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The festive season is upon us, and with it numerous moments of celebration. Switzerland offers excellent sparkling wines for toasting together.

The prestigious Palais de la Bourse in Bordeaux hosted the Global Best Of Wine Tourism Awards 2026 ceremony, organised as part of the 25th Annual Congress of the Great Wine Capitals Network. This event, bringing together the world's leading wine regions, celebrated excellence and creativity in wine tourism.

Harvest time is over, and it’s still a little early to be thinking about Christmas aperitifs and toasts (always with Swiss wine, of course!). So why not take our quiz to discover what kind of wine drinker you are?

Wine Tourism: Swiss winners of the "Regional Best Of Wine Tourism" 2026 announced The 8th edition of the "Best Of Wine Tourism" competition has honored eight Swiss businesses for the quality and originality of their wine tourism offerings. The award ceremony took place in the prestigious setting of Plateforme 10 in Lausanne, in the presence of representatives from the wine, tourism, gastronomy, culture, economic, and political sectors. The titles of "Regional Best Of Wine Tourism" 2026 were awarded in six categories, along with a special prize recognizing craftsmanship and an honorary award celebrating a significant contribution to the promotion of wine tourism in Switzerland. These awards grant the winners access to the international "Global Best Of Wine Tourism" competition, to be held on November 6 in Bordeaux, as part of the Great Wine Capitals (GWC) global network. A prize list reflecting diversity and innovation The 2026 "Regional Best Of Wine Tourism" winners, by category, are: Architecture & Landscapes : Herrschaftlich, Geniessen & Schlafen, Herrschaftlich A. G. – Maienfeld (GR) Website Art & Culture : Escape Life Da Vinci Vinum, Génie Culturel Sàrl – Sion (VS) Website Discovery & Innovation : Create Your Dôle des Monts, Maison Gilliard – Sion (VS) Website Sustainability & Environment : L’Equi Wine Tour "Au pas, au trot, au goulot", Léman Dégustation – Geneva (GE) Website Accommodation & Gastronomy : Fondue Tavolata in the Vineyard at Sunset, Cave Jean-Daniel Coeytaux – Yens (VD) Website Services & Organization : Mont d’Or Flash Tag Game, Domaine du Mont d’Or S. A. – Sion (VS) Website Special Craftsmanship Prize : Erlebnisweingut Burkhart – Weinfelden (TG) Website Honorary Award : Kunst & Wine am Iselisberg – Uesslingen (TG) Website Wine tourism: a driver for Switzerland’s future Before the awards ceremony, Rafael Vivanco, co-owner of the family estate Vivanco (Rioja, Spain), presented the inspiring model of his business, which combines a wine and culture museum, gastronomy, and immersive experiences. During an industry update, Océane Gex, interim director of Swiss Wine Promotion, announced the strategic guidelines for 2026–2029: sustainability and wine tourism will be the two main pillars. "This direction clearly reflects a strong will to accelerate the development of wine tourism in Switzerland," she emphasized. The jury—comprising experts from different language regions and sectors—praised the high quality of the applications submitted. Jury vice president Gilles Meystre, who is also vice president of GastroSuisse, mentioned "the significant challenges faced by the wine and gastronomy sectors" and said he was "pleased to see more collaborative projects emerging. " He added: "Wine tourism enables the development of innovative business models that can respond to today’s complex and ever-changing landscape. " The presence of Valérie Dittli, State Councillor for the Canton of Vaud and head of the Department of Agriculture, Sustainability, Climate, and Digital Affairs, confirmed the canton’s growing interest in this expanding field. Next stop: Bordeaux The six Swiss winners will now represent Switzerland at the international final. On November 6 in Bordeaux, the next Swiss "Global Best Of Wine Tourism" winner will be announced. "We are delighted to return to Bordeaux—not only to strengthen the presence of Swiss wine and wine tourism on the international stage but also to share solutions in the face of the global wine crisis," said Steeve Pasche, director of Lausanne Tourisme and president of Lausanne Great Wine Capitals. This competition, promoted by the international GWC network, rewards individual or collective initiatives that contribute to the promotion of wine tourism. It is open to all players in the fields of wine, tourism, gastronomy, regional development, and culture. Each capital in the network organizes its own local competition, and the winners of each category are awarded the title of "Regional Best Of Wine Tourism. " These winners then automatically qualify for the international "Global Best Of Wine Tourism" competition, which this year will take place in Bordeaux on November 6 during the GWC annual meeting. Further information and all results: www. bestofwinetourism. ch

The event inspired hundreds of people for the fifth time: ‘At the heart of the harvest’ brought wine lovers to the vineyards and showed how vibrant and sustainable Swiss viticulture is.