Wine Travel Awards 2024-2025: Where Wine, Travel and Culture Converged at London Wine Fair
On a bright spring morning at the London Wine Fair 2025, the Wine Travel Awards community came together for a celebration that was far more than a ceremony — a gathering of ideas, people, and purpose. The WTA 2024-2025 Ceremony marked the culmination of the project’s fourth season, honouring excellence and innovation in wine tourism. But more importantly, it offered a space for reflection, discovery, and connection.
Three voices framed the day with wisdom and warmth: Richard Bampfield MW, Adrian Bridge, and Robert Joseph. Each brought a different lens to the idea of wine tourism — as a bridge, a compass, and a conversation.
⸻ Richard Bampfield MW: “Wine tourism is the compass we didn’t know we needed.”
Opening the ceremony, Richard Bampfield MW welcomed the audience with a reflection on the power of wine to orient us — not just geographically but emotionally and culturally. “Wine is a compass. Through it, we find our way — to landscapes, cultures, and each other. Wine tourism transforms a product into a place and a place into a story.” As a Master of Wine, writer and educator, Bampfield has long championed authenticity and regional diversity. He praised the WTA for its commitment to highlighting small producers, creative thinkers, and emerging destinations that shape the future of wine travel.
⸻ Adrian Bridge: “Wine tourism is not about selling bottles — it’s about creating memory.”
The keynote was delivered by Adrian Bridge, CEO of The Fladgate Partnership and visionary founder of the WOW – World of Wine cultural district in Porto. In a powerful address, Bridge redefined the wine tourism model as something far more expansive: “You don’t have to be in wine tourism to make great wine. But if you want people to remember your wine — if you want them to feel it — you must be in the business of experiences.” Bridge shared the story of creating WOW, a €110 million investment that turned a former industrial site into a multi-museum complex visited by over 1.5 million people yearly. He said it is not just about wine — it’s about food, cork, chocolate, fashion, and heritage. And through that diversity, it becomes a magnet for tourism, education and regeneration. He encouraged producers to think beyond the tasting room: “If every winery offers the same five wines in the same format, there’s no reason for the traveller to stay. But if each offers a unique expression — a window into their world — the whole region wins.”
⸻ Robert Joseph: “Stop trying to trap people — let them explore.”
Robert Joseph, Editor-at-Large of Meininger’s International and one of the founding WTA judges brought a light yet incisive perspective to the stage. He addressed the paradox that defines much of the wine world today: “We say we want to engage new consumers, but then we try to lock them into our brand. Instead, we should give them freedom — to explore, compare, and fall in love with wine on their terms.” Joseph’s message was about trust. Trust the consumer. Trust the experience. Trust the power of wine as a cultural language — not a marketing slogan. He closed by praising the WTA as a platform for real stories, not just labels, to find their audience.
⸻ The Awards: Stories Worth Celebrating
With 16 categories judged by a prestigious panel — including Robert Joseph, Felicity Carter, Richard Bampfield MW, Yang Shen, Stéphane Badet, Per Karlsson, Gergely Szolnoki, Paul Wagner, Filippo Magnani, Marinela Ardelean, Dr. Matthew Horkey and Paul Robert Blom — the WTA 2024-2025 honoured both industry leaders and rising stars.
Among the highlights 16 WTA Winners, 7 Judge’s Choice Award Winners and 3 Drinks+ Editor’s Choice Winners.
