The 2019 Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Awards celebrate innovation and excellence in wine tourism throughout the ten greatest wine regions in the world, and a visit to the Napa Valley winners should definitely be on your 2019 bucket list. Here’s who made the cut:
St. Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery
Global Winner – Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices
Proud to be certified Napa Green Land & Winery, over two-thirds of St. Supéry's 1530+ acres of land are untouched, encouraging biodiversity through a variety of flora and fauna, integrated pest management, and composting. In the past three years St. Supéry has reduced water usage by half and its solar panels have saved 923 tons of CO2. The winery champions wine education and exploration, offering a series of interactive wine experiences designed for all levels of wine enthusiasts.
Insider Tip: Go for the Ampelography Master Class and learn how to identify individual grape varieties by the distinctive attributes of their leaves, as well as the delightful Veggies + Vino pairing, an exploration of fresh vegetarian bites paired with four estate wines.
Acacia House at Alila Napa Valley
Regional Winner – Wine Tourism Restaurants
Chef Chris Cosentino’s elegant California bistro presents local, seasonally-driven products throughout their menu whenever possible, along with a wine list that boasts unique, diverse local wines complemented with European accents. The Sommelier and Wine Director work directly with local wine purveyors to develop the wine list, which highlights organic and biodynamic producers, as well as those with charity components.
Insider Tip: While the wine list is certainly noteworthy, don’t miss the salt-foam-covered margarita, an homage to the original Las Alcobas property in Mexico and a local favorite.
Laces & Limos
Regional Winner – Wine Tourism Services
Laces and Limos is a Napa Valley tour company featuring unique experiential tours by way of open-air electric Tuk-Tuk vehicles. Choose from three different tour packages including a basic downtown tour, classic winery tour, and a custom build-your-own itinerary with stops at up to three wineries. Because tours are created based on the client interests, no two experiences are alike.
Insider Tip: Request a boxed lunch with your custom tour and the Laces & Limos crew will find you a picture-perfect, off-the-beaten-path picnic spot.
Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa
Regional Winner – Accommodation
The Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa is a lively, 50-room Napa Valley hotel designed in a retro-influenced contemporary style. The hotel draws from Calistoga's geothermal hot springs to sustain its quirky MoonAcre Spa and 3 pools. Jump ropes and hula hoops in each room add to the hotel's playful, whimsical atmosphere. The Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa seeks to build partnerships with wineries that exude its values of fun and adventure. Not only does the Lodge promote its partners’ wine experiences to guests, it offers event space to wineries without expansive properties.
Insider Tip: Stay for a girls getaway and hit the Wednesday afternoon Happy Spa Hour, where you can dabble in the make-your-own-mud bar, take a dip in the geothermal pool, and then mingle in the spa garden with a complimentary glass of wine.
Trinchero Napa Valley
Regional Winner – Architecture & Landscapes
Collaborating with local designer Erin Martin and San Francisco firm BAR Architects, the Trinchero family has built a state-of-the-art Napa Valley winery with a strong emphasis on design. The property's aesthetic blends Italian and California influences and nods to the history of the family, from the cathedral-like winery facility built to resemble New York’s Grand Central Station to the historic wine caves beneath the property. Its latest addition is a 5,000-square-foot tasting room boasting custom furnishings, a vintage taxidermy installation, and a speakeasy-style VIP tasting area.
Insider Tip: Reserve a Time in a Bottle Tasting Experience and sample future vintages, current releases, and library vintages of the same two wines in the visually stunning Legacy Lounge, the winery’s newest tasting station.
Sequoia Grove
Regional Winner – Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences
Sequoia Grove is putting a unique spin on traditional wine tasting experiences. From innovative multi-course food pairings at the new Chef’s Table to Cabernet Culinary challenges, the winery offers fun, interactive, and competitive ways to explore their lineup of wines.
Insider Tip: Great for groups! Get everyone together for a Cabernet Culinary Challenge and see who can create the most appetizing, creative, Cabernet-complementing crostini ever.