Wine Predator toasting the Pacific sunset with Roederer sparkling wine and friends at a beach BBQ March 2026; photo by Steve Zambrano

Not an April Fool’s joke– I am once again a finalist for a Wine Travel Award in the Food and Wine Influencer category “The Brightest Journey” thanks to votes from fans, friends, and family! While I haven’t heard yet from organizers via an official email, the votes are clear that I’m a finalist.Read why I should win here.

Thank you for your  vote!

The contest had two leaders right away, but the rest of the field was very close until I was finally solidly in third– until I wasn’t! The race was on, but in the final minutes I was a few votes short, so I landed in fourth place. This year I had about 65 more votes than last year when I placed fifth.

The top five people with the most votes go on to the judges who will determine the winner. See the voting results and learn more about the nominees here.

Gwendolyn Alley in Tuscany at Fattoria La Maliosa June 2025

I am also excited to report that Fattoria La Maliosa placed first in their category, “The Progressive Approach” in the area of “The Visiting Card of the Country.”

• Read about owner and winemaker Antonella Manuli’s love affair with her Procanico here.
• Read more about biodiversity at La Maliosa here.

Gwendolyn Alley and Fattoria La M<aliosa owner and winemaker Antonella Manuli at Saturnalia, Antonella’s restaurant in Saturnia, southern Tuscany, May 2025.

All nominees are invited on 17 June to The Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne to attend the first-ever 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 where winners will be honored.

Montefalco, Umbria vineyard sunset with Gwendolyn Alley

Here’s the draft of the Program for Global Wine Tourism Day 2026

• Morning – Vision & Heritage: Welcome coffee and institutional opening session, followed by a curated conference series exploring wine heritage as a pillar of human civilisation, regional identity, tourism and contemporary global challenges.
• Midday – Networking: Standing cocktail lunch with international professionals and award nominees.
• Afternoon – Tailored Program: Participants select 3 to 4 sessions among workshops, masterclasses and thematic conferences, including:
  –guided tours of the Cité
  – masterclasses led by Masters of Wine and experts (with invited wines from different countries made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
  – tastings of Bourgogne and international wines
  – round table discussions on key sector issues including Women in Wine
• Evening – Celebration
  18:00 – Official Wine Travel Awards Ceremony
  Gala Experience: a panoramic aperitif at the Belvedere overlooking the vineyards, followed by a premium cocktail reception.

Gwendolyn Alley in Puglia with winemaker Roberto Seripanni Firulli during Radici del Sud June 2025.

As I will be in Puglia again judging for Radici del Sud from June 3-8, I am seriously considering heading to Beaune, France to attend the Program for Global Wine Tourism Day 2026 before flying back to California. I haven’t been in France since October 2019 when Sue Hill and I competed on the US Wine Tasting team and visited Champagne and the Loire; I was also in Champagne in August 2018.

While I’m in France this time,  there’s so many places I’d like to visit including  Chateau de Sannes organic winery in Luberon; read here about their wines which I tasted at the Italian Burning Man regional in nothern Tuscany in late May 2025. But it makes sense to focus on Bourgogne this trip as I’ve never been there!

We’ll see what adventures unfold, where I’m invited, and what pencils out!

Thank you for your support! Here’s to you! Cheers!

PS Subscribe! April is Earth Month and I have lots of great content to share with you from my travels — and pairings here at home too.

Cheers to Wine Predator Gwendolyn Alley,  finalist in “The Brightest Journey” category of the Wine Travel Awards! Photo by Steve Zambrano.