I am very pleased and honoured to announce that La Motte has been voted the South African winner of the Great Wine Capitals Best Of Wine Tourism Awards for 2012.
The announcement was made yesterday in Mainz, Germany at a gala dinner which was hosted by Great Wine Capitals (GWC) a network of the world’s leading wine-producing countries that shares international best practice in the name of advancing standards in wine tourism across the world.
The press release announcing the award stated: “La Motte, with a history dating back over three centuries, was declared the winner in the Arts and Culture category for its impressive art museum that houses the Rupert family’s extensive collection of artworks by 20th century South African master Pierneef and other artists. However, what clinched the overall win for the winery was its consistently high performance across other categories it had also entered.”
I am very honoured that by winning this award La Motte will join such iconic names in wine, such as Spain’s Bodegas Campo Viejo of Rioja, acclaimed for its wine and architecture; the famous 13th century Château d´Agassac of Bordeaux in France; the 900 year-old Dievole of Florence, Italy; Vinothek Bingen am Rhein in Germany; Quinta do Portal; Bodega Atamisque, 1 300 metres above sea level at the entrance to the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina; and luxury resort, Meadowood of California’s Napa Valley.
I would also like to congratulate the other South African estates which won or were runners-up in individual categories of the competition.