In The Field with Guido
In The Field with Guido Graf THE “INSIDE LINE” ON WHAT’S HOT IN THE FIELD OF TRAVEL ADVICE PART 2 WINE TOURISM IN VINO VERITAS One of Europe’s first Virtuoso travel advisors, Guido Graf – Travel Designer – DeluxeTargets – Switzerland – reports for us in this issue on the current state of play when it comes to wine tourism, as well as a couple of interesting trends and ideas set to spur the imagination of his peers. In vino veritas, or “in wine, truth”: as people increasingly seek genuine and instructive experiences when they travel (in some ways, seeking the truth), wine tourism is more than ever becoming a way to combine discovery of a new place with interesting encounters, learning, and gustative delights. Originally, when talking about wine tourism, thoughts would dart instantly to France and Italy, but today, destinations such as Australasia, Argentina, Chile or South Africa incorporate wine tourism. And while in many cases it might not be the key reason for the travel, it is something that should be considered as part of an enthralling and memorable itinerary for the visitor. In France, one way to get “up close and personal”, is with the Luxury Wine Experience by Bernard Magrez. This upmarket wine tourism experience allows guests to discover all that Magrez, the only owner of four Grands Crus Classés, in each of the major appellations of Bordeaux - has built over his lifetime. Travellers can even stay with Magrez himself in one of the five guest rooms at Château Pape Clément. For those simply travelling through Bordeaux, the “La Cité du Vin” is an interactive museum that is unique in the world. This museum doesn’t only offer a wine blending workshops, but also has a great rooftop restaurant with a nice view over the city of Bordeaux. WINE TOURISM IS MORE THAN EVER BECOMING A WAY TO COMBINE DISCOVERY OF A NEW PLACE WITH INTERESTING ENCOUNTERS, LEARNING, AND GUSTATIVE DELIGHTS. And the city of Saint Emilion, located close by, is a superb spot to visit, surrounded by a large number of “Grand Cru” wineries. Much further afield, my favourite excursion is the boat tour though the Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand. In my point of view, the best Sauvignon Blanc wine comes from here. This can easily be combined with a stay at the Bay of Many Coves. There are only a few places in the world that can offer such luxurious, mouthwatering, sensory combinations of fine foods and wines, and the kind of pristine, natural surroundings that luxury travellers desire, and this is one of them. Here, travellers will forget their busy daily routine in a secluded part of the world. Lastly, combining golf and wine in the European winter time, South Africa is the place to go. Its most famous wine region is located east of Cape Town, however along the Garden Route, some very nice boutique wineries can also be found. Combine this with Fancourt or Pezula in the Garden Route or De Zalze Golf Club in the Winelands close to Cape Town. Don’t forget, it is essential to learn about your clients’ tastes, since this will help you guide them to the right wine destination SEE YOU AGAIN IN THE NEXT EDITION
ELITE TRAVEL TRENDS WINE TOURISM Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #37 2018 Winter Edition 17 THE ORANGE REGION OF AUSTRALIA: THE NEW JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF THE NATION’S WINE INDUSTRY Central Western New South Wales has not until been on the global wine lover’s bucket list, but that’s quickly changing. Nearby Bathurst is Australia’s oldest inland city, dating from the gold-rush days of the mid-to-late 19 th Century, and Orange has been known simply a tranquil rural centre. Today, the area’s wine industry is starting to make a significant mark on the Australian wine industry. It has only been within the past 10 years that it has started to make a name for itself growing some of the country’s, if not the world’s best, cool climate wines The Orange terroir is unique in that its grapes are grown in a region of 600m + above sea level. It is in fact the only terroir in Australia to be defined by its altitude. The climate produced from this altitude gives Orange wines their distinct flavours and colour; grapes can be left on their vines longer and can mature more slowly than in warmer climates allowing for a better balance of flavours. Orange Wine Tours is one of the key tour operators in the region, offering a new and exciting way to experience this fabulous cool climate wine region. They have partnered with some of the best viticulturists in Orange to bring visitors exclusive tours ranging in scale from firsttime wine drinkers to a more experienced palette wishing to gain knowledge of the region’s specific flavours. Tours can also be tailored to suit specific needs, especially any wine “aficionados” hoping to test their palate against that of the local wine maker TOURS CAN BE TAILORED TO SUIT SPECIFIC NEEDS, ESPECIALLY ANY WINE “AFICIONADOS” HOPING TO TEST THEIR PALATE AGAINST THAT OF THE LOCAL WINE MAKER PHILIP SHAW – A WINEMAKER OF INTERNATIONAL RENOWN One of the stalwarts of the local wine trade is Philip Shaw, a winemaker with over five decades’ experience, formerly of Rosemount wines fame. Recognised as one of the world’s leading winemakers, he’s twice been awarded the coveted Winemaker of the Year award at the London International Wine and Spirit Competition (1986 and 2000), received the Qantas Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine’s accolade for Australian Winemaker of the Year (1999) and received the Graham Gregory Trophy for his outstanding contribution to the Australian wine industry (2000). Shaw’s striking Koomooloo Vineyard is open to the public, and is one of the highlights of any regional wine tour. If the visitor is lucky, Shaw himself may even be present for a tasting
