Penfolds Magill Estate wins international Best of Wine Tourism Award

13 November, 2017

Penfolds Magill Estate – synonymous with South Australia and world-class wine – has taken out the international Best of Wine Tourism Award for the category ‘Wine Tourism Services’.

Announced at a Gala Dinner in Chile as part of the Great Wine Capitals Annual General Meeting, Penfolds was selected by the International Best of Wine Tourism judging panel as a global leader in wine tourism.

Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago said he was thrilled to hear Magill Estate had won the International Best of Wine Tourism Award for Best Wine Tourism Services.

“Our aim is to engage and educate wine enthusiasts about our wine in a meaningful way, through our exclusive cellar door and dining experiences, as well as tours, tastings and experientials,” he said.

“Any visitor to Penfolds Magill Estate – whether local, interstate or international – absorbs the most from our quality wine experiences. They’re real. They’re memorable. They are unique.

“Both Penfolds history and contemporary pursuits are extensive and we will continue to tell our wine story to thousands of visitors each year.”

A recent upgrade of the Penfolds Magill Estate Cellar Door, Restaurant and Kitchen, included specifically designed spaces to allow visitors to engage, explore and discover the quality and history of the Penfolds brand.

The awards program, which is run as part of Adelaide / South Australia’s membership in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network includes entries from renowned wine regions of Napa Valley (US), Bordeaux (France), Rioja (Spain), Rheinhessen (Germany), Mendoza (Argentina), Porto (Portugal), Casablanca Valley (Chile), and Verona (Italy).

Adelaide’s membership in the network includes all 18 wine regions in SA, and is a collaboration between Brand South Australia, Primary Industries and Regions SA, the South Australian Tourism Commission and the South Australian Wine Industry Association.

“As a Great Wine Capital of the World, we are best placed here in South Australia to celebrate and showcase our wine, educate, and promote food and tourism,” Mr Gago said.

Minister for Agricultural Food and Wine Leon Bignell said being a member of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network provided a great opportunity to showcase our wines internationally.

“Penfolds Magill Estate is an outstanding example of what people can expect when travelling to South Australia, and with 80 per cent of the country’s premium wine produced here, they’re sure to enjoy the experience,” he said.

Seven South Australian wine businesses represented the state at this year’s awards. They were:

  • Accommodation – The Louise (Barossa)
  • Architecture and Landscape – Chapel Hill Winery (McLaren Vale)
  • Art and Culture – Coriole Vineyards (McLaren Vale)
  • Innovative Wine Tourism Experience – Henschke and Hutton Vale Farm (Barossa)
  • Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices – Whistling Kite Vineyard (Riverland)
  • Wine Tourism Restaurants – Hentley Farm Wines (Barossa)
  • Wine Tourism Services – Penfolds Magill Estate (Adelaide Hills)

“I congratulate all the Australian finalists who have made significant contributions to our regional wine, food and tourism industries – you’ve done us proud to represent South Australia at this global level,” Mr Bignell said.

“The visitor economy in South Australia reached a record $6.3 billion earlier this year, and we know 40 per cent of tourists visited a cellar door during their stay.”