Celebrating the best of the best in wine tourism
12 September, 2025
South Australia’s top wine tourism businesses have been celebrated at the 2026 Best Of Wine Tourism Awards, announced last night at the SA Wine Industry Dinner at the National Wine Centre.
The awards highlight innovation and excellence across seven categories, showcasing the diversity and quality of experiences on offer in South Australia’s world-renowned wine regions.
The 2026 South Australian award winners are:
- Accommodation – Mount Lofty House and Estate, Adelaide Hills
- Architecture and Landscape – Vinteloper, Adelaide Hills
- Art and Culture – Wonderground Barossa, Barossa
- Culinary Experiences – Maxwell Wines, McLaren Vale
- Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences – Bottle Shock, Adelaide Hills
- Wine Tourism Services – SA eBikes, McLaren Vale
- Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices – Bottle Shock, Adelaide Hills
The winners were selected from 19 outstanding wineries and wine tourism operators shortlisted earlier this month.
They will now represent South Australia at the international Best Of Wine Tourism Awards in Bordeaux, France, in November, competing alongside some of the world’s most prestigious wine regions, including Bordeaux and Napa Valley.
The awards are presented as part of Adelaide, South Australia’s membership in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network (GWCGN) – a partnership between the Government of South Australia, the South Australian Wine Industry Association, and the University of Adelaide.
GWCGN connects 11 internationally renowned wine regions across both hemispheres, including Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Mendoza, and Porto. Membership provides South Australia with a global platform to showcase its wine industry and attract international visitors and trade.
The 2026 awards were presented by Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Clare Scriven, together with Department of Primary Industries and Regions Executive Director Jo Collins, who also serves as chair of the local Great Wine Capitals steering committee and Vice President of the Global Network.
The Best Of Wine Tourism Awards were presented alongside the South Australian Wine Industry Association’s annual Excellence Awards. The Environment Excellence Individual Champion Award, sponsored by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), was awarded on the night to Jessica Williams, Kingston Estate Wines.