South Australia’s best wine tourist attractions have been unveiled at the 2022 Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism South Australian Awards.

The winners of the awards go into the running to win the International Award at the Great Wine Capitals Annual General Meeting on October 28, 2021.

The awards celebrate innovation and excellence in wine tourism in the 11 great wine capitals.

Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development David Basham said: “From the expansive, picturesque hills views offered by the accommodation at Simon Tolley Wines to the sensory cellar door odyssey offered by Chalk Hill Wines, these businesses offer experiences that make people want to come back for more.”

“We often say that the story of wine is interwoven with the story of our great State and the land but these businesses demonstrate the tangible delivery of that, with experiences that engage the imagination as well as the palate.

“The award winners are made even more special by the fact many of their visitors this year have been South Australians due to COVID-19.

“Due to border restrictions we have seen a surge in South Australians out and about exploring their own backyard and they have taken part in the first class wine tourism experiences that international and interstate tourists often get to.

“In this Year of South Australian Wine, I congratulate each of these winning wineries who are offering visitors, from near and far, experiences that engage the imagination as well as the palate.”

The winners are:

• Accommodation – Simon Tolley Wines – Adelaide Hills
• Architecture and Landscape – Lake Breeze Wines – Langhorne Creek
• Innovative Wine Tourism Practices – Chalk Hill Wines – McLaren Vale
• Wine Tourism Restaurant – Penfold’s Magill Estate – Adelaide (above)
• Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices – (JOINT WINNER) – Gemtree Wines, McLaren Vale & Banrock Station, Riverland
• Wine Tourism Services – Elderton Wines – Barossa

Banrock Station celebrates sustainability win

Accolade Wines is celebrating Banrock Station winning the Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices trophy at the Best of Wine Tourism awards.

The wine company said the award win was a fantastic recognition of Banrock Station’s ongoing work in restoring its Ramsar accredited wetlands at its Riverland home since 1995, which provide a haven for native plant, animal and threatened bird life. It’s also a great endorsement of the outstanding tourism experience provided at Banrock Station, which welcomes over 40,000 visitors each year.

National Cellar Door Manager Andrew McDowell said: “We couldn’t be prouder of this award, which is a strong endorsement of Banrock Stations ongoing commitment to sustainability, both at our Riverland home and globally via the work of the Banrock Station Environment Trust. These awards are the benchmark for wine tourism in South Australia and we’re delighted to be included in this list of high calibre South Australian wineries.”

It’s been an exciting year for sustainability at Banrock Station, which also commenced a partnership with Landcare Australia to plant 100,000 native trees and shrubs each year. The Centre also installed solar panels to offset the electricity consumption at our Wine and Wetland Centre and achieved EcoStar accreditation with the Australian Tourism Industry Council.

Banrock Station to plant 100,000 native trees