The Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Awards celebrate innovation and excellence in wine tourism across eleven great wine capitals of the world, providing an opportunity for wineries to gain exposure and recognition for their commitment to providing leading wine tourism experiences.

From seven award categories, state winners are decided from each of the 11 Great Wine Capitals, who then go on to vie for a global award - decided by an impressive panel of judges.

In exciting news for McLaren Vale, Wirra Wirra Vineyards was named Global winner for Wine Tourism Services.

The Wine Tourism Services award highlights a cellar door experience as a stand out and memorable one, the winery must offer a personal experience that sets it apart from its competitors. The cellar door must be a place where visitors can interact with the product, winemaker and experience first-hand, and the diversity the winery has to offer.

Wirra Wirra Managing Director and CEO, Andrew Kay, credits the close-knit team for the win.

"We are thrilled to be recognised at a global level against really strong competition," says Mr Kay.

"I am proud of the Wirra Wirra tribe, it’s been an extraordinary year on many counts and we have adapted to the change and worked really hard to create a better experience for our visitors.”

McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism General Manager, Jennifer Lynch is delighted Wirra Wirra's commitment to outstanding customer service has been recognised.

"Wirra Wirra's unwavering commitment to offering an exceptional customer experience, even more so whilst enduring the difficult circumstances of COVID-19 impacts - demonstrates great diversification and resilience, a deserving global winner," says Ms Lynch.

In late 2019 Wirra Wirra began planning ways to make the visitation experience more unique and memorable. New or reimagined features of their visitor experience includes:

• An architecturally designed cellar door space to cater for sit down tasting flights
• Introduction of tasting morsels created by Harry’s Deli Chef Tom Boden
• Introduction of a ‘concierge’ on weekends to hosts guests and manage bookings
• Established a produce garden to provide organically grown, herbs, fruit and vegetables for Harry’s Deli and cellar door tasting plates
• An online booking system for guests wanting to secure a tasting experience 
• A bespoke coffee blend made in collaboration with Dawn Patrol
• Cellar Door exclusive wines made from Biodynamically farmed estate vineyards
• Tours that take visitors into the 125-year-old working cellars
• Wine and chocolate tasting