Jamie Knee Wine Travel Awards Nominee 2026 | Why Being Nominated Matters
By Jamie Knee
The Meaning Behind a Wine Travel Awards Nomination
Wine has always been about more than what’s in the glass.
For me, it has always been about place, people, and the feeling that stays with you long after the experience ends. That’s why recognition in wine travel carries a different kind of meaning.
This year, I’ve been nominated for the 2026 Wine Travel Awards in two categories, Wine Ambassador of the Year and Food and Wine Influencer of the Year. It marks my third consecutive year as a Wine Travel Awards nominee, and a continued recognition of the work I’ve been building as the Petite Wine Traveler.
But what matters most to me is not the nomination itself.
It’s what it represents.
Why Storytelling Is Shaping the Future of Wine Travel
Storytelling is having a moment and for good reason.
As content becomes more abundant, what people are drawn to now feels more human. A sense of place. A feeling they can carry with them. A reason to return.
In wine and travel, that comes from story.
It’s also what I’ve been building toward.
As a wine travel storyteller and global wine presenter, my work centers on a simple idea. Wine is a passport.
Wine as a Passport: A New Way to Experience Wine
Through my keynote, Wine as a Passport, and recent lectures such as Traveling the World Through a Wine Glass, I explore how wine can open the door to deeper, more meaningful engagement with destinations. Not just for travelers, but for wineries, hotels, and regions looking to create experiences that truly resonate.
Because when wine is experienced this way, something shifts.
It becomes memorable, personal, and it becomes something people return to.
Over the years, my work has taken me across some of the world’s most compelling wine regions, from Tuscany to California’s Central Coast to the Adriatic coastlines of Istria. In each place, the common thread is clear. The destinations that leave a lasting impression are the ones that understand how to create a feeling, not just present a product.
Being recognized as a Wine Travel Awards nominee tells me this direction matters.
The Future of Wine Travel Is Experience Driven
That wine is no longer just about what we know, but how we experience it. That storytelling, connection, and a sense of place are becoming essential to the future of wine and hospitality.
As the Petite Wine Traveler, I continue to build this work globally, collaborating with wineries, tourism boards, and hospitality brands who are thinking beyond visibility and into long-term connection.
Wine has always had the power to transport.
I simply help people experience where it can take them.
Congratulations!
Thank you!!!