Testimonials
At Château Saint Ahon production of wine is definitely the first and main activity. We practice our work with passion to ensure a constant quality of our product.
Since 2009 wine tourism represents the second pillar of Saint Ahon’s activities – a service that exists thanks to and for the wine!
The implementation of wine tourism practices is first of all a genuine support for the distribution of our wines, but it is also and foremost an excellent communication tool for everything that concerns the wine and the winery.
Our wine themed circuit “Les Jardins de Mirabel” (Mirabel Gardens) has furthermore brought us the Best Of Wine Tourism trophy in the category of Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences.
We consider this recognition – unexpected but hoped for! - as a recompense of our authentic and hard work, in which we have put our hearts and aspiration with the goal to explain in a simple way the essentials of our main duty: working with the wine and the vineyard.
Besides the pleasure of receiving this award, entering the circle of “Best Of” winners also gives us the possibility to exchange experiences with the other laureates as well as the a recognition in the professional world of wine tourism. For us, this award is definitely a great step forward!
Nicolas et Françoise de Courcel, owners of Château Saint Ahon
Nicolas et Françoise de Courcel, Château Saint Ahon, 2013 Best Of Wine Tourism Award Winner - Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences
“This award was received with particular satisfaction , for several reasons:
- we always believed that the quality of the architecture of this project would be determinant for it´s success- and for that reason we choosed an architect from the very famous Oporto University School.
- Although our main activity is the production of wines- we made a strong effort and put a lot of energy in the wine tourism activity, as we believe it is a strong competitive advantage in the very competitive global wine market.
The success achieved, of which this award is a very clear indication, makes us very happy and optimistic about the future”
João Álvares Ribeiro, Quinta do Vallado, 2013 Best Of Wine Toursim Award Winner - Architecture and Landscapes
Caro Feely, Château Haut Garrigue / Terroir Feely, Best Of Wine Tourism Winner 2013 - Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices
«After having made some significant investments in the cellars and vineyards as well as in the organization of the guest reception at Château Bouscaut – whiwh were completed in 2010 – we were pleased to receive the recognition of great professionals. The Best Of Wine Toursim 2013 has awarded the excellence of our hospitality as well as the quality of our wine tourism services and products, that are offered in the enchanting environment of Château Bouscaut. This distinction not only gives us confidence but also a rising interest of the professional public. In addition to that, we benefit from the exchange with other estates that share similar objectives within the fields of wine tourism. The Best Of Wine Toursim Award 2013 has encouraged us and pushes us to always work further on the improvement of our performance in this category.”
Sophie Lurton – Cogombles, owner of Château Bouscaut, Best Of Wine Toursim Winner 2013
“Our perception of the building at Waterkloof is changing as the surrounding landscape develops. We are so lucky to have won for two consecutive years - the canvas remains the same but the painting is in constant flux.”
Paul Boutinot of Waterkloof Wine Estate, winner 2013 Best Of Architecture and Landscapes, Cape Town I Cape Winelands
“We are extremely proud that The Gallery, The Cathedral and The Sculpture Garden at Grande Provence are recognised for showcasing a wide variety of art media by leading and emerging South African artists. The intention has always been to provide a platform for emerging artists to showcase their work. Art is a very large part of the Grande Provence experience which complements the fine cuisine, superb accommodation and award-winning wines.”
Karl Lambour - General Manager and Winemaker of The Historic Grande Heritage Wine Estate, Franshoek, Cape Town |South Africa
December 2011:
"The 2012 International Best Of Wine Tourism award on top of the local Best Of Wine Tourism award in Wine Tourism Services category have greatly highlighted our tourism activities and facilities. Since we received the award, we faced a significant increase in requests from events and incoming travel agencies asking for information about the estate and our services or booking our conference rooms for events. In a sector always more competitive, receiving a Best Of is considered as a label and a quality token in the wine tourism environment, both at regional and an international levels."
Emmanuelle Plougoulm, Tourism Services Manager, Château d’Agassac, category Wine Tourism Services and global winner.
November 2011:
“To participate in this contest led us to think about all we had achieved to display it in the most appropriate way. On top of the employees of the estate, all the people involved in the different areas of tourism activities at Atamisque, participated in the project. The trip to Germany was also a great experience that allowed us to discover all the know how to be found in other countries as well as the difficulty to compete. There was a wonderful atmosphere as often in the world of wine, that’s why I think it is very important to be able to share experiences with wineries within the Great Wines Capitals, to learn about their best practices. On top of the proudness, receiving a Best Of - and the highest international level of the award - was a huge satisfaction to share with all those who worked with un in the last years and in this world, we all need a little gratification."
Jean-Edouard de Rocheboüet, owner, Atamisque, Mendoza, International Best Of Wine Tourism and Innovative Wine Tourism experiences category
November 2011:
"While our major focus has always been the production of exceptional wines, this award is a great inspiration to us in our dedication to a culture of excellence over a broader spectrum. Being the SA winner for Best Of Wine Tourism for 2012 awarded us additional exposure on an international level and from an independent and reliable platform. Internally the competition meant a lot to the La Motte team as an acknowledgement for high service levels and serves as inspiration and motivation for promoting wine tourism in South Africa.”
Hein Koegelenberg, CEO, La Motte, category Art and Culture and global winner
November 2011:
"It is with pride that we dedicate this award to the native winegrowers of Dievole. Returning the land to the traditions of the vine masters living in the farmhouses on the land and using the ancient methods of production was a great step forward for Dievole. The Best Of Wine Tourism Award confirms the wisdom of this choice."
Stefano Meacci, Manager, Dievole, category Accomodation and International winner
Pages
GWC Blog
