Gastronomy and Wine Portal

Amarone Opera Prima 2025, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the Valpolicella Consortium, took place in Verona from January 31 to February 2. The prestigious event was held at one of the city’s most iconic venues, Palazzo della Gran Guardia, where organizers gathered wines from nearly 80 wineries and welcomed over 100 journalists from leading wine publications across 26 countries – including Argentina and Japan, Australia and Canada, China and South Korea, Denmark, the UAE, Finland, Germany, Austria, Norway, Hong Kong, Israel, France, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Poland, Singapore, Sweden, the UK, the USA, and more.

We extend our gratitude to the Valpolicella Wine Consortium for inviting representatives of Drinks+ and Wine Travel Awards to join the global media selected to cover this landmark event in the wine world. We plan to share a more detailed account of these vibrant, impeccably organized, and authentically Italian events. But let’s start from the beginning – with the first day and the first tasting, which immediately set a high standard for this grand and multifaceted wine event.

Following a dynamic welcome speech to the guests of Amarone Opera Prima 2025 by the president of the consortium, Christian Marzeschini, a remarkable tasting unfolded – hosted by renowned wine expert JC Viens. This tasting, titled “Amarone: An Icon of Fine Dining in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants,” was designed to challenge even the most experienced wine professionals. Under Viens’ guidance, participants explored the pairing of Amarone wines featured on the wine lists of seven of the world’s top restaurants, as ranked by the British Magazine Restaurant.

JC Viens provided an insightful overview of the historical and contemporary context in which Valpolicella’s legendary wine, Amarone, has evolved and continues to thrive. His presentation, much like the welcome speech by the president of the consortium, was unusually heartfelt for an event of this kind – filled with witty remarks that had the audience laughing. At the same time, it was a highly professional commentary, guiding the tasting of seven iconic wines with an in-depth analysis of the pairings curated by the chefs of the world’s finest restaurants.

Let us introduce our guide: JC Viens holds a WSET Diploma Level 4 and spent 12 years as a certified WSET wine educator before becoming a program provider in Hong Kong. In 2021, he moved to Verona, where he continues to teach WSET courses from Levels 1 to 3.

Throughout his career, he has lectured on the winemaking traditions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and various Italian regions. He was an accredited instructor at L’École du Vin de Bordeaux and also served as a Vinitaly ambassador. An experienced wine judge, JC Viens has been part of prestigious panels such as the Decanter Asia Wine Awards and 5-Star Wines (Vinitaly). Additionally, he completed the rigorous Advanced Wine Assessment Course (AWAC), preparing him to judge Australian wine competitions at the highest level.

First and foremost, Mr. Viens explained his concept: to showcase Amarone’s potential as a highly cosmopolitan fine dining wine, capable of pairing beautifully with a wide range of global cuisines and ingredients. He shared his personal perspective on Amarone:”After living in Verona for six years, I realized that many classic perceptions need updating and rethinking. For example, I find the term ‘meditative wine’ outdated when describing Amarone – it originated at a time when Amarone was a rare wine. Since then, both its style and winemaking approaches have evolved. It’s time for us to change our views as well. This year, I selected wines from the lists of several establishments featured in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. I personally reached out to each venue and created my own ultimate pairing selection.”

Needless to say, we highly recommend our readers take advantage of this unique list curated by JC Viens – note it down in your travel journal and, when the opportunity arises, visit these establishments to experience the harmony of these pairings first-hand. As for us, we will share our own impressions- at the very least, of the Amarone and JC’s insightful commentary.

1. Meroni Il Velluto 2011 & Mountain

The first wine tasted was Meroni Il Velluto 2011 (35% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 25% Rondinella, and 10% Molinara), featured on the wine list of one of Soho London’s popular restaurants – Mountain (16-18 Beak Street, W1F 9RD). This Amarone holds an honorary place among the 100 best wines in the world (with the restaurant’s wine list spanning over 30 pages), carefully selected for this Michelin Guide-recommended establishment specializing in Spanish cuisine.

JC Viens provided insight into its pairing with one of the restaurant’s signature dishes – Whole Lobster Caldereta (lobster in a brandy and garlic sauce). While Lobster Caldereta is typically a challenging match for red wines, the Azienda Agricola Meroni Amarone proved to be a worthy companion to this bold and aromatic dish.

Attendees at the tasting in Verona witnessed how the wine’s fresh character, notes of ripe, juicy plums, impeccable acidity, and an aroma filled with sweet fruits, nutty hints, and a complex array of spices could harmonize with even the most assertive culinary creations.

2. Cà La Bionda Vigneti di Ravazzol 2012 & Sezanne

Next, under JC Viens’ guidance, we traveled – at least in spirit – to one of Tokyo’s most prestigious restaurants, the three-Michelin-starred Sezanne (100-6277 Marunouchi 1 Chrome-11-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, Pacific Century Place). There, we explored a wild yet enticing duck dish served with a duck liver sauce and Dijon mustard, which our speaker vividly paired with Amarone Cà La Bionda Vigneti di Ravazzol 2012 (70% Corvina, 20% Corvinone, 10% Rondinella and Molinara).

JC Viens shared that the duck hails from the historic city of Toyohashi in Aichi Prefecture, a region renowned since ancient times as a prime location for bird hunting. The dish features a duck that has been air-dried for several days before roasting, with its skin carefully brushed with honey. The rich duck liver sauce delivers an intense depth of flavour, while the Dijon mustard is emulsified to a silky smooth texture.

If you’re lucky enough to visit Tokyo and dine at Sezanne, you’ll witness first-hand how the techniques of Peking duck have been masterfully woven into this classic French-inspired dish. And, of course, you wouldn’t forget to order a glass of Vigneti di Ravazzol 2012 to complete the experience, would you?

The grapes for this Amarone come from vineyards located on the renowned Ravazzol hill. The unique soil characteristics of this site impart remarkable freshness and elegance to the wine, essential for its long aging potential.

The producers fully embrace this potential, aging the Amarone for 42 months in 3,000-liter oak casks. The aroma is complex, while the flavour profile reveals notes of pepper and dried tobacco, complemented by subtle hints of leather, marinated cherries, and distinct balsamic undertones.

If you find yourself in Tokyo, make sure to visit Sezanne, located on the 7th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo, and experience first-hand the exceptional pairing of Cà La Bionda’s Amarone with the dish expertly matched by JC Viens. By the way, Sezanne boasts numerous prestigious awards, including: Three Michelin stars in the Tokyo 2025 Guide, Two Michelin stars in Tokyo 2023 & 2024, One Michelin star in Tokyo 2022, #1 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024, #15 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024.

At the helm of Sezanne is chef Daniel Calvert, whose stellar career has taken him from a quiet town in eastern England to Michelin-starred restaurants in London, Paris, New York, and Hong Kong. He crossed the Atlantic to hone his skills as sous-chef at Per Se in New York, later working at Epicure at Le Bristol in Paris – both establishments lavishly decorated with Michelin stars. Having lived and worked in multiple global culinary capitals, Daniel Calvert has developed an acute sensitivity to diverse cultural influences. His duck fillet and liver dish, paired with Amarone, was nothing short of cosmopolitan and harmonious – a perfect match!

