Gastronomy and Wine Portal

The Wine Travel Awards at the world’s No.1 wine and spirits exhibition ProWein took its place of honor this year.

The International Wine and Spirits Exhibition ProWein, where the Communication Media Group Drinks+ presents its Wine Travel Awards project, opened its doors in Düsseldorf on Sunday.

Wine Travel Awards – a unique Ukrainian start-up that was linched in the most difficult time for the country and persisted despite all the difficulties, gathering a community of wine industry professionals from winegrowers and winemakers to bloggers and various educational institutions. This international wine award is currently in its second year, and the special edition of the WTA Guide has been published for the second time.

In excess of 6,000 exhibitors from over 60 countries are showcasing now their ranges in 13 halls of the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre were Wine Travel Awards Guide is available at the International Trade Press booth.

The WTA Guide is available in print and digital versions.

The electronic version will be published on the ProWein website all year long. Visitors to ProWein will also be able to scan a QR-code from the posters which will lead to the digital WTA Guide. It will be also available on the WTA, Drinks+ and our partners’ websites all year long and spread via email marketing.

The WTA Guide present information on wineries from all around the world and other interesting winemaking locations, as well as stories of the ambassadors and influencers, the Award nominees.

This year, we will hold a special tasting of six wines produced by Ukrainian wineries in the framework of ProWein 2023. We have selected the best of the best — Family Winery SHABO , Beykush Winery , 46 Parallel Wine Group, Stakhovsky Wines, Villa Tinta, Big Wines  (Ukrainian branch of Vinos de La Luz).

Join us on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 – 16.00 / Hall 13 (Forum 13.2).

In addition, for the first time at ProWein, Ukrainian producers are presented with a collective stand, which already in the first days of the exhibition caused increased interest in Ukrainian wine and the Wines of Ukraine brand.

The Wine Travel Awards at the world’s No.1 wine and spirits exhibition ProWein took its place of honor this year. The International Wine and Spirits Exhibition ProWein, where the Communication Media Group Drinks+ presents its Wine Travel Awards project, opened its doors in Düsseldorf on Sunday. Wine Travel Awards – a unique Ukrainian start-up that […]

Consumer interest in such a trend as alcohol-free wine is steadily growing. For the first time, a tasting of such wines took place at the MUNDUS VINI Spring Tasting 2023.

At this year’s Mundus Vini Spring Tasting as part of the 32nd Mundus Vini Grand International Wine Award, non-alcoholic wine was presented for the first time. A total of 187 wines were tasted, the best of which were awarded 21 gold and 54 silver medals.

The largest number of medals went to manufacturers from Germany, followed by Spain, France, New Zealand and Italy. The awarding will take place at ProWein Düsseldorf.

The new tasting topic “Non-alcoholic drinks” was led by MUNDUS VINI board member prof. Dr. Ulrich Fischer.

“In my opinion, there are big differences in the quality of the presented wines. The best wines are characterized by varietal typicality, good taste and delicate tannins, which makes alcohol-free wines a real alternative. I predict that the market share of non-alcoholic wines, which is currently around one percent, will increase significantly in the next few years,” said Ulrich Fischer.

Special awards in the “non-alcoholic beverages” category were awarded to:

Best Sparkling Rosé
VITISECCO ROSÉ alkoholfreier Dry
Bähr Pfalztraube GmbH, Germany

Best Sparkling White
Blanc de Blancs ALKOHOLFREI
Julius Zotz KG, Germany

Best Sparkling in retail markets
ENGEL Riesling alcohol-free
Peter Riegel Weinimport GmbH, Germany

Best Sauvignon Blanc
Now Zero Sauvignon Blanc
Giesen Group, New Zealand

Best Merlot
Vinnuendo 0% Merlot
Mureda Alimentacion SL, Spain

Best Riesling
Freispiel ZIEMLICH GEIL alcohol-free
Weingärtner Stromberg-Zabergäu eG, Germany

Best Pinot Blanc
Breakaway Pinot Blanc entalkoholisiert
Winery Bergdolt-Reif & Nett, Germany

