5 June 2024

The Apeno/Ageas Seguros 2024 National Wine Tourism Award gala, considered to be the sector's benchmark event, took place on May 24 in Santarém, at Quinta dos Anjos. The event distinguished the best wine tourism companies, practices and projects in Portugal.

In the third edition of the National Wine Tourism Award, Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, in Douro, won in the main category. The “Best Restaurant” is located in the Lisbon Wine Region and the Dão region was distinguished with the “Best Chef”.

As has been the case since the first edition, Apeno - Associação Portuguesa de Enoturismo organized the Awards “in a distinctive format, where local traditions are always highlighted on an elegant and lively evening”.

The winners of the awards in the 15 categories were:

• Best Wine Tourism in Portugal: Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo;
• Best Urban Wine Tourism: WOW;
• Best Professional: Ana Vieira Soares;
• Best Stay: Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta;
• Best Restaurant: Sal na Adega;
• Best Chef: Diogo Rocha;
• Best Sommelier: Ivo Peralta;
• Best Tasting Room: Torre de Palma;
• Best Tourist Company: Abreu Viagens;
• Best Inclusive Project: Herdade do Rocim;
• Best Sustainable Project: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova;
• Best Shop: Garrafeira Nacional;
• Best Art and Culture: Bacalhôa;
• Best Innovation and Technology: Casa Museu Interactiva de Borba;
• Best Hospitality: Herdade do Sobroso.

Located in the municipality of Sabrosa, Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo is a wine estate which, in addition to wine production, accommodation and a restaurant, has a wine club with exclusive activities for members of the Relais & Châteaux chain, a winery lounge, as well as personalized themed tastings. Among the most recent additions is a new winery, designed by Arnaldo Barbosa with state-of-the-art technology and an interior that recreates the curves of the Douro. Dating back to 1764 and completely renovated in 2023, Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carno is a project of the Amorim family.

In the Douro region, the 2024 National Wine Tourism Award also distinguished, in the “Best Stay” category, the Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta project, in Ervedosa do Douro, which was also awarded a Silver Key in the most recent edition of the Boa Cama Boa Mesa Guide. In this tour of the winners, we highlight WOW - World Of Wine, in Vila Nova de Gaia, considered the “Best Urban Wine Tourism”, a category that is making its debut this year.

In addition to the 15 categories, four “Merit and Incentive” diplomas were awarded to Alexandra Maçanita, from Fita Preta; Judith Martín, from Azores Wine Company; Vera Magalhães, from João Portugal Ramos; and Miguel Leal, from ML Private Tours. This quartet of graduates were honored for their efforts and good practices in companies linked to the wine tourism sector. As in previous editions, the National Wine Tourism Award had the participation of a panel of 250 judges made up of journalists and official wine and tourism bodies, chefs and sommeliers, and even Apeno members (official bodies voted for different regions of their own, and professionals from the sector and members for people and projects from other regions).

“The National Wine Tourism Award is the sector's event par excellence and we're very proud to be able to surprise everyone every year. As well as the awards ceremony - and this year there were new and good surprises that only reveal that we have many excellent wine tourism destinations - we had dance, magic and music to brighten up the event,” says the president of Apeno, Maria João de Almeida.