Valparaiso|Casablanca Valley Becomes the Tenth Great Wine Capital
The Great Wine Capitals Global Network has unanimously chosen Valparaiso | Casablanca Valley in Chile as the tenth
region in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network, joining Bilbao | Rioja, Bordeaux, Cape Town | Cape Winelands,
Christchurch | South Island, Firenze, Mainz | Rheinhessen, Mendoza, Porto and San Francisco | Napa Valley.
The Valparaiso | Casablanca Valley Initiative has brought together the city halls of Valparaiso and Casablanca as well
as the Casablanca Valley Wine Association, and the leading economic, wine-linked, tourism, education and research,
environmental sustainability and international development organizations in the region.
The team of the VCV Initiative stated, “We are proud to be accepted as a Great Wine Capital and look forward to being an
active and energetic member, and we believe this important international award will not only be to the benefit of the
Valparaiso | Casablanca Valley region, but also to Chile and all its people.”
Jorge Castro, Valparaiso Mayor, is pleased to have achieved this new collaboration with the Casablanca Valley, and is
confident that this membership and all the input from other international partners will be highly valuable for the
development of tourism activities in the whole region.
Rodrigo Martinez, Mayor of Casablanca, enthusiastically welcomes the Valparaiso | Casablanca Valley Initiative that
includes the energetic cooperation of the Casablanca Wine Valley Association members ably led by Giorgianna Cúneo,
President of the association.
On April 24th, the engagement of the local Chilean partners has been enacted at the Casablanca Municipal Board Room in
presence of top government officials, while the official welcoming ceremony and signature of the Great Wine Capitals
Charter by Valparaiso|Casablanca Valley will take place on June 20 at Vinexpo in Bordeaux.
About Valparaiso
A vibrant city of 275,000, founded in 1536, Valparaiso is a bustling port city linking the wines and fresh fruits of
Chile to the rest of the world, an important cruise line destination, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the cultural
capital of Chile. The city is an important education and research center. The area is a major tourism center, including
wine tourism, with Valparaiso historically and economically linked to the nearby wine region of Casablanca Valley.
About the Casablanca Valley
The charming town of Casablanca, clean, vibrant and fast growing, is surrounded by the beautiful valleys, vineyards,
wineries and close to the Pacific Ocean.
The Casablanca Valley is the most important cool climate grape growing and wine producing region in Chile. Its 14,790
acres under vine produce chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, merlot, pinot noir and syrah. The Casablanca Wine route, open 365
days a year, allows wine tourists to enjoy the Mediterranean style climate as well as visits to the many wineries and
restaurants. Other outdoor activities such as hiking and horseback riding are available.
About the Great Wine Capitals Global Network
The Great Wine Capitals (GWC) is a Network of now ten major global cities in both the northern and southern hemispheres,
which share a key economic and cultural asset: their internationally renowned wine regions.
It is the only Network encompassing the so-called “Old” and “New” worlds of wine, and exists to encourage travel,
education and business exchanges between the internationally renowned cities of Bilbao | Rioja, Bordeaux, Cape Town |
Cape Winelands, Christchurch | South Island, Florence, Mainz | Rheinhessen, Mendoza, Porto and San Francisco | Napa
Valley and its new member: Valparaiso | Casablanca Valley.
For further information about the Great Wine Capitals Global Network, follow this link: http://www.greatwinecapitals.com / Photos to be sent on request
ENDS