3. Monte dall’Ora Stropa 2013 & Le Calandre

The guests of Amarone Opera Prima, under the guidance of JC Viens, then returned to Italy, this time to the enchanting city of Padua, home to the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Calandre (Padova, Via Liguria 1, 35030 Rubano). Here, they explored the Monte dall’Ora Stropa 2013 (50% Corvina, 20% Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, 10% Molinara, Croatina, and Dindarella), paired with a raw minced beef tartare-style dish, named in honour of the founder of the restaurant and head of the legendary Italian restaurateur family.

It’s worth noting that Le Calandre has held its three Michelin stars for over 20 consecutive years, securing its place in the Michelin Red Guide. For this wine pairing, JC Viens selected a dish from the kitchen of the renowned Massimiliano Alajmo. His restaurants have been frequently reviewed by D+ critics, and we must admit – we seize every opportunity to visit his culinary masterpieces. The Le Calandre menu is divided into three tasting experiences: “Classico” – featuring iconic dishes crafted by Massimiliano over the years. “Max” & “Raf” – seasonally inspired menus that evolve with fresh ingredients and creative innovations.

Keep in mind that the legendary tartare at Calandrino is prepared only on the last Wednesday of each month. However, it is truly a theatrical experience, as it is personally crafted tableside by the patriarch Erminio Alajmo. This dish features over fifteen meticulously balanced ingredients, expertly combined thanks to his years of culinary mastery. The presented Amarone also comes from a remarkable family, whose passion extends beyond just winemaking to a deep reverence for the land they are privileged to cultivate. Every Monte Dall’Ora wine is a Single Vineyard selection, crafted from carefully chosen grapes sourced from a single vineyard, with meticulous attention to the ripeness levels of different grape varieties.

The winemakers view their land as a gift and adhere to organic and biodynamic farming techniques. The vineyard is located on the hills of Castelrotto, in the Valpolicella Classico region, at an altitude of 150–200 meters above sea level, where vines range in age from 25 to 70 years. The wine is aged for four years in 25-liter oak barrels and an additional 36 months in the bottle.

The result? Exceptional wines like Stropa 2013, which boasts an aging potential of up to 20 years. Our charismatic speaker highlighted the musky notes and truffle aroma that emerge in the pairing of Stropa 2013 with the tartare. The aroma of this Amarone initially presents raisins, which are then overtaken by delicate spicy notes with balsamic undertones. The taste is smooth and velvety, with an exceptionally long finish. So, we’re marking this in our travel guide, and next time we visit the Alajmo family in Padua, we’ll make sure to try Erminio Alajmo’s signature tartare – paired with Amarone Stropa, of course!

4. Zymé 2013 & Cenci

The fourth wine on JC Viens’ list was Amarone Zymé 2013 (35% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 15% Rondinella, 5% Molinara, 5% Croatina, and 10% Oseleta), featured in the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Cenci (Kyoto) – a venue with its own organic garden and vegetable farm.

If you find yourself in Kyoto, make sure to visit! This exceptional spot is helmed by the renowned Chef Ken Sakamoto, who takes pleasure in blending Italian cuisine with Japanese ingredients, placing a strong emphasis on fermented elements. He masterfully utilizes seemingly simple ingredients like kombu (kelp) and bonito broth, yet achieves culinary excellence in the process. At Cenci, Amarone Zymé was paired with grilled pigeon served with rice prepared in Japanese style – meaning not al dente, as Italian tradition would dictate. The dish was further enhanced with black fermented garlic. Yet, this outstanding Amarone stood its ground in this bold pairing – its lively tannins and distinct chocolate notes skilfully complemented the intricate flavours of the Japanese dish.

It’s worth taking a closer look at Azienda Agricola Zýmē (San Pietro in Cariano), a winery that is triumphantly conquering markets – and, more importantly, the hearts of wine lovers worldwide. The name Zýmē comes from Greek and means “yeast.” While yeast is, of course, an essential element in oenology, it also carries a symbolic meaning, representing nature itself – the core value in the work of renowned winemaker Celestino Gaspari.

Aligned with this philosophy, the winery’s logo features a grapevine leaf with a pentagon at its centre, symbolizing the five fundamental elements that come together in winemaking: human – vine – earth – sun – water.

Gaspari himself describes his creations as follows: “What I demand from wine is transparency. In other words, I want those who enjoy it to ‘read’ in every sip the story of the bond between my identity and the land that I love, protect, nurture, and restore.”

5. Buglioni Il Lussurioso 2016 & Single Thread

The fifth stop on our wine journey was Single Thread in Sonoma Valley (131 North St, Healdsburg, California 95448, USA) – an incredibly fascinating restaurant founded by husband-and-wife team Kyle & Katina Connaughton. The establishment features Japanese-style cuisine and embodies the philosophy of omotenashi (deep hospitality).

Here, the recommended pairing for Amarone Buglioni Il Lussurioso 2016 (Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Croatina, and Oseleta) is beef in red sauce with red rice. Keep in mind that dishes at Single Thread are served in the kaiseki style – a culinary art form that emphasizes harmony in taste, texture, presentation, and even colour. Naturally, ingredient freshness is paramount, which is why the Connaughtons operate their own farm, cultivating vegetables, herbs, and flowers. In this setting, Amarone Buglioni feels right at home, as it, too, has a unique origin story. JC shared an amazing anecdote: this wine was crafted by a family of grape growers who owned a magnificent vineyard in the heart of Valpolicella – but for years, they focused solely on growing and selling their grapes, rather than making their own wine.

It was only in 2000 that Alfredo and his son Mariano Buglioni began their first attempts at winemaking, and their first Amarone was produced from the 2004 vintage.

However, their wines were not well received by the local market -merchants, accustomed to working with estates boasting centuries-old histories, refused to stock Buglioni wines, doubting that the venture would be sustainable in the long run.

Faced with this challenge, the family made a bold move: they opened Osteria del Bugiardo in the heart of Verona, which quickly became a success and, in turn, elevated the family’s reputation as winemakers. Today, Buglioni cultivates 50 hectares of vineyards in the Valpolicella Classico zone, 5 hectares in Lugana, and another 5 in the Bardolino region. Since 2019, all their vineyards have been certified organic.

6. Tezza Brolo delle Giare 2016 & The Fat Duck

The next wine on JC Viens’ list is the highly acclaimed and award-winning Tezza Brolo delle Giare 2016 (Corvina, Rondinella, Oseleta). This exceptional Amarone is featured on the wine list of the renowned and highly experimental three-Michelin-starred restaurant The Fat Duck in London (High Street, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AQ).

JC paired this Amarone with a chicken liver parfait, marinated in a cocktail of Madeira, brandy, and port wine. The dish has an exotic appearance, resembling a bright, fresh mandarin. However, the citrus-like shell is actually mandarin jelly, while the filling consists of the richly alcohol-infused liver.

The citrusy notes in the wine – more specifically, the dried clementine peel – enhance the harmonious balance of flavours in this intriguing pairing. Meanwhile, Amarone’s signature black cherry aroma, reminiscent of fruit marinated in alcohol, naturally complements the three spirits used to marinate the liver. The wine showcases exceptional freshness, velvety tannins, and all the hallmarks of a noble Amarone.

