Jamie Knee to Deliver International Wine Travel Keynote at Great Wine Capitals 2026 in New Zealand
From California to Hawke’s Bay, Jamie Knee, the founder of Petite Wine Traveler brings Wine as a Passport to an international conversation about the future of wine tourism.
By Jamie Knee | Wine Travel Writer, Global Wine Presenter and Founder of Petite Wine Traveler
Wine Travel Speaker and Presenter, Jamie Knee
This October, my Wine as a Passport journey will take me to Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. I am honored to have been invited to deliver an international keynote at the 2026 Great Wine Capitals Annual Conference. Great Wine Capitals Speakers
As a wine travel writer and international wine travel speaker and presenter, I have spent years exploring what makes a wine destination memorable. My travels have taken me from California’s coastal vineyards to the historic wine regions of Europe. I have explored remarkable landscapes, unforgettable meals and, most importantly, friendships that continue long after the journey ends.
What began as my personal way of exploring the world through wine has developed into the foundation of my writing, speaking and destination storytelling. This is important to me. Bringing that perspective to Great Wine Capitals is especially meaningful because its international network represents so much of what I believe wine tourism can achieve.
Hawkes Bay, NZ with Wine Travel Speaker Jamie Knee
What Is the Great Wine Capitals Global Network?
Founded in Bordeaux in 1999, the Great Wine Capitals Global Network is an international alliance connecting 11 of the world’s renowned wine destinations. Its members span both the Old and New Worlds of wine: Adelaide, South Australia; Bilbao-Rioja, Spain; Bordeaux, France; Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand; Lausanne, Switzerland; Mainz-Rheinhessen, Germany; Mendoza, Argentina; Porto, Portugal; San Francisco-Napa Valley, United States; Valparaíso-Casablanca Valley, Chile; and Verona, Italy.
What I find particularly exciting about this network is its commitment to bringing these extraordinary regions together. Through international cooperation, wine tourism, education, research and shared industry expertise, Great Wine Capitals creates opportunities for destinations to learn from one another while celebrating what makes each region distinctive.
Its annual conference brings together wine tourism leaders, hospitality professionals, destination marketing organizations, winemakers and industry innovators from around the world. This year, Hawke’s Bay will host the international gathering, providing an opportunity to explore New Zealand’s wine culture while sharing ideas about the future of global wine tourism.This year’s conference takes place October 18–22 in Hawke’s Bay. The program includes international presentations, winery experiences, cultural activities, professional networking and the Global Best Of Wine Tourism Awards.
For me, this is Wine as a Passport on an international scale. Each destination has its own landscape, traditions, cuisine, hospitality and wine culture, yet they share an extraordinary opportunity to connect travelers with the people and places behind the glass. Jamie Knee, Great Wine Capitals Speaker
For someone whose work is devoted to the relationship between wine and travel, I find the possibilities of this international exchange particularly exciting.
Wine as a Passport: Taking Destination Storytelling Global
On Thursday, October 22, I will deliver my keynote during the conference’s Knowledge Day. The session explores the theme Social Terroir: Breaking New Ground.
My presentation will focus on how wine regions can use authentic storytelling, hospitality and their individual sense of place to create travel experiences that encourage visitors to explore more deeply, stay longer and return.
For me, successful wine tourism begins well beyond the tasting room. A vineyard may introduce travelers to a destination. However, it is often the conversations with winemakers, the local food, the hospitality, the landscapes and the people who welcome us that give us reasons to return.
Wine has always been my passport into these experiences. I have seen how a beautiful meal can lead to an unexpected friendship. Visiting a vineyard changes our understanding of the wine in our glass. In addition, the right hotel or local guide can introduce us to an entirely different side of a region.
These are the experiences I explore through Petite Wine Traveler and my work as a writer, presenter and international wine tourism speaker. Jamie Knee, Global Wine Presenter in Sonoma
I am particularly interested in how destinations can build on these experiences. Thoughtful partnerships among wine producers, hospitality businesses, tourism organizations and their wider communities play a key role.
There is an important responsibility that comes with telling a destination’s story. The most compelling wine tourism experiences celebrate the people and traditions that make a region distinctive. They also respect the communities that call it home. That conversation feels especially relevant to the future of international wine tourism. Learn more about the Great Wine Capitals Global Network
Discovering Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
I am equally excited to experience Hawke’s Bay itself. Visit Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Located on the eastern coast of New Zealand’s North Island, Hawke’s Bay is celebrated for its Chardonnay, Syrah and Bordeaux-style red wines. Its distinctive growing areas include the Gimblett Gravels, known for their stony soils. Another area is the Bridge Pa Triangle.
Beyond the vineyards, I am looking forward to discovering the region’s coastal landscapes, local cuisine, hospitality and Napier’s remarkable Art Deco architecture.
The conference will also provide opportunities to learn more about the region’s Māori culture. In addition, participants will see the importance of authentic cultural partnerships in destination storytelling.
For me, that is one of the great pleasures of wine travel. Even after years of visiting wine regions around the world, there is always somewhere new to discover. Another perspective is always there to bring home. Hawkes Bay Wine
Building a Global Conversation Around Wine Travel
This speaking engagement represents another important step in the development of Wine as a Passport as an international platform for writing, presenting and wine, and destination storytelling.
As a Decanter contributing writer, Forbes Travel Guide Speaker, international wine judge and 2026 Wine Travel Awards winner, I have had the opportunity to experience wine tourism from several perspectives. These include the lens of a traveler, a journalist, a wine professional and a presenter.
I am particularly interested in developing relationships that extend beyond a single visit or conference.
Great Wine Capitals offers an opportunity for wine regions around the world to exchange ideas, support innovation and introduce travelers to the remarkable diversity of international wine destinations. I would love to see Wine as a Passport contribute to that conversation through future conferences, educational presentations, regional storytelling and collaborative media projects.
Each destination has something valuable to share. The relationships between destinations can be just as meaningful as the relationships we develop with the people we meet along the way.
I look forward to bringing my own experiences to Hawke’s Bay. I want to learn from the international delegates and discover new opportunities to help wine regions share their stories with the world.
After all, my passport has never simply been about where wine takes me. It is about the people, places and possibilities I discover when I arrive. NZ Great Wine Capitals Press
Wine as a Passport, with Wine Travel Presenter Jamie Knee
Work with Jamie Knee: International Wine Travel Writer and Speaker
Jamie Knee is an award-winning wine travel writer, global wine presenter, Decanter contributing writer, Forbes Travel Guide Speaker, international wine judge and founder of Petite Wine Traveler. Named one of the Top 50 Most Influential Women in Wine and Hospitality, she won a 2026 Wine Travel Award for The Brightest Journey.
Through her Wine as a Passport platform, Jamie collaborates with wine regions, tourism boards, international conferences, luxury hotels and hospitality brands. She creates keynote presentations, destination storytelling, hosted wine experiences and international wine travel media.
She is also the creator, host and co-producer of Petite Wine Traveler Explores. This wine travel television project was developed with an Emmy Award-winning production team.
For international speaking engagements, destination media partnerships and wine tourism collaborations, please contact Jamie Knee.
