The European Wine Tourism Charter and Its Link with Wine Museums in Spain

The European Charter for Wine Tourism (2005) promotes the sustainable development of tourism activities associated with viticulture. The document identifies the active role that wine-growing territories must play in the conservation, management, and valorization of their resources. This study aims to understand the degree of linkage that this Charter establishes with initiatives for the heritage of wine culture, specifically focusing on wine museums in Spain. It examines how these museums contribute to defining a tourism development program, constructing a common strategic vision, and encouraging cooperation between the social and economic agents involved in the territory. As case studies, the Vivanco Museum of Wine Culture (La Rioja), considered by World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as the best in the world, and the Valdepeñas Wine Museum (Castilla-La Mancha), an example of rehabilitation and musealization in the region with the highest concentration of vineyards in the world, have been chosen. The results show that both museums exemplify management, development, and cooperation in their respective territories, aligning with the theoretical assumptions established in the Charter.