By the way, the London duck is not only fat but also old and fond of celebrating its own anniversaries with guests! To mark its 30th anniversary, The Fat Duck will reintroduce an à la carte menu in February 2025 – for the first time in two decades. So, take advantage of the freedom of choice!

In addition, guests can step into the world of gastronomic theatre at The Top Seat at The Fat Duck, an exclusive solo dining experience. Seated right in the heart of the action, you’ll witness Heston Blumenthal’s team in motion. The legendary chef, who was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen in 2006 for his contributions to British gastronomy, invites you to enjoy the Journey menu while marveling at the artistry and precision that go into his three-Michelin-starred creations – an accolade he has proudly held for 21 consecutive years.

Need we even mention Amarone’s gastronomic versatility in such a setting?

7. Quintarelli & Eleven Madison Avenue

To conclude JC Viens’ list, we take special pleasure in highlighting the presentation of a wine from a legendary estate, founded by the universally recognized “father of Amarone” – Quintarelli 2017. This exceptional wine graces the 224-page wine list (featuring a collection of 20,000 bottles – just let that sink in!) of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Eleven Madison Park (11 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10010).

Eleven Madison Park is a sophisticated fine dining restaurant in the heart of New York City, offering stunning views of Madison Square Park. The establishment, awarded three Michelin stars, is led by chef-owner Daniel Humm.

So, what does EMP bring to the table? A prime location, a risk-taking yet seasoned chef who has weathered both highs and lows, an exceptional wine director in the form of Gabriel Di Bella, and a fully plant-based menu – a bold move introduced in 2021. Here, the tasting menu consists of five exquisite plant-based courses, proving that fine dining can be just as indulgent without a single animal product.

JC Viens created a stunning pairing, combining Quintarelli Amarone with a beet dish made from fermented green beet leaves, gently simmered in Worcestershire sauce with a noticeable hint of anchovy. A complex combination, yet this remarkable wine rises to the challenge effortlessly. Crafted from grapes grown on the legendary vineyards of Giuseppe Quintarelli, the 2017 Amarone unveils intense aromas of tobacco and black cherry, along with bold flavours of dried fig and delicate vanilla undertones. The wine also carries green, currant leaf notes in its bouquet, which harmoniously align with the dish’s dominant fermented greens and umami-rich fish elements. Its taste is rounded and perfectly balanced, offering a luxurious drinking experience. And luxurious is no exaggeration—in every sense of the word. The average market price for a bottle of Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2017 stands at approximately $450 USD. The limited release comprised just 12,900 bottles.

…The first day of Amarone Opera Prima 2025 seamlessly continued with the metamorphosis of Amarone over time – a historic tasting of exceptional vintages titled “Memory of Time: A Journey Through Historic Amarone Wines,” led by Andrea Lonardi MW, Vice President of the Valpolicella Wine Consortium.

The day concluded at Teatro Filarmonico with an exquisite dinner crafted by renowned three-Michelin-starred Italian chef Giancarlo Perbellini.

But that will be a story of its own.

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Amarone Opera Prima 2025, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the Valpolicella Consortium, took place in Verona from January 31 to February 2. The prestigious event was held at one of the city’s most iconic venues, Palazzo della Gran Guardia, where organizers gathered wines from nearly 80 wineries and welcomed over 100 journalists from leading […]

MUNDUS VINI organizes the 35th Grand International Wine Award. Summer Tasting will take place from August 29 to September 1, 2024. According to a long-standing tradition, among the jury members will be judges from the Drinks+ media group.

For 20 years, the Grand International Wine Award MUNDUS VINI has been one of the most important wine competitions in the world. Twice a year manufacturers, traders and importers can present their products at the well-known event. Experts from around 40 countries taste wines and give  professional feedback. The best wines receive one of the coveted awards: Mundus Vini Medal Grand Gold, Gold or Silver.

More than 12,000 wines participate in this competition every year.

The goal of MUNDUS VINI Summer Tasting 2024 is to recognize and popularize the quality of the presented wines. Received awards ensure popularity in the field of marketing. Everywhere in the world on the shelves of supermarkets.you can find wines that have been awarded the prestigious MUNDUS VINI.

The benefits of participating in MUNDUS VINI are:

• The evaluation of wines by an expert jury of the highest class, which consists of more than 300 internationally recognized wine experts from trade, gastronomy, viticulture, wine industry and wine media;
• The detailed feedback and technical characteristics of the presented wine;
• The presentation of the winning wines, supported by editorial material in the publications, online channels and social media channels of the Meininger publishing house, the European market leader in the wine sector, including the exclusive magazine “MUNDUS VINI” with a circulation of 100,000 copies.

The key dates for MUNDUS VINI Summer Tasting 2024 are:

• The deadline for the wine registration is July 12, 2024.
•  The deadline for submitting wines is July 26, 2024.

 All the details of the competition can be found on the official website.

For additional information pleace contact the organizers:

Phone: +49 6321-8908-951; Email: contact@tastingservice.com

MUNDUS VINI organizes the 35th Grand International Wine Award. Summer Tasting will take place from August 29 to September 1, 2024. According to a long-standing tradition, among the jury members will be judges from the Drinks+ media group. For 20 years, the Grand International Wine Award MUNDUS VINI has been one of the most important […]

The 31st edition of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) concluded a few days ago in Guanajuato. The results have just been announced, with the host country, Mexico, breaking into the top 5 in terms of the number of medals won. Among the the award-winning wines recognized by the Wine Travel Awards, this year’s winner in the Progressive Approach category is the Italian winery Tenuta Manoylo. The editor-in-chief of Drinks+, Olga Pinevich-Todoriuk, took part in the competition as a judge. A detailed article about the visit to CMB Mexico will soon be published on the website.

From June 7 to 9, the world’s largest traveling wine competition brought together experts from across the international wine sector in Guanajuato, Mexico, to taste nearly 7,500 red and white wines from 42 countries. All wines were blind-tasted by a panel of wine experts (buyers, journalists, wine merchants, oenologists, etc.) carefully selected by the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, representing 45 nationalities. Of all the wines presented, only 30% will take home a medal. The winners include wines from all five continents, encompassing both historical wine-producing countries and some more surprising origins like Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, and Peru.

“It is a real satisfaction to have gathered so many wines for this new edition despite a challenging global context. It proves that producers still want to place their trust in us, and we are honored by it!” said Thomas Costenoble, director of the CMB.

We are pleased to share that this year’s Concours Mondial de Bruxelles was a true revelation for both judges and participants. The standout white wine of the CMB Red & White Wines Session was Issa Chardonnay Barrique 2022, a Romanian gem from Transylvania’s Crama La Salina. The top-rated red wine hailed from Uruguay, with Balasto 2017 by Everest Wines and Spirits taking the honors.

We will go through what was especially impressive during the session.

The No Low Revelations

One of the new features of this 2024 edition was the creation of the Revelations for the best no-low wines (completely or partially de-alcoholized wines, de-alcoholized wine-based beverages, and others). The winners are Divin – Sauvignon Blanc 0.0% 2023 from Divin No-Low in Loire (France) and the Portuguese “Lower alcohol” wine Lagosta from Enopnort Wines.

