The Sandeman Port wine brand has seen two wine tourism projects recognized at the Best of Wine Tourism 2019 awards. This initiative, promoted by the Great Wine Capitals network, aims to distinguish wine tourism promoters in each member city based on the excellence of their infrastructure.
The Sandeman Caves were considered the best project in the Art and Culture category after accepting the challenge in 2018 to redesign their tourism product. The House of Sandeman Hostel & Suites emerges triumphant from this competition, being recognized with the award for best project in the Accommodation category, one of six categories awarded by a national jury, and also with the Global Winner award, given by an international jury from among all the winners in each region.
According to João Gomes da Silva, administrator of Sogrape Vinhos, “ these distinctions reward the wine tourism strategy followed by the brand in 2018. The remodeling of the Sandeman cellars and the opening of the first 'branded hostel' in the cellar building serve the greater purpose of creating a true route of sophisticated, relaxed and unique Sandeman experiences. In addition to recognizing this effort, these Best of Wine Tourism 2019 awards reinforce Sandeman's position as a world leader in the Port wine category ,” concludes the head of the brand with more than 225 years of history.
It is worth remembering that The House of Sandeman Hostel & Suites was born from a partnership between The Independente Collective and Sogrape, having been inaugurated in May 2018 in the Sandeman Cellars building. “ This distinction is a recognition of this project by the wine tourism market and also a recognition of the work we have been developing throughout this year and, as such, it is very rewarding for us ,” says Bernardo D'Eça Leal, founding partner of the creative hospitality group The Independente Collective and administrator of The House of Sandeman Hostel & Suites.
The Best of Wine Tourism international awards highlight, every year, the best that has been done in the area of wine tourism. The award has been given since 2003 by the Great Wine Capitals network, an entity that brings together ten cities whose wine regions of the Old and New World are internationally recognized, namely Adelaide|South Australia, Bilbao|Rioja (Spain), Bordeaux (France), Lausanne (Switzerland), Mainz|Rheinhessen (Germany), Mendoza (Argentina), Porto (Portugal), San Francisco|Napa Valley (USA), Valparaíso|Casablanca Valley (Chile) and Verona (Italy).
