South
Africa’s granddaddy of wine routes, the Stellenbosch American Express ® Wine
Routes, which might be considered a golden oldie with its wine tourism
legacy spanning over more than four decades, reaffirmed its standing as a world
class wine destination as a 2013 nominee for Wine Enthusiast magazine’s
coveted Wine Star Awards.
Each
year this leading international wine and lifestyle magazine (USA) honours
outstanding achievement in wine and spirits and this year our country’s first
and foremost wine route is in the running for the prestigious Wine Region of
the Year title. It hopes to succeed against tough competition which includes
Portugal’s Douro Valley; Paso Robles in California; Spain’s Rías Baixas and the
Walla Walla Valley in the south eastern region of Washington.
“This
nomination is a huge feather in our Stellenbosch cap and underlines our
popularity, prowess and longevity in this highly competitive industry. Our wine
route has been the pioneer of the South African wine industry for many years
and marketing ourselves to the international market has just received a helping
hand!” shares an elated Annareth Bolton, CEO of the Stellenbosch American
Express ® Wine Routes.
The winners
will be announced in the special December Wine Star Award issue, and the
honourees will be presented their Wine Star Award trophies at a gala black-tie
dinner in New York City on 27 January 2014. ??
The
Stellenbosch American Express ® Wine Routes was founded in 1971 and this
pioneering initiative has changed the face of wine tourism in South Africa, spawning
a host of similar regional wine routes in the country of which there are 18
today.
From
humble beginnings the Stellenbosch American Express ® Wine Routes now boasts
more than 150 wineries as members which have been divided into five sub-routes. This bite-size
approach helps visitors get the most out of their winelands experiences, on a
route that caters to history buffs, golfers, families, romantic couples, nature
lovers, gourmands, casual quaffers and serious pilgrims of the grape.
Visit
www.wineroute.co.za
or contact Tel: (+27)21 886 4310 for more information on the Stellenbosch
American Express ® Wine Routes.