Organic and Oaked Revelations

The Sylvain Trophy, awarded each year to the highest-scoring wooded wine, goes in 2024 to an Italian wine, Starderi 2020 from Collina Serragrilli. The highest-rated organic wine is from Spain for the second consecutive year: this time, it is a wine from Navarra, Arínzano Merlot Agricultura Biológica 2019 produced by Arinzano.

Bordeaux in the lead

Among the major French wine-producing regions, Bordeaux is the most represented and rewarded region in the competition with 189 medal-winning wines. Gironde also takes home the French Red Wine Revelation with Château Terres Blanches Cuvée Carpe Diem 2022. Another Grand Gold Medal goes to a Bordeaux wine, Château Le Bonalguet Cosecha 2023 from Bonalgue Saint-Germain.

Moldova – 20 gold medals

Moldova stands as the undisputed leader in modern winemaking in Eastern Europe. This small country showcases tremendous production potential and is a front-runner in global wine tourism, developing this promising industry with competence and purpose. Notably, the Wine Travel Awards 2023-2024 recognized The National Wine Day of Moldova as the Event of the Year, underscoring the country’s prominence in the wine world. Moldovan wineries have become a powerful presence in the Wine Travel Awards community over the past three years.

And, of course, among the medalists of the summer Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, where Moldova has 20 gold medals, there is a large part of our nominees. Let’s name their wines: Radacini Reserve Chardonnay – Pinot Grigio 2020 (Radacini Wines S.R.L.), Castel Mimi Negru de Bulboaca 2018, Castel Mimi Chef Cuvée Blanc 2022, Castel Mimi Chef Cuvée Rouge 2020, Castel Mimi Viorica de Bulboaca 2023, Castel Mimi Merlot 2020 – from WTA vote winner Castel Mimi, Taraboste Rosu Reserva 2018, Taraboste Chardonnay Barrique 2022 (Château Vartely), Negru de Purcari 2021 (IM Vinaria Purcari SRL), etc.

Marche Comes Forward!

The Italian province of Marche, once a renowned wine-growing region that lost its luster to northern areas, is making a strong comeback. This year, the young winery Tenuta Manoylo entered the international scene and, following triumphs at spring competitions, won another gold in Mexico for its wine, The Red 2021 Tenuta Manoylo, Passo del Borgo, Marche IGT Sangiovese. The Drinks+ team proudly supports this winery, a member of the friendly international Wine Travel Awards community.

Romania Continues Its Ascent

In our view, Romania has every chance to become a leader among Europe’s wine-producing countries in the coming years. The summer competition in Mexico confirmed this potential. Not only did the best white wine come from Romania, but several other winners as well. Notably, the stunning Jidvei Srl winery, located in the medieval Castle Bethlen-Haller, won the public vote for the Wine Travel Awards 2023-2024 in the Must Visit category and also secured a leading position in the Progressive Approach category. In Mexico, this outstanding Romanian producer won gold for its Iluziv Sauvignon Blanc – Riesling – Muscat Ottonel 2023, and silver for the Owner’s Choice Ana Sauvignon Blanc 2023.

China, Mexico, South Africa

These three countries continue to showcase impressive growth and dynamism. Mexican producers presented 663 wines, with 152 winning medals, including a record 9 Grand Gold Medals. South African wines also showed marked improvement, earning 6 Grand Gold Medals and 35 Gold Medals. China had an outstanding performance as well, with 40% of their entries receiving medals, including 6 Grand Gold Medals and 83 Gold Medals.

This sets the stage for the next Red & White Wines Session of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, which will take place in June 2025 in Ningxia, China. It will be the second time the Concours is held in China, following the 2018 edition.

You can find all the results here

The 31st edition of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles concluded a few days ago in Guanajuato. The results have just been announced, with the host country, Mexico, breaking into the top 5 in terms of the number of medals won. China is also making a strong showing with significant progress, and South Africa continues its upward trend.

The Balkans International Wine Competition (BIWC) is pleased to announce the successful completion of its 13th edition, which for the first time in its history, took place across two countries. This milestone event was made possible by the excellent hosting provided by Arcadia Vineyards, led by Zeynep Arca Salliel, and Katarzyna Estate, led by Tsvetelina Nikolova.

The competition culminated in a ceremony where the Best of Show winners were announced at the gala dinner marking the closing of the 13th edition of the BIWC. The awards went as follows:

• ALBANIA: E Kuqja Shqiptare 2020, Kantina Faba
• BULGARIA: Korten Natura 2022 Mavrud & Rubin, Domaine Boyar
• CROATIA: Pošip 2023, Vinarija Luviji, Hvar
• GREECE: Assyrtiko Agia Kiriaki 2022, Alpha Estate
• MONTENEGRO: Epoha 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot, 13. jul Plantaže
• MOLDOVA: Fautor Chardonnay Aurore 2022, Fautor Winery
• NORTH MACEDONIA: Lastar Collection Red Antler 2022, Vinarija Iliev – Stojan Iliev
• ROMANIA: Vin Spumante 2019, Avincis Winery
• SERBIA: Merlot 2021, Vinarija Tarpoš
• TURKIYE: Riesling 2023, Camlica Winery; Reserve Karasakiz 2021, Suvla Winery
• UKRAINE: Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2021, Odesos Winery
• GEORGIA: Saperavi 2020, Kakheli’s Winery

The remaining results will be disclosed on June 17th, and the remaining awards will be presented and distributed on the first day of the Balkans International Wine Festival on June 27th in the wine village in front of the NDK in Sofia.

As with each year, the competition culminated in a ceremony where we announced the “Best Wine Personality in the Balkans.” After careful consideration, this year’s accolade was awarded to Tomislav Ivanovic from Serbia. Tomislav’s significant contributions as a senior judge and his profound expertise and passion for Balkan wines have notably influenced the region’s wine culture. His relentless dedication to promoting quality and knowledge has earned him this well-deserved honor.

The BIWC has once again exceeded its previous achievements, confirming its position as a leading wine competition in the Balkans. It continues to attract a diverse group of judges and wine producers from across the world, enhancing our understanding and appreciation of wine. Each year, the competition not only sets new benchmarks but also fosters a collaborative environment that drives the industry forward.

Furthermore, the region for the 14th edition of the competition has been announced: Naoussa in Greece. The Mayor of Naoussa attended the gala dinner and expressed that hosting the next edition is a significant honor. Preparations will begin soon.

In just two weeks starts the upcoming Balkans International Wine Festival from June 27th to 29th in Sofia. The festival will offer a unique opportunity to taste a variety of award-winning wines and engage with different cultures through music, art, and culinary experiences. This celebration aims to bring together wine lovers from all over to share in the joy and rich traditions of Balkan wine culture.

The festival is a notable occasion where the art of winemaking and the community that surrounds it are celebrated. It caters to everyone who appreciates the nuances of fine wine, from casual drinkers to the most discerning connoisseurs.

