Bilbao-Rioja held its 2014 Best Of Wine Tourism awards ceremony on September 26 at Bodegas Campillo in Laguardia (Rioja Alavesa). Over 200 representatives of wineries, wine tourism businesses and local authorities attended the event.
The award winners were:
Accommodation: Hotel Viura
hotelviura.com
Hotel Viura in Villabuena de Álava is an architectural masterpiece, a series of cubes rising from a hillside. It is a charming 4-star hotel with 33 rooms tastefully decorated in an avant-garde style located in the center of one of Rioja’s most famous villages.
Wine Tourism Restaurant: Venta Moncalvillo-Gourmet Echapresto
ventamoncalvillo.com
The Venta Moncalvillo boasts 1 Michelin star and combines the best of traditional Riojan cuisine with a modern touch. Brothers Ignacio and Carlos Echapresto share the management and day-to-day responsibilities of the restaurant, with Ignacio taking charge of the kitchen and sommelier Carlos as front-of-house. The Venta is known for its wide range of activities to initiate consumers in the intricacies of wines from Rioja and around the world.
Architecture, Parks and Gardens: El Calado – Grupo Empresarial Criteria
calado.es
El Calado (wine vault in Spanish) is a 16th century wine cellar located in the old town of Logroño. It has been tastefully restored, fully respecting the architectural style of its epoch and is the site of social and company events, as well as specific events related to wine in Rioja.
Art and Culture: Vivanco Enoturismo y Experiencias – Bodegas Dinastía Vivanco
actividadesvivanco.com
Dianstía Vivanco is a Best Of Wine Tourism award winner for the third time, and was the winner of an international Best Of award in 2008. The museum and winery complex offers a wide range of exhibitions, courses and other innovative experiences for the lover of wine culture.
Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences: Pagos de Leza
pagosdeleza.com
Pagos de Leza is a newly founded winery offering numerous activities for wine tourists, including theatrical visits, blind tastings, wine and food pairing events and wine tourism Fridays.
Wine Tourism Services: Pepita Uva
pepitauva.com
Pepita Uva, in the beautiful walled village of Laguardia, was founded in 2012 to promote winery tourism in the village and surrounding area. Its wide range of innovative activities is the reflection of the dynamic spirit of its energetic young owners.
Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices: Bodegas Ostatu
ostatu.com
Sustainability is a key word in today’s wine business. Bodegas Ostatu’s commitment to this concept earned it a certificate as a carbon-neutral winery in 2012.
Special Jury Award: Bodegas Campillo
bodegascampillo.com
For the second time in eleven years, the Bilbao-Rioja jury voted to grant a Special Jury Award. In 2014, Bodegas Campillo was honoured as the result of the vision of the company’s founder, Julio Faustino Martínez, when he created an avant-garde winery surrounded by vineyards in Rioja Alavesa. Founded in 1990, Campillo has been an inspiration for numerous innovative winery projects in the Rioja region.
Written by Decanter
