Representatives of the Great Wine Capitals meet in the city

The city of Porto hosted the mid-term meeting of the Great Wine Capitals network, an event considered of great importance in the network's annual agenda.

Representatives from the various member cities, including Adelaide (South Australia), Bilbao-Rioja (Spain), Bordeaux (France), Cape Town- Cape Winelands (South Africa), Hawke's Bay (New Zealand), Lausanne (Switzerland), Mainz-Rheinhessen (Germany), Mendoza (Argentina), San Francisco – Napa Valley (USA), Valparaiso – Casablanca Valley (Chile), Verona (Italy), and of course Porto, attended the meeting, which took place last week.

The main aim of the meeting was to evaluate current projects and define a strategy for future network initiatives. Key issues such as the sustainability of the network and the development of the sector were discussed.

'This annual mid-term meeting is an excellent opportunity to share experiences and align our efforts in favour of sustainable growth and the enhancement of our regions at a global level', the Councillor for Tourism and Internationalisation and Porto's official representative in this international network said. Catarina Santos Cunha also emphasised the 'need to boost the value and international recognition of this Network and ensure the transfer of knowledge and effective exchange between its members, ensuring that economic agents in their regions benefit from this work'.

The meeting took place at the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto and Casa do Vinho Verde, partners involved in affirming Porto as a city of wine and which considers wine tourism a strategic segment for the development of more sustainable and differentiated tourism.

The programme included also a day of technical visits to several winners of the Best Of Wine Tourism 2024 awards in the Porto region - Quinta do Bomfim, Seixo by Vasco Coelho Santos, and Six Senses Douro Valley – to show international partners the excellent wine tourism experiences that the destination has to offer, providing them with an immersive experience in the cultural and oenological heritage of our region. 'These are fundamental moments for strengthening relations between the member cities and fostering future collaborations', said Catarina Santos Cunha.

The Great Wine Capitals network, founded in 1999, has the mission of promoting excellence and the development of wine tourism, and facilitating cooperation between its member cities and associated wine regions. Mid-term meetings ensure that all projects are closely monitored and adjusted as necessary to achieve common goals.