The Balkans International Wine Competition (BIWC) is pleased to announce the successful completion of its 13th edition, which for the first time in its history, took place across two countries. This milestone event was made possible by the excellent hosting provided by Arcadia Vineyards, led by Zeynep Arca Salliel, and Katarzyna Estate, led by Tsvetelina […]

Less than two weeks are left before the start of one of the largest professional exhibitions in the world of wine. For fifteen years, the Drinks+ International Communication Media Group has been an information partner of this annual grand event, which each time gathers at its place more than 3 000 wines from several dozen countries. This year, the Drinks+ International Communication Media Group & Wine Travel Awards team is going to present Tenuta Manoylo, a true gem of the Italian Marche region, at its own booth in Hall D, Stand A3.

The first VinItaly took place in 1967. Since that time, for wine professionals, the words “April” and “Verona” have become almost synonymous, because it is here – in the “City of Love” – that every April leading producers, traders, buyers, importers, exporters and distributors from different countries gather. This year, VinItaly will take place from April 14 to 17.

The 56th Vinitaly will be attended by at least 4 000 exhibiting companies presenting their products on an area of more than 100 000 square meters. Also, thanks to the efforts of the Veronafiere press center, involved have been influential international wine traders from 65 countries.

The Drinks+ Communication Media Group + & Wine Travel Awards team is also preparing for the exhibition. At our own stand – Hall D, Stand A3, we will present a young winery from the ancient Marche region – Tenuta Manoylo, which this year has won the public vote of the international Wine Travel Awards project in the Progressive Approach category. The official list of the winners of the public vote will be announced by April 5.

Drinks+ & WTA invite distributors and everyone who is interested in learning more about the still little-known Marche region and its real gem – the winemaker Tenuta Manoylo, to visit our stand and get to know the winery, whose vineyards are spread out in the heart of the Marche region – on the picturesque hills surrounding the medieval village of Moresco and the river Aso. Despite its relatively young age, Tenuta Manoylo has already earned honorable mentions at the MUNDUS VINI 2024 competition.

We would like to remind you that at ProWein 2024, the Drinks+ & WTA team, as part of Tasting Around the Sustainable World, among six other participants, presented Tenuta Manoylo with the white monovarietal wine Passo del Borgo Falerio DOC Pecorino 2021. Passerina has a beautiful golden glistening straw-yellow color.  This wine was exhibited for the first time on the international stage during the spring session of the MUNDUS VINI 2024 competition and won a silver medal. Tenuta Manoylo also won Grand Gold for Marche IGT Sangiovese 2021.

Passo del Borgo Falerio DOC Pecorino 2021 received positive reviews from all experts who were present at the Tasting Around the Sustainable World. Thus, Constantin Drăgan, the head sommelier of the Jidvei winery (which, by the way, also won the WTA public vote in the Must Visit category), noted that this wine was “a real highlight of this tasting.”

All Tenuta Manoylo wines are made by one of Italy’s most authoritative oenologists – Luigi Costantini. Recently, Mr. Costantini  has found an opportunity in his busy schedule to answer questions  from the Director of the Drinks+ International Communication Media Group.

We invite you to visit our stand Hall D, Stand A3 in Verona and get to know this outstanding winery and discover the unique Marche region.

Less than two weeks are left before the start of one of the largest professional exhibitions in the world of wine. For fifteen years, the Drinks+ International Communication Media Group has been an information partner of this annual grand event, which each time gathers at its place more than 3 000 wines from several dozen […]

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This year, the leading traders of the international market from 140 countries are expected in Verona. And Drinks+ will present a new star of the Marche region at its own stand – Tenuta Manoylo, a nominee of the Wine Travel Awards. (We invite you to vote for the newly-titled laureate until March 31 Tenuta Manoylo – Wine Travel Awards).

It has been almost 15 years since Drinks+ Communication Media Group has been the information partner of one of the largest professional exhibitions in the world of wine – Vinitaly, which traditionally is held in Verona. This year, the forum will take place from April 14 to 17 in 17 exhibition halls. What novelties await guests and exhibitors?

At the 56th Vinitaly exhibition, at least 4,000 exhibiting companies will present their products on an area of more than 100,000 square meters. As it has been earlier, in previous years, the 28th international olive oil exhibition SOL, Xcellent Beers and the 25th Enolitech will be held at the same time. These three events bring the number of participants at the Verona Forum to almost 4,300 from 30 countries.

Having crossed the 55-year border, the Italian forum realized the importance of radical changes in presentation approaches. And if the 55th anniversary exposition was noted for its effectiveness and the number of stunning events, this time the organizers paid attention to increasing business efficiency. With this aim, a kind of global diplomatic mission was created the day before to identify and invite the most potential partners and buyers, importers from different countries and distributors. As a result, as reported by the press center of Veronafiere, it was possible to build a global system of relations with influential international wine traders who have already been invited to visit Vinitaly-24.

So, this year Verona is waiting for the leading players of global retail, HoReCa and other sales channels from 65 countries. According to estimates, they will be joined by 30,000 international operators from more than 140 countries. The greatest activity is expected from the United States (more than 15% of the total number of visitors), followed by Canada, China and Great Britain (together 23% of participants). The top buyers are North America and Europe (26% each), Asia and Oceania (23%), Eastern Europe (13%), Central and South America (7%), Africa (4%). The 65 countries listed in the list of leading buyers account for 95% of the total export of Italian wine.

Drinks+ Communication Media Group is also getting ready for the exhibition. Tenuta Manoylo, a young winery from the ancient Marche region, will be presented at its stand in the Vinitaly International Pavilion. Despite the relatively young age of the winery and vineyards, this company managed to surprise even our experienced editors with its success.

The editor-in-chief of Drinks+, a permanent judge of the Mundus Vini competition, says the following words about the winery that the publishing House is going to present at Vinitaly: “Tenuta Manoylo from the Marche region, which has just taken its first steps on the world stage, was a real “Discovery of the Year” for us. And here is a resounding victory at the spring session of Mundus Vini – the two highest awards: Grand Gold – 2021 Marche IGT Sangiovese; Silver – 2021 Falerio DOC Pecorino. Besides, Tenuta Manyolo received the Best of Show Marche for the excellent wine Marche IGT Sangiovese 2021.

I would like to note that all these wines have been made by one of the most authoritative oenologists in Italy – Luigi Costantini. Only recently, as part of ProWein 2024, we presented the wine Passo del Borgo Falerio DOC Pecorino 2021 at the Tasting Around the Sustainable World and it received glowing reviews from industry professionals. I will quote, for example,  Sanket Chavan, (Germany, Global Food Procurement Category-Wine at Metro AG): “The wine has a floral and delicate aroma, balanced acidity and a surprisingly strong and powerful body. I can smell notes of lime. This beautiful wine leaves a long aftertaste.”

We invite you to visit our stand in Verona and get to know this outstanding winery and discover the unique Marche region.

This year, the leading traders of the international market from 140 countries are expected in Verona. And Drinks+ will present a new star of the Marche region at its own stand – Tenuta Manoylo, a nominee of the Wine Travel Awards. (We invite you to vote for the newly-titled laureate until March 31 Tenuta Manoylo […]

On January 22-25, the 21st Congress of Madrid Fusión took place in Madrid under the motto Sin limites (“Without limits”).

The Madrid Congress is the most important international forum in the field of hospitality. Every year, it gathers the most outstanding professionals in the modern gastronomic field in Madrid and is considered a  window of opportunity. After all, it is at this representative site that you can find out all the news and get information about cutting-edge technologies related to gastronomy.

