Mendoza names eight wine‑tourism winners

Mendoza used its annual wine-tourism awards to choose the projects that will carry the province into the next round of an international competition tied to the Great Wine Capitals network. The 21st Best of Mendoza’s Wine Tourism awards were held at the Auditorio Ángel Bustelo, with provincial officials, tourism executives and wine-industry representatives in attendance. More than 86 projects entered this year’s edition, according to Invest in Mendoza, and the gold winners now move on to the global contest in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, in October. ### Which projects won the top awards in Mendoza? Eight gold winners were named across the 2026 categories. MendoVoz and Invest in Mendoza listed them as La María Hotel Boutique for accommodation; Casa Drummond by Bodega Trivento for architecture and landscape; Autores por los Caminos del Vino for art and culture; Experiencia Raíces at Finca El Paraíso de Luigi Bosca for innovative experiences; Bodega Kaiken for sustainable practices; Savia Cocina Casarena for culinary experiences; HelicopTour for wine-tourism services; and Escala Humana Wines in the local small wineries category. (investinmendoza.com) The small wineries award is a local category and does not advance to the international stage. MendoVoz said the categories that feed the global competition are accommodation, architecture and landscape, art and culture, innovative experiences, sustainable practices, restaurants or culinary experiences, and services related to wine tourism. ### Why are there eight winners if only seven go abroad? (investinmendoza.com) Mendoza’s awards include one category designed for local recognition only. MendoVoz said Escala Humana Wines won gold in Pequeñas Bodegas, or small wineries, but that category does not participate in the international awards. That leaves seven Mendoza entries eligible for the Great Wine Capitals global final. (mendovoz.com) The Great Wine Capitals network describes the Best Of Wine Tourism awards as a program that recognizes innovation and excellence in wine tourism across major wine regions. Mendoza has been part of that network since 2005, according to Invest in Mendoza. ### What did Mendoza officials say about the awards? Governor Alfredo Cornejo used the ceremony to link wine tourism growth to private investment and public policy. Invest in Mendoza quoted Cornejo as saying the expansion of wine tourism was “the result of the daily effort of the private sector and of a state that creates the conditions” for investors, producers and employers to develop. (mendovoz.com) Gabriela Testa, president of the Mendoza Tourism Board, said the competition reflected the province’s growing tourism offer. (greatwinecapitals.com) Invest in Mendoza quoted Testa as saying each edition shows the “capacity for innovation” of Mendoza’s wineries and tourism ventures and that the level of competition keeps rising. ### What does the winner list say about Mendoza’s tourism pitch? The 2026 categories show Mendoza selling more than vineyard visits. (investinmendoza.com) The winners span boutique lodging, design, art programming, culinary experiences, sustainability and transport services, a mix that Invest in Mendoza said reflects an industry extending into hotels, fine dining, cultural programming, nature tourism and premium activities. The Rio Times said the awards were the 21st edition of the local competition and described Bodega Kaiken and Autores por los Caminos del Vino as among the gold winners chosen to represent Mendoza internationally. (investinmendoza.com) That framing matches the official and local reports that cast the awards as a showcase for exportable tourism experiences built around wine. ### What happens next, and when? October is the next fixed date in the process. (investinmendoza.com) Invest in Mendoza and MendoVoz said Mendoza’s gold winners will represent the province at the Great Wine Capitals international gala in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. The Great Wine Capitals network is expected to judge regional winners from member wine regions at that event. Mendoza’s internationally eligible entrants will come from the seven advancing categories, while Escala Humana Wines remains the 2026 local small-winery gold winner only. (riotimesonline.com) (greatwinecapitals.com) (investinmendoza.com)