Highlights of a remarkable week
- Sunday, November 2: Official opening at Bordeaux City Hall, a warm welcome to our international guests and partners.
- Monday, November 3: Working sessions and technical visits in Cognac and Saint-Émilion, combining business with a taste of our terroirs; the day ended at the beautiful Château Giscours in Margaux, where we explored the theme of fire!
- Tuesday, November 4: The traditional Technical Tours led participants across six iconic wine regions — Médoc, Sauternes, Cognac, Saint-Émilion, Entre-Deux-Mers… true ambassadors of Bordeaux excellence.
- Wednesday, November 5: A day packed with business energy — 360 B2B meetings between wineries, tourism professionals and international buyers, a cruise lunch on the Garonne river, followed by the spectacular Great Wine Capitals International Wine Tasting at the Bassins des Lumières — an unforgettable sensory experience where wine met visual art.
- Thursday, November 6: The grand finale at La Cité du Vin, with the International Conference “Navigating the Future of Wine Tourism”, followed by the Best Of Wine Tourism Bordeaux Awards Ceremony (🎉 21 winners, including 8 Gold Awards),
- The week closed with the elegant Gala Dinner at Bordeaux Palais de la Bourse, where the Global Best Of Wine Tourism Awards — one per member city — were presented.
A Night of Music, Grace and Emotion
One of the most moving moments of the Great Wine Capitals Gala came when a pianist took the stage, filling the room with a melody of pure emotion — delicate yet powerful. His performance was accompanied by two classical dancers, their movements echoing the rhythm of the music like flowing wine in motion. It was a scene of perfect harmony — music, dance and wine converging into a single language of beauty. In that moment, the evening transcended ceremony and became something deeper: a celebration of culture, artistry and the timeless emotion that unites us all through wine.
Maria Laura Ortiz, Mendoza, Argentina
🌟 Strategic milestones for the Network
This edition also marked key moments for the future of Great Wine Capitals:
The election of Jo Collins (Adelaide) as our new President and Paolo Arena (Verona), Vice-President
The welcoming of Yantai (China) as an observer member of Great Wine Capitals
The signature of a Memorandum of Understanding with Fliggy (Alibaba Group) to enhance the network’s visibility towards Chinese travel markets.
The announcement of the 2026 Great Wine Capitals’ Annual Conference in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
💫 Gratitude and emotion
None of this would have been possible without my small but mighty team — your energy, commitment, and good humor throughout this adventure made all the difference.
A heartfelt thank you as well to the CCI Bordeaux Gironde for your trust and unwavering support, and a strong gratitude to our many partners who made this event possible.
🏅 A very special moment
This exceptional week ended with an immense personal honor:
Great Wine Capitals presented me with an Excellence Award for 25 years of positive contribution to the development of our Network.
A deeply moving surprise, and a reminder of how far we’ve come — together.
Here’s to the power of collaboration, passion, and shared vision.
And to the bright future of global wine tourism! 🍇✨
And of course, to every delegate, partner, speaker, and friend of the Great Wine Capitals network — thank you for making Genesis 2025 truly unforgettable.
Photo credits: Daniel Amilhastre, Artiste Associe Photographes