Madrid Fusión is three full days, during which visitors can not only observe presentations of the best chefs in the world, but also attend competitions, master classes, tastings, as well as take part in parallel panels, such as:

• Madrid Fusion The Wine Edition, focused on wine brands and their promotion;
• Madrid Fusion Pastry – all about confectionery and bakeries;
• The Drinks Show, an international gathering for hospitality professionals that brings together innovation and trends in order to offer a unique experience in the world of cocktails and spirits.

Thanks to the fact that I managed to attend several discussion panels and master classes, I can single out a few of the most vivid topics. The most interesting, in my opinion, was the discussion called “Unknown Spain”, which was moderated by the first MW of Spain, Pedro Ballesteros. It was attended by such influential persons in the world of wine, as MW Andreas Kubach, co-founder and CEO of Península Vinicultores (Madrid, Spain), Pepe Mendoza, owner of Casa Agrícola (Liber, Alicante, Spain), Pedro Ruiz Aragoneses, CEO of Alma Carraovejas (Valladolid, Spain), one of whose projects – Pago de Carraovejas – is a Wine Travel Awards nominee, Loreto Pancorbo, Tandem Wines SC wine consultant, Luis Sande, co-owner of Pagos de Brigante (Betanzos, A Coruña, Spain) and others.

Representatives of different wine-producing regions of Spain shared their views on such important topics as the stability of the development of the industry, the improvement of quality and the search for new sales markets. Loreto Pancorbo, oenologist from Rioja, shared her impressions of the experience of working with the local Tenerife variety Listán Negro, and Pedro Ruiz Aragoneses – about plans to increase the planting of biodynamic vineyards.

The stand with the island wines of Tenerife and the Canary Islands, whose volcanic soils have a tremendous influence on these wines, impressed me with the variety and such “other” aromas and tastes.

The wines of Viña Zanata 2021 deserve extra attention for the explosion of tropical aromas and flavors, made from grapes with the no less exotic name Marmajuelo.

And also, I found Qoli 2020 from a blend of Gual, Verdelho, Vijariego Blanco and Albillo Criollo varieties very interesting: aromas of jasmine, white ripe fruits, a creamy taste with a salty aftertaste and a touch of balsamic.

Needless to say how sophisticated the master class was with the tasting of Dom Perignon champagne of the 2004, 2008 and 2013 vintages paired with various types of black caviar presented at a high level by Eric Vildgaard, chef, owner of Jordnaer (Copenhagen, Denmark).

The Congress, along with all the activities, left a positive and pleasant aftertaste, as well as the desire to further explore Spain.

Photo: Nataliia Burlachenko

On January 22-25, the 21st Congress of Madrid Fusión took place in Madrid under the motto Sin limites (“Without limits”). The Madrid Congress is the most important international forum in the field of hospitality. Every year, it gathers the most outstanding professionals in the modern gastronomic field in Madrid and is considered a  window of […]

The editor-in-chief of Drinks+ visited the Vatican and was at the center of events organized by Gambero Rosso.

The leading Italian media holding Gambero Rosso once again presented the wines awarded by Tre Bicchieri to Vini d’Italia Guide. “Three glasses” from GR today are quoted as the highest award for Italian winemakers. D+ Editor-in-Chief Olga Pinevich-Todoriuk took part in exclusive events in Rome: a closed vertical tasting of the best of the best Tre Bicchieri Vini d’Italia 2022, an evening meeting of the Gambero Rosso Special Awards Winners 2022 and a two-day Tre Bicchieri 2022 ceremony. Thus, joining the team of wine guide led by Marco Sabellico – one of the most respected wine experts in Italy, editor in chief of Vini d’Italia Guide.

Only the representatives of the selected international wine press were able to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Roman wine intensity and, I must admit, to the rather exciting work of the Vini d’Italia wine guide team. The reception was sumptuous in all senses of the word. Tiina Eriksson, Director of International Director at Gambero Rosso, commented on the organization of the visit: “We wanted to create an informal atmosphere for the invited international press, make it warm, move away from formalities, show all the details of the team’s work. After all, journalists are special guests, our friends and partners in promoting Gambero Rosso International’s global mission in the world.”

This year, 6 journalists from Ukraine, Japan, Germany, the Czech Republic, Canada and Russia were lucky enough to represent the international wine press. Our “Vacation in Rome” turned out to be so rich and dynamic that the stated concept of Friendly Informal Evenings was very relevant, allowing to discuss all issues, unite with the GR team, understand the nuances and global level of their work and get a special tasting experience. Well, let’s move on to the details.

Exclusive vertical tasting of The Best of The Best: Argiano, Livio Felluga and Guido Berlucchi

We started from the top: the first day was dedicated to the best of the best. I would like to mention the location chosen by Gambero Rosso for this event, which gives a special atmosphere to the journalistic get-together, our hard work, and even the wines. The meeting place was located at the gates of the Vatican Chorus Cafè. Its tall windows overlook the Via della Conciliazione, which connects the Castle of the Holy Angel and the Church of St. Peter, as well as tourists, priests and pilgrims from all over the world. The atmosphere is just breath-taking.

International wine press, including the editor-in-chief of D+, together with the team of Gambero Rosso and Gambero Rosso International, represented by meters – Luigi Salerno (CEO), Paolo Cuccia (president), Marco Sabellico and Gianni Fabrizio (authors, editors and curators of Vini d’Italia), Tiina Eriksson (International Director), Lorenzo Ruggeri (author and international editor), Giuseppe Carrus (author and co-editor of Gambero Rosso Vini d’Italia), Michela Ricotta actually went into space that day, tasting the wines of the highest awards for Italian winemakers: Red Wine of the Year 2022, White Wine of the Year 2022, Winery of the Year 2022.

I will keep saying that this is an exclusive vertical tasting, which, as they say, is “neither told in a fairy tale nor described with a pen”, but the profession also requires a pen. So, let’s try to convey a special atmosphere, as well as a layer of various historical events and current philosophy, which influenced the formation of the best households according to the “Red Shrimps”.

Red Wine of the Year 2022. The best red wine Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Suolo’16 from the Argiano winery – one of the most outstanding locations, without exaggeration – the historical monuments of the Montalcino region. An estate with a unique wine history, dating back about five centuries. In 2012, the estate was acquired by Brazilian businessman André Santos Esteves. Having come a long way of modernizing and improving technology since 2019, Argiano is the first company in Montalcino to abandon plastic, using the technology of complete processing of raw materials at all stages of production. The motto of oenologist Francesco Monari and CEO Bernardino Sani is to have a respectful approach to growing vines in view of the region’s climatic conditions.

In the annotated tasting led by Marco Sabellico, we tasted the Argiano Brunello di Montalcino 1971, 1978, 1979, 1980 and 2006 vintage and the Argiano Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Soulo 2015 and 2016.

Tasting notes

Argiano Brunello di Montalcino 1971 – undergrowth aroma, tertiary notes, wine has almost finished its “wine path”, but balsamic notes give it energy.

Argiano Brunello di Montalcino 1978 – in the aroma, complex tertiary notes, spices, orange and kumquat, the wine still shows a wide fruity profile, pleasant tannins, long aftertaste.

