Applications now open for Best Of Wine Tourism Awards

Entries are now open for 2026 Great Wine Capitals’ Best Of Wine Tourism Awards, providing an opportunity for South Australia’s incredible wine tourism operators and wine producers to put themselves forward to be recognised on the global stage.

The Best of Wine Tourism (BOWT) Awards celebrate innovation and excellence in wine tourism throughout the greatest wine regions in the world.

The opportunity is made possible through South Australia’s membership of the Great Wine Capital Global Network (GWCGN), alongside other Great Wine Capitals around the world including Bordeaux and Napa Valley.

All 12 members of the GWCGN run parallel awards, with local category winners going on to compete in the Global BOWT Awards which are judged by an international jury and will be announced in Bordeaux, France in November.

Last year McLaren Vale winery Dandelion Vineyards took home the global BOWT Award for Architecture and Landscape at the international awards held in Verona, Italy.

Categories for the 2026 BOWT Awards are:

• Accommodation
• Architecture and landscape
• Art and culture
• Culinary experiences
• Innovative wine tourism experiences
• Wine tourism services
• Sustainable wine tourism practices

With a continuing emphasis on sustainability, each of the shortlisted award entries for the first six award categories will be considered for the sustainable wine tourism practices award.

The awards were launched last week at an event for the Outbound Knowledge Exchange Bursary Program, where last year’s recipients presented to the South Australian wine industry about what they learnt from their study visits to other Great Wine Capitals.

The Outbound Knowledge Exchange Bursary Program sees local wine industry professionals, researchers and academics travel to other Great Wine Capitals to learn directly from international experts in their field and then share their learnings for the benefit of SA’s wine industry.

Both the BOWT Awards and Outbound Knowledge Exchange Bursary Program are coordinated by the Great Wine Capital’s South Australian steering committee which includes representatives from the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), South Australian Tourism Commission, South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA), and University of Adelaide.

For more information and to enter the 2026 Best Of Wine Tourism Awards go to: www.adelaidegreatwinecapital.com.au/awards

Entries for the BOWT awards close on 30 June 2025.

Applications for the Outbound Knowledge Exchange Bursary Program will open later in the year.

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Quotes

Attributable to Zoe Bettison

South Australia is known for its premium wine and wine experiences.

Our state is one of the 12 Great Wine Capitals of the World and is the only one in Australia.

The Best of Wine Tourism (BOWT) Awards celebrate innovation and excellence in wine tourism throughout the greatest wine regions in the world and are a wonderful opportunity for our local wine tourism businesses to showcase their products and promote our state as a must-visit destination, not just for a top drop, but for unforgettable experiences.

I encourage all South Australian wine tourism operators to apply.

Attributable to Clare Scriven

The Best Of Wine Tourism Awards provide a wonderful opportunity to stop and recognise the fantastic work being done across South Australia’s wine industry, despite adversity, to provide world-class tourism experiences.

These awards also play an important role in recognising the role wine tourism plays in strengthening the regional economy through innovation, sustainability and service excellence.

My message to any South Australian winery or wine tourism related business with exceptional services is to enter the Best Of Wine Tourism Awards and embrace the opportunity to be recognised on the global stage.