Results of public voting: WTA 2022-2023 finalists to be announced

Wine Travel Awards 2022-2023 managed to gather so many magnificent locations, destinations, businesses and personalities in their progressive community. The competition was high and so many wine lovers and enthusiasts supported their favorites at the public voting stage. And now we are ready to sum up the results. 

The geography is wide! This year, representatives from new destinations got nominated for the WTA 2022-2023. In addition to Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Canada, USA and India, our community was replenished with nominees from Austria, Greece, UK, Taiwan, Nigeria, Iran and other countries. 

New professions are on the list! The new generation of aspiring Master Sommeliers and MWs are much more open to the world of media and communications. In fact, some of the young somms, especially those who work in emerging wine markets, have crossed the line to become online influencers and ambassadors. In the WTA second edition, sommeliers are widely represented in the Ambassador nomination. The winner of the Ambassador of the Year category will be honoured with the Gérard Basset Prize “Ambassador of the Year” and receive a special prize. 

Traditionally, the Wine & Food Influencer nomination is sponsored by the international winegrowing group of companies Vinos de La Luz. TV hosts, actresses, bartenders, authors, bloggers, photographers and videographers passionate about wine and tourism entered the contest this year. 

The awards’ winners are determined in two stages: firstly, public voting, secondly, professional jury evaluation. According to the voting results, five leading nominees of each category that reached the final, are considered by the WTA Jury Committee, consisting of 12 reputable professionals in such industries as winemaking, food tourism, marketing, and journalism. The selection takes place within a 10-point system according to the unified Wine Travel Awards protocols.

This is an exciting stage of the project as it defines who will proceed to the next round. We congratulate all the finalists of the WTA 2022-2023! 

1. The Visiting Card of the Country

Must visit

#5 SHABO’s wine culture center – 6840 votes

#1 SHUMI Winery – 4702 votes 

#2 Château Mukhrani – 1589 votes

#133 TrEno LMR (The Langhe Monferrato Roero Train) – 1490 votes

#164 Semeli Estate – 1293 votes

Brand – the visiting card of the country

#124 46 Parallel Wine Group – 8718 votes

#9 Family Winery SHABO – 6697 votes

#6 SHUMI Winery – 4718 votes

#159 Gocha’s Collection – Askaneli Winery & Distillery – 1017 votes

#163 Semeli Estate – 944 votes

Progressive approach

#11 SHUMI Winery – 3021 votes

#167 Ijevan Wine-Brandy Factory – 2774 votes

#127 Azienda Agricola Teresa Soria di Emanuele Contino – 967 votes

#154 Α. & G. PAPAIOANNOU – 823 votes

#158 Askaneli Winery & Distillery – 794 votes

Art & History Object

#207 SHUMI Winery – 2693 votes

#126 Casa Martini – Martini & Rossi – 963 votes

#145 Canelli and the Underground Cathedrals – 783 votes

#25 Domaine de l’Évêque – 624 votes

#137 Relais Villa Prato – 620 votes

Region of the Year

#162 Consorzio per la Tutela dei Vini Valpolicella – 1218 votes

#161 Ukrainian Bessarabia’s Wine and Taste Route – 1042 votes

#188 Austria – 1027 votes

#139 Moscato Wine Route – 916 votes

#144 Piemont and Consorzio Asti DOCG – 868 votes

2. Education in Enotourism

Unique program 

#55 Shumi Wine School – 2767 votes

#155 Vitaliy Kovach Sommelier School  – 2131 votes

#201 Austrian Wine Academy – 1051 votes

#129 Accademia Maestri Pasticceri Italiani – 313 votes

#59 Le Bistrot du Sommelier – 303 votes

Cultural mission 

#60 SHUMI Winery – 2620 votes

#177 HOVAZ wine rooms – 662 votes

#196 Schloss Esterházy – 411 votes

# 61 Cité du Vin – 330 votes

# 63 GuideMASTER Wine Tour Guide Program – 184 votes

3. Enogastronomic Events 

Magnet of the region 

#79 SHUMI Winery – 2302 votes

#78 The National Wine Day of Moldova – 714 votes

#197 VieVinum – 620 votes

#77 Worldwide œufs en meurette Championship – 594 votes

#202 WinExpo Georgia – 535 votes

Event of the year 

#111 Bodegas Gonzalez Byass – Tio Pepe Festival – 1428 votes

#83 London Wine Fair – 1043 votes

#146 Harvest Celebration at Chateau Mukhrani – 815 votes

#90 “VinOPERA” Castel Mimi – 538 votes

#113 Wine & Gourmet Taipei – 406 votes

4. Ambassador 

Ambassador of the year

#179 Artyom Mkrtchyan – 3266 votes

#156 Vitaliy Kovach – 3091 votes

#165 Florence Authier Meuric – 2490 votes

#29 Sonal Holland – 1996 votes

#125 Olimpia Pleșa Brandhuber – 1656 votes

Creative strategy 

#135 Cinzia Benzi – App Bollicine del Mondo – 913 votes

#31 WineMasters.tv – 360 votes

#33 Wines of Armenia – 342 votes

#34 Visit Moldova – 244 votes

#143 Federico Quaranta and Tinto, Decanter Radio Program – 228 votes

5. Wine & Food Influencer

Author of the year 

#36 Nello Gatti – 1408 votes

#152 Ania Smolec – 1088 votes

#40 Per Karlsson – 722 votes

#98 Professor Marianna Sigala – 675 votes

#205 Wines To Find – 372 votes

Expert opinion

#160 Tomasz Prange-Barczyński – 938 votes

#151 Liz Palmer – 586 votes

#153 Bonello Athens – 565 votes

#41 Gergely Szolnoki – 303 votes

#120 The Wine Republic of Italy – 229 votes

The brightest journey

#184 Rojita Tiwari – 1336 votes

#148 Dr. Elizabeth Smith – 887 votes

#95 Daria Kholodilina a.k.a. Dariko Mogzauri – 606 votes

#50 Sofia Nikabadze – 605 votes

#104 Nataliia Burlachenko – 501 votes

6. Wine Guide

Top Guide 

#65 Miguel Leal – 1577 votes 

#69 Einat Klein – 1375 votes

#66 Britt Karlsson – 795 votes

#68 Wines of Armenia – 621 votes

#70 Tanisha Townsend – 528 votes

Travel Operator of the Year

#72 Visit Moldova – 555 votes

#123 Friends Wine Travel – 456 votes

#27 Wine Paths – 434 votes

#71 Moments & Travel – 306 votes

#75 Ways Travel – 257 votes

The nominees enlisted the big support of their friends, loyal audience and caught wine lovers’ eye, so that it yielded the results. Being charismatic and active on social media plays a crucial role in public voting. And we can see these features among our winners – famous chateaux, renowned experts and wine schools, attractive wine events and interesting wine authors and ambassadors. Once again, our sincerest congratulations to the finalists and good luck for the second round!

The WTA winners will be announced in May on the official website and be awarded at the WTA Ceremony on Wednesday, 17 May, from 10 am to 12 pm, at the London Wine Fair. The celebration in honor of the WTA 2022-2023 winners will also take place at the WinExpo Georgia in June.