Vigna del Soulo is a unique vineyard located at 320 meters above sea level. The clay soils, rich in fossils, were once the seabed and today are the ideal environment for cultivating the ancient Sangiovese Grosso variety, which gives the wines a spicy acid profile. And the vintage of 2016 is just top class!

Argiano Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Soulo 2016 – first-class acidity and structure, delicate velvety tannins, ripe cherries in the aroma, rosehip flowers, zest, which gradually turn into tertiary aromas of tobacco, spices.

White Wine of the Year 2022. Rosazzo Terre Alte 2018 from Livio Felluga winery – the best white wine of 2022 and a tasting of one of the most famous, respected and consistently worthy white wines of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Bianco, which compose Rosazzo Terre Alte, are intertwined, embodying the philosophy of Italian white wines – lightness, drinkability, elegance. It should be noted that the Livio Felluga winery began a qualitative stylistic change of white wines in the mid-70’s, thus convincing the world of wine pros that Italy produces not only strong red but also elegant white wines that have the potential for aging.

A little history. The founder of the winery Livio Felluga came to this region from Istria in the 30s of last century. In the mid-1950s in Brazzano di Cormons, near the Abbey of Rosazzo, he founded the company Livio Felluga. Shortly before his death in 2016, Livio bequeathed to his four children Maurizio, Elda, Andrea and Filippo 180 hectares of vineyards on the outskirts of Rosazzo, as well as the famous wine label. Its story is told in the family: once when he went to an antique shop owned by a friend, Livio Felluga saw an antique map of Friuli. It charmed him, and he bought it, not knowing at the time what to do with it. And only later did he come up with the idea to put the map on wine labels so that buyers could see the area of ​​origin of the grapes.

The connection between the winery and the area is established by the owners in philosophy. In 2008, they signed a contract with the abbey, according to which the family undertook to take care of the building and the surrounding area. By the way, the origin of the building is still shrouded in mystery for centuries, it is known only that the construction was conducted in around 1000 in the Romanesque style and dedicated to St. Peter the Apostle.

Vertical tasting of Livio Felluga Terre Alte wines consisted of 1996, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2014 vintages, as well as the winning wine Livio Felluga Rosazzo Terre Alte 2018. My impressions are at heart and in the tasting notes.

Tasting notes

Terre Alte 2018 – wine rich in aromas of wildflowers, herbs, green apples, sage, a slight hint of cinnamon. A wonderful combination of minerality and freshness. Saturated wine, oily. The aftertaste is light, with special stability.

Terre Alte 2014 – in the aroma, notes of fresh peach, apricot, enveloping, stable taste. The wine is elegant, strong, complex. One of the best vintages in Friuli.

Terre Alte 1998 – a wonderful structure of wine, aromas of yellow dried fruits, long enveloping aftertaste, bright honey notes.

Terre Alte 1996 is a very rare sample that is practically not offered for tasting even at the winery. The first nose – slightly benzene tones, the taste of smoky notes and coffee. Great structure, despite the age.

Winery of the Year 2022. Guido Berlucchi is the story of the classic Italian sparkling wine Franciacorta. The first 3,000 bottles, made in 1961, made the Franciacorta region the cradle of Italian classic sparkling wine. Today, Guido Berlucchi produces 4 million bottles of Franciacorta a year from its 120-hectare vineyards and buys grapes from partners. According to Paolo Ziliani, who runs the company with his brother Arturo (oenologist and managing director) and sister Cristina: “Every seven seconds a bottle of Berlucchi Franciacorta gets uncorked around the world.”

We also discovered a wonderful tasting set Franciacorta Riserva Palazzo Lana Extreme 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004 vintages, and another special exhibit – Riserva di Famiglia Magnum.

Tasting notes

Franciacorta Riserva Palazzo Lana Extreme 2009 – intense, rich and complex aroma, produced only from Pinot Noir grapes, aged for at least 7 years. The aroma of spices, fruit syrup, notes of toast, citrus jam, mild, spicy, mineral taste.

Franciacorta Riserva Palazzo Lana Extreme 2007 – very elegant, restrained, fragrant notes of ripe yellow fruits, citrus, honey, pastries. The taste is wonderful, enveloping and refined, with fresh acidity, expressive minerality.

Franciacorta Riserva Palazzo Lana Extreme 2004 – despite its age, sparkling is in great shape. The first nose is a delicate aroma of spices, black currants, then the pulp of yellow fruit, a light note of vanilla. The taste is rich.

Dinner party

This eventful day, dedicated to the best of the best Italian wines of 2022, ended with a wonderful dinner in great company with the main characters of the year – 12 Special Awarded Wineries – award-winning producers, their fantastic wines, great stories and great Roman cuisine in a cozy atmosphere.

No wonder Gambero Rosso chose this location, which has become one of the historical brands of gastronomic Rome. The establishment began as an ancient bakery blessed by the Pope, and already four generations has run a restaurant with traditional Roman cuisine, a luxurious wine cellar and its own Wine Club.

Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri changes lives for the better! Results.

The team of 70 Gambero Rosso tasters heroically evaluated more than 47,000 wines, of which 476 wines were awarded the highest status of Tre Bicchieri, and 1982 wines reached the final and were included in the list of the best according to the 2022 Vini d’Italia guide. In addition, the list of debutants accounted for about 10% of the total number of wines tasted, and at a closed tasting of the best of the best, the main tasters of Gambero Rosso unanimously noted: “In this 35th edition of the Italian Wines Guide, we admired lesser-known regions that have the full right, after our assessment, to go international and present their wines to the world.”

Spicial Awarded Wineries

• Sparkling of the Year – Cartizze Brut La Rivetta ‘20 Villa Sandi
• Winery of the Year – Guido Berlucchi& Co
• Solidarity Project Award – Paestum Fiano ‘20 San Salvatore
• Red Wine of the Year – Brunello di Montalcino V. del Soulo ‘16 Argiano
• Cooperative Winery of the Year – Primitivo di Manduria Sessantanni ‘18 – San Marzano Wines
• Sustainable Viticulture Award – Amarone della Valpolicella CI ‘16 – Brigaldara Winery
• White Wine of the Year – Rosazzo Terre Alte ‘18 Livio Felluga
• Rose of the Year – Zero Gagliopo Rosato ‘20 Brigante
• Best value for money – Brindisi Rosso Susumaniello Oltreme’ 19 Tenuta Rubino
• Grower of the Year – Barbera d’Asti ‘20 – Gianni Doglia
• Up-and-Coming Winery – Sobi ‘19 Bentu Luna
• Sweet Wine of the Year – Zhabib Passito ‘20 Hibiscus

It should be noted that today the situation with the pandemic, as in all wine regions of the world, has made some adjustments to the activities of small wineries in Italy. During the discussion with GR representatives, it became clear that winemakers have now reconsidered their capabilities, as well as external communications policy, marketing budgets and positively started fighting for the Vini d’Italia 2022 awards with major producers, presenting their brilliant vintages. Judging by the results, Gambero tasters were happy to accept and evaluate newcomers. And indeed, they were appreciated. Of course, the large wine regions of Italy with a large number of producers hold the main pedestals of Vini d’Italia. However, as Marco Sabellico commented on this issue, the Gambero Rosso team is ready to taste wines from small regions, such as Molise or Valle d’Aosta, and award them more prizes.

