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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-10-19 Daily Xml
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Best of Wine Tourism Awards

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:38): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about the recent Great Wine Capitals 2024 Best of Wine Tourism Awards at the National Wine Centre?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:38): I thank the honourable member for his question, and I know that many people in this place are very interested in the topic of wine. Recently, I had the pleasure to celebrate and announce the Great Wine Capitals 2024 Best of Wine Tourism Award winners.

Wine tourism continues to play an incredibly important role in driving visitors to our regions and therefore it is vital to recognise the industry leaders in this field. One of the ways we can do that is through the Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Awards. This is the eighth consecutive year that these awards have been presented in South Australia. Each of the winners announced recently will go on to have their entry judged by an international jury, with the global awards presented later this month in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Previous international winners include Seppeltsfield, d'Arenberg, Grapes for Good/Zoos SA and Wirra Wirra, as well as Penfolds Magill Estate and Gemtree Wines. The awards celebrate innovation, excellence and sustainability in wine tourism and, for the South Australian contingent, the winners across the seven categories are as follows:

Alkina Wine Estate from the Barossa, in the Accommodation category. They were recognised for creating extraordinary accommodation that feels like home and treads lightly on the landscape.

Yangarra Estate Vineyard, McLaren Vale, in the Architecture and Landscape category. Their cellar door's architectural design features a striking, sweeping roof, a visual treat for visitors, with an interior that reflects the region's soil and environment.

Grapes of Mirth is a multiregional winner in the Art and Culture category. They have been involved in comedy events, including DJs and dance parties, podcasts, wine masterclasses, and cooking demonstrations. These activities can bring a new demographic to wineries and their respective regions.

Sidewood Estate, Adelaide Hills, in the Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences category. On the outskirts of Hahndorf, they provide a unique offering from no and low-alcohol wines to a spread of leisure activities and educational experiences, such as introduction to wine tasting that helps people interpret wine terminology to enhance their overall experience;

Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard in the Adelaide Hills, in the Wine Tourism Restaurant category, with menus carefully curated each month in an outstanding second-to-none setting that connects to the landscape and surrounding vineyards.

Pindarie Wines of the Barossa Valley won in the Wine Tourism Services category. They have stables dating back to the 1850s and a grain store built in the 1890s. The cellar door and restaurant provide the complete wine, food and tourism experience in the Barossa Valley.

Finally, Gemtree Wines from McLaren Vale, in the Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices category. Organic and biodynamic certified, and the benchmark in South Australia for sustainable wine practices. Sustainability best practice is fundamental to Gemtree's overall story and purpose.

South Australia's wine industry has long been a key driver of our economy, especially in our regions. In 2021-22, the state's wine industry generated $2.4 billion in revenue, a significant portion of the $17.3 billion in total revenue that is generated by our primary industries and agribusinesses. But the wine industry's true value extends well beyond any dollar figure, and I think we would all agree that wine is central to South Australia's story. It is part of our culture, it is a source of immense local pride, and a story that we are delighted to share with the world at every opportunity.

That is why South Australia's membership of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network, an exclusive group of 12 internationally renowned wine regions, which include Bordeaux and Napa Valley, is so important. It is great to see also that Hawke's Bay in New Zealand was recently added to the network earlier this year.

My congratulations once again go to the award winners across the seven categories. I wish them all the very best as they compete for a Global Best of Wine Tourism Award, which will be presented at the end of this month at the Great Wine Global Network annual meeting and conference in Switzerland.

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