AMBASSADOR Nomination
- Chien-Hao Chen (Taiwan) – Ambassador of the Year
- The Imeretian Wine Association (Georgia) – Creative Strategy
EDUCATION IN ENOTOURISM Nomination
- GRANDE PASSIONE di JC Viens (Italy) – Unique Program
- The Cité des Climats et Vins de Bourgogne (France) – Cultural mission
ENOGASTRONOMIC EVENTS Nomination
- Charitable Gastro Dinners (Ukraine) – Event of the Year
- Essência do Vinho (Portugal) – Magnet of the Region
THE VISITING CARD OF THE COUNTRY Nomination
- Shumi Winery (Georgia) – a triple winner and cultural phenomenon – Art&History Object, Brand – the Visiting Card of the Country, and Must Visit
- Castle Bethlen-Haller (Romania) – Progressive Approach
- Piedmont (Italy) – Region of the Year
WINE GUIDE Nomination
- Oleksandra Minenko-Decamps (France) – Top Guide
- BKWine Tours (Sweden, France) – Travel Operator of the Year
WINE & FOOD INFLUENCER Nomination
- Chan Jun Park (South Korea) – Expert Opinion
- Allison Levine (USA) – The Brightest Journey
- Andrei Cibotaru (Moldova) – Author of the Year
The Judge’s Choice Award has gone to:
- Fongyee Walker (China) – judge Filippo Magnani
- Château Angelus (France) – judge Felicity Carter
- Tenute SalvaTerra (Italy) – judge Felicity Carter
- Azienda Agricola San Salvatore 1988 (Italy) – judge Marinela Ardelean
- South Africa (South Africa)- judge Dr. Matthew Horkey
- WildChina Travel (China) – judge Robert Joseph
- Locoporvino – André & Karla (Brazil, Georgia) – judge Stéphane Bade
The Drinks+ Editor’s Choice has gone to:
- The World of Wine (Portugal)
- Monsoon Valley Vineyard (Thailand)
- Wines of the Silver Land (Ukraine)
The Awards were not just titles. Winners were invited to immersive experiences at WOW (Portugal) and Tenuta Santa Maria di Gaetano Bertani (Italy) — real journeys in wine and heritage.
⸻ The Wines: A Journey in Every Glass
After the awards, the celebration continued with a walk-around tasting — a curated lineup of wines that reflected the global spirit of the WTA:
- Fladgate Still & Sparkling Wines (Portugal) – elegant, classic, rooted in Porto’s heritage.
- VentiVenti (Italy) – contemporary and design-driven wines from Emilia-Romagna, pushing boundaries with style and minimalism.
- Shumi Winery (Georgia) – intense qvevri wines that reflect 8,000 years of winemaking tradition, alongside modern-style fresh wines crafted from indigenous Georgian grape varieties by passionate winemakers from Kakheti.
- K’AVSHIRI (Georgia) – the outcome of an ambitious project – a joint venture between Robert Joseph and Vladimer Kublashvili of Winery Khareba presenting red and white complex assemblages of Georgian grape varieties.
- Monsoon Valley (Thailand) – the day’s surprise and perhaps the tasting’s highlight.
⸻ Monsoon Valley: The Spirit of Wine from a New Latitude Monsoon Valley, produced by Siam Winery in Hua Hin, Thailand, made many rethink what “wine country” looks like. Cultivated at 13° north, in a tropical climate once thought unsuitable for viticulture, these wines offered freshness, balance, and genuine identity. The Chenin Blanc Late Harvest was a standout. Its notes of golden mango, apricot, and honey were wrapped in bright acidity — complex but never heavy. The Colombard was zesty and clean, a lemon-lime splash with Thai seafood potential. The Blended Red (Shiraz, Dornfelder & Pokdum) was surprised with its smooth texture and spice, while the Shiraz Rosé played with wild berries and subtle earth. But Monsoon Valley is more than a technical feat — it is also cultural. The wines are shaped by the myth of the Naga, a sacred serpent spirit said to protect the rivers, hills and vineyards. The label, story, and flavour all come together in a way that feels sincere and poetic.
As one guest put it: “You come for the curiosity. You stay for the wine.”
⸻ Conclusion: Beyond the Awards, a Community
Closing the ceremony, Kateryna Yushchenko reminded everyone what WTA stands for: “The awards are the cherry. But the real cake is the community — the energy, visibility, and shared voice we build across borders and cultures.” The 5th Anniversary Edition of the Wine Travel Awards begins this autumn — and if this day proved anything, the world of wine tourism is just starting. From Porto to Piedmont, from Georgia to Thailand — wine is not just something we drink. It’s how we travel and communicate.
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