Even more exciting experience were tastings of Italian indigenous grape varieties. Such as Susumaniello, Timorasso, Ciliegiolo. The official award ceremony and the announcement of 12 special awards were divided into several days. On the first day, Tre Bicchieri Vini d’Italia 2022 from Piedmont, Sicily, Alto Adige, Campania, Marche, Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, Calabria, Lazio, Liguria, Valle d’Aosta were announced. The second day was dedicated to the awarding of wines from Puglia, Tuscany, Friuli, Abruzzo, Molise, Sardinia, Veneto, Trentino, Umbria, the canton of Ticino.

The opportunity to taste all the awarded wines of the regions (some of them, probably only these days) due to the limited number was provided after the award ceremony. And this was probably the culmination of our visit to Rome: to try new wines from rare local varieties, to meet already known wines and personalities that Drinks+ magazine has written about many times and whose wineries our team visited, enjoying the beauty of ancient Italy, its wine with talented and hospitable winemakers – all these meetings evoked vivid emotions that, together with the image of the Eternal City, will remain with me forever…

Thank you to the team of Gambero Rosso and Gambero Rosso International for the opportunity to participate in such an event relevant to the wine world – Tre Bicchieri Week and the presentation of the wine guide Vini d’Italia 2022!

The editor-in-chief of Drinks+ visited the Vatican and was at the center of events organized by Gambero Rosso.

This weekend, the Château du Clos de Vougeot, the Mecca of French gastronomy, hosted the 3d edition of the Worldwide oeufs en meurette days. The amusing 2-day programme included Burgundy wine tastings, cooking lessons, the Worldwide oeufs en meurette Championship, round table, a gastronomic dinner, and many more.

One of the traditional Burgundy dishes are the oeufs en meurette – which are highly recommended to try if you are in the region! The dish is composed of poached eggs accompanied by a meurette sauce (la meurette – name from the old French “murette” – means sauce and “fry”, brine) or bourguignon sauce, for preparation of which Burgundy red wine, bacon, onions, and shallots browned in butter are needed. The oeufs en meurette is served with toasted garlic bread.

Well, could you imagine that around this very dish the 2-day event which attracts hundreds of participants every year could be created? This year, from October 9 to 10, the Château du Clos de Vougeot organized the third Worldwide oeufs en meurette Championship. Since 1953, this dish, one of the best symbols of Burgundian gastronomy, has been served with every meal for receptions and weddings organized at the château.

On Saturday the 9^th, the amateurs, lovers of the oeufs en meurette, competed to create their best version of the dish. One recipe but many interpretations and revisions of it! Besides, that day the public could attend the tasting session where the oeufs en meurette prepared by the chef of the Château du Clos de Vougeot and Burgundy wine were served.

On Sunday the 10^th, the competition started to take shape as 13 top chefs was competing for the title of Worldwide oeufs en meurette Championship (ranging from Burgundy to Washington D.C., they are a testament to the growing international reputation of the competition):

• Mathieu SCHERRER, chef at Le Murat, Paris.
• Jerome JOUBERT, chef at La Rive Gauche, Joigny.
• Mourad HADDOUCHE, chef at Loiseau des Vignes, Beaune.
• Iza GUYOT, chef at Le Comptoir de Pagny, Pagny-le-Château.
• Eric ZIEBOLD, chef at Kinship, Washington D.C.
• Gregory CUILLERON, chef at Le Cinq Mains, Lyons.
• Franco BOWANEE, chef at Le Louis XIII, Château de Vault de Lugny.
• Christophe QUEANT, chef at Le Carmin, Beaune.
• Olivier CHARDIGNY, chef at L’Ancienne Auberge, Vonnas.
• Chem Hwei GAN, chef at Le Parapluie, Dijon.
• Yves REBSAMEN, chef at Chez Guy, Gevrey-Chambertin.
• Marcel RAVIN, chef at the Blue Bay Restaurant, Monaco.
• Issihaka SYLLA, chef at Le P’tit Canon, Paris.

Commenting on the event and his participation in the championship, Eric Ziebold told: “Once I had the oeufs en meurette when I was in Burgundy on vacation in 1998. So, when I got invited to participate, I thought it would be a great honour to come because this is a recipe that has a lot of tradition, history, and technique for the sauce and the cooking of the egg. So, I thought it would be fun to do my interpretation of the oeufs en meurette.”

Chem Hwei Gan, talked about the competition with a great inspiration: “I wanted to make something different. The oeufs en meurette has its classical Burgundian recipe, but I wanted to show that the old-school recipe can be interpreted in a fresh manner with new ingredients, a different mood and always fine wine.”

Chaired by Guillaume Gomez (Meilleur Ouvrier de France and the President’s personal spokesman for gastronomy, food and culinary arts), the jury with the task of evaluating the chefs’ recipes was made up of 11 reputable personalities in the enogastronomic industry:

• Frederic VARDON, 2019 Oeuf en Meurette World Champion and chef at 39V, Paris.
• Bruno BRANGEA, 2020 Oeuf en Meurette World Champion and chef at Champeaux les Halles, Paris.
• Michel GROBON, formerly chef to President Ronald Regan.
• Jean-Robert PITTE, geographer and food writer.
• Emmanuelle JARY, food journalist.
• Albert II, Prince of Monaco.
• Louise PETITRENAUD, journalist.
• Sebastien NEUSCH, co-founder of Poulehouse.
• Bertrand de VILLAINE, wine-grower.
• Bruno BLANCHO, chef for the SEB group.
• Alexandra BOUVRET, resident chef at the Château du Clos de Vougeot.

The jury members evaluated the oeufs en meurette prepared by each chef individually based on the unified protocol and their expertise. Afterwards, the scores were summed up and the winners were defined.

This year, the winner of the Worldwide oeufs en meurette Championship became Gregory Cuilleron (restaurant Le Cinq Mains, Lyons), the most persistent chef who participated all three times in the competition.

Chef Jerome Joubert, restaurant La Rive Gauche, Joigny, won the prize of creativity 2021 for his interesting dish presentation.

Co-organizer of the Worldwide oeufs en meurette Championship, Thibaud Monfourny, noted: “We are very proud that we have chefs coming from different parts of France and the world. After a year without the public because of the pandemic, we are happy to welcome visitors again and provide them with the opportunity to degustate the famous oeufs en meurette from the Château du Clos de Vougeot. We are grateful to our partners for cooperation, such as Poulehouse, which produces ethical eggs, SEB Groupe, which supplies and produces kitchen utensils, DS Store, a car manufacturer that sponsored the Prize of Creativity, and other local sponsors.”

The organizers of the Worldwide oeufs en meurette Championship warmly invite chefs from different countries, including Ukraine, to participate in the competition next year. All the details and updates in this respect can be found on the official website.

Photo: Bénédicte Maniere

This weekend, the Château du Clos de Vougeot, the Mecca of French gastronomy, hosted the 3d edition of the Worldwide œufs en meurette days. The amusing 2-day programme included Burgundy wine tastings, cooking lessons, the Worldwide œufs en meurette Championship, round table, a gastronomic dinner, and many more.