Hunt is on for Best Wineries & Wine Tourism Ventures

Christchurch | South Island, the newest member of the prestigious Great Wine Capitals Network, is on the hunt for the best wineries and wine tourism ventures in the region.

It is calling for nominations for the Christchurch | South Island Best of Wine Tourism Awards 2011, which honour outstanding wineries and other tourism related businesses in the Network’s member cities and wine regions.

Category winners will go on to compete in the international awards, with winners being announced at a gala dinner during the Great Wine Capital Global Network’s AGM and international wine conference.

The conference, Wine Discovery New Zealand 2010, will be a cluster of events and wine tours attracting overseas delegates and will be held in Christchurch from 31 October to 4 November.

Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism chief executive Christine Prince says the awards are significant as they are recognised globally as an industry-wide benchmark for excellence.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for our South Island wineries and wine tourism businesses to build on their reputation and gain the global recognition they deserve.  No visit to this part of the world is complete without a visit to one of our many wineries and the quality of experience they offer is first-class.

"I encourage wineries and wine tourism businesses promoting this region to travellers and wine lovers of the world to throw their hats into the ring for these prestigious awards," Ms Prince says.

Wineries and wine tourism businesses can apply for awards in the following categories:

•    Accommodation

•    Wine Tourism Restaurants

•    Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences

•    Wine Tourism Services

•    Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices 

For more information and to apply for the awards, sponsored by Apex Car Rentals, go to www.southislandwine.co.nz. Entries close on July 15, and nominated businesses will be visited by a team of judges shortly after.

The winners will get a Best of Wine Tourism trophy and plaque as well as opportunities to promote themselves internationally through the Great Wine Capitals Global Network. They will also get the chance to compete for the international awards.