'Celebrating wine culture'... This is the motto of one of the most important contemporary events in the world of wine. It's the Annual Conference of the Great Wine Capitals, a summit of the eleven international wine capitals, which just took place in Mainz, Germany. This important event focuses on wine marketing and innovative ideas on the subject of wine tourism and is aimed at international experts and those interested.
The Wine Chaser is very happy to announce that Vinicola Real - 200 Monges, a winery with a remarkable history at the very heart of Rioja, has been awarded with Best Of Wine Tourism International 2022 at the event. The winners were chosen from a previous selection of finalists from each wine capital. This year, there were 447 participating projects and 65 regional Best Of award winners in general.
Vinicola Real has been recognized 'for the protection and interpretation of the cultural heritage of Rioja linked to the disappeared monastery of San Martin de Albelda, in particular the Codex Albeldense (year 974)'. The organizers considered the manuscript a historical jewel from early medieval times, a vast compendium of knowledge from the 10th century. In addition, the Codex Albeldense contains the oldest record of Indo-Arabic numerals, a complementary reference to those first localized signs of the Castilian language in San Millan de la Cogolla.
The concept behind wine-tourism is not new. In a nutshell, wine-tourism is aimed at getting to know and appreciate the universe of wine. The routes and tours are focused on a single objective: get to know regions dedicated to wine production and taste their wines. Tourists can participate in wine tastings, take guided tours through the wineries and vineyards, visit museums… it all allows the traveler to make a true immersion in the history, aroma, and flavors of viticulture. For some decades now, more and more tourists have taken the road and embarked on expeditions to rural regions to learn more about wine culture. However, the wine-tourism proposal of Vinicola Real, transcends the winery and the scriptorium by adding in-depth cultural experiences such as the route of the '200 Monges', and a visit to the monasteries of San Millán de Suso (6th century) and San Millán de Yuso (11th century). Both sites have been designated World Heritage Site by UNESCO since December 1997.
Vinicola Real offers guided visits on the artwork of the famous
Riojan painter Luis Burgos.
For those who have never visited the winery, Vinicola Real is also home of the pictorial work of Luis Burgos (Varea, 1957. Rioja, Spain). The artwork of the renown artist characterized by the large format, chromatic power and expressive force; has also contributed to the important recognition of the winery and its cultural mission.
Regarding the natural heritage, the winery has also recovered the Los Frailes estate vineyard, where the Virgen de la Soledad hermitage is located, requesting the inclusion of this place in the Catalog of Singular Trees and Groves of La Rioja, since it exhibits some of the oldest trees in the region.
Vinicola Real, has truly become a historical landmark and we could not agree more with its contribution to the cultural heritage of Rioja. Visitors here can enjoy tastings, pairings, guided tours, talks, and other events. 'La Casa del Cofrade', the winery's boutique hotel, offers accommodation for wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs who wish to delve into the history of 200 Monges and Cueva del Monge wines, as well as the history of the appellation itself. Congratulations! Hard work always pays off!
Let's meet here next Wednesday. Cheers!
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