao-Rioja region of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network .
A professional jury made up of specialists from the sector and from the media selects the best candidates each year and rewards outstanding projects that promote wine tourism in an original, effective and innovative way. After the professional announcement, the public vote on the winning projects takes place.
The categories to which companies choose are:
- accommodation
- Restaurant
- Architecture, Parks and Gardens
- art and culture
- Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences
- Wine Tourism Services
- Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices
This year’s public contest received 4,291 votes from around the world, of which 22.5% were for the Best Of Bilbao-Rioja projects.
People’s Choice Award 2023
- Accommodation. Hotel Santa Maria Briones | Bilbao-Rioja, Spain.
- Architecture and Landscape. pieropan | Verona, Italy.
- Art and culture. Mayor de Migueloa Winery, Hotel and Restaurant | Bilbao-Rioja, Spain.
- Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences. Monte del Fra | Verona, Italy.
- Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices. Castle Fleur de Lisse | Bordeaux, France.
- Restaurants. Reaut Castle | Bordeaux, France.
- Wine Tourism Services. Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards | Adelaide, South Australia.
The general director of Great Wine Capitals, Catherine Leparmentier, has underlined the reciprocal commitment of the population with their local wine tourism companies, which translates into growing support for these prizes from the public.
“In addition to the prizes awarded by the professional jury – he has delivered – the public awards offer additional recognition to these establishments as icons of tourism and a must-see for wine tourism fans from around the world.”
BEST OF WINE TOURISM AWARD – BEST OF PEOPLE’S CHOICE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD – ARTS AND CULTURE
WINERY, HOTEL AND RESTAURANT MAYOR OF MIGUELOA (Laguardia, Álava)
Great Wine Capitals appreciates the family trajectory of the Mayor de Migueloa Winery, Hotel and Restaurant, its wine tourism offer and especially the recovery of the traditional entrance of vintages, the production of wines in the historic center of the medieval town of Laguardia and the transmission of this experience to its visitors.
“Two parallel and meritorious stories are valued,” explained the jury. On the one hand, the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Viana Palace, dating from 1619, declared a heritage site of historical and cultural interest by the Basque Government. On the other hand, the uninterrupted winemaking tradition of the Gutiérrez family since 1690”.
The building was rehabilitated in 1989 by Jaime Gutiérrez and Mery González, pioneers in promoting wine tourism in Laguardia. Since then the traditional 17th century fretworks have been kept in use. Then the traditional trujal and lakes were recovered to allocate them to the production area and bottle graveyard.
Now the traditional grape harvest entrance through the medieval streets of Laguardia has been recovered and the ground floor has been rehabilitated for the production of its wines in the same house, in full view of visitors, because the same cellar is used as the restaurant’s dining room.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD – ACCOMMODATION
HOTEL SANTA MARÍA BRIONES (Briones, La Rioja)
The Santa María Briones boutique hotel is located in an old civil mansion from the 16th century. Listed for its high historical value, this cozy accommodation is located next to the tower and the walls of the medieval town of Briones in La Rioja.
The rehabilitation of the building is highly elegant and comfortable, thanks to the work of the architect Ignacio Quemada and the interior designer Isabel López Vilalta & Asociados. The medieval wall and part of the natural rock foundations have been integrated into the interior design of the hotel, both in the inner courtyard and in some rooms, creating very natural and welcoming spaces.
The original cave for the production and conservation of wine has been recovered, as well as the old stone press where the grapes were ground. The rooms have been conceived with enormous space and with all the comforts.
A true charming hotel that also represents a vital project, a family that returns to its origins in La Rioja after a long journey through Spain and the United States.