Twenty years inside Great Wine Capitals is a long hospitality homework assignment.
In March 2026 the network celebrated Mendoza’s Best of Wine Tourism gala with a record about 110 projects entered. More than 230 wineries now open doors to visitors across the province. Gold winners advance to the international gala in Bordeaux, where Mendoza competes as a peer capital, not a novelty act.
Mini-concept: Best of Wine Tourism awards experiences — architecture, art, sustainable visits, restaurants — not only bottle scores. The trophy says the place knows how to host. That matters when drinkers open fewer bottles and demand better nights.
Choosing a Mendoza tasting over a bar of RTDs is choosing a capital that trains for guests. Two hundred thirty open wineries mean you can build a weekend map without bribes or closed gates. The intentional trip beats the accidental can.
Record entries also signal competition among neighbours. When projects multiply, standards rise. Visitors feel the difference in staff training and story clarity.
Keep the pattern: 20 years in the network, ~110 projects, 230+ open wineries, Bordeaux next for golds — Mendoza treats tourism as a craft with judges.