Best white wine in retail markets
Michel Schneider Riesling Non-alcoholic
Zimmermann-Graeff & Müller GmbH, Germany

Best red wine in retail markets
VINSENZA Rosso non-alcoholic, Spain
Peter Riegel Weinimport GmbH

Best Producer
Bähr Pfalztraube GmbH

Best Merchant
Peter Riegel Weinimport GmbH

Photo: https://www.meininger.de

Consumer interest in such a trend as alcohol-free wine is steadily growing. For the first time, a tasting of such wines took place at the MUNDUS VINI Spring Tasting 2023. At this year’s Mundus Vini Spring Tasting as part of the 32nd Mundus Vini Grand International Wine Award, non-alcoholic wine was presented for the first […]

Austrian wines are enjoying continued success in international markets. In 2022, exports reached a new record level of 231 million euros. White wines and Sekt saw the greatest growth in value. Austrian wine was in particularly high demand in Canada, the USA and Northern Europe.

According to the latest figures from Statistics Austria, Austria exported 67.7 million litres of wine in 2022, equivalent to 231.3 million euros in value. Although volume was slightly lower than the previous year (-3.5%), value rose by 6.4%. As a result, the export price per litre reached a record level of €3.42. “Success in the export markets, and especially the record average price, is very important for our wine industry. The current wave of inflation is also hitting our winegrowers hard, which is why we need to focus on growing their added value,” emphasises Chris Yorke, CEO of Austrian Wine (Austrian Wine Marketing Board).

Export figures 2000-2022, as at March 2023, source: Statistics Austria

White wine and Sekt in demand

Austria’s white Qualitätswein was in particularly high demand (+7.9% in value). “We have noticed that our white wines are really hitting the spot with international consumers and demand is continually growing,” says Yorke. Demand for Sekt also continued to rise (+19.3%).

Strong growth in Canada, the USA and Northern Europe

With reference to the specific export markets, Yorke explains, “Already at last year’s VieVinum, Austria’s largest wine fair, we began to notice that our wines are in very high demand in certain countries, such as Canada, the USA and in Northern Europe. Consumers in these markets are looking for high-quality, environmentally consciously produced wines and also pay good prices for them. That’s a perfect match for us!”

Canada managed to secure good growth again, with a 46.7% increase in value to 10.7 million euros. Over the last five years, the value of exports to the Canadian market has grown more than sevenfold. The USA was also on the upswing again in 2022, recording a 11.2% rise in value. Strong growth was also seen in the Netherlands (+17.0% in value) and Scandinavia, e.g. Sweden (+7.2% in value), Denmark (+29.4% in value) and Finland (+62.3% in value). Switzerland, Austria’s second most important export market, also witnessed a respectable rise of 8.6%. In Austria’s biggest export market, Germany, exports of cheaper bulk wine increased to the detriment of bottled wine, resulting in a slight drop in export value (-1.3%).

Losses in the UK and China

The United Kingdom was on a downward trajectory in 2022, dropping 38% in value. As a result of Brexit, working this market has become more complicated and challenging. Following a strong increase in 2021 (+77.9%), the volatile Chinese market fell again slightly (-15.8% in value).

Japan and Korea on the upswing

Following several years of stagnation, the prestigious Japanese export market grew considerably (+61.3%). Strong growth (+26.4% in value) was also recorded in South Korea, which is emerging as a promising future market for Austrian wines.

Top 10 export countries 2022 (share of total sales); as at March 2023; source: Statistics Austria

Next export target: quarter of a million euros

“We can see that the targeted joint efforts of both Austrian Wine and the country’s winegrowers are paying off. We are on track to reach the next export target of a quarter of a billion euros,” concludes Yorke.

Photo: © Austrian Wine

Austrian wines are enjoying continued success in international markets. In 2022, exports reached a new record level of 231 million euros. White wines and Sekt saw the greatest growth in value. Austrian wine was in particularly high demand in Canada, the USA and Northern Europe. According to the latest figures from Statistics Austria, Austria exported […]

Ukraine, an amazingly beautiful land demonstrating natural and cultural diversity, the land of industrious, open-hearted and talented people, is going through its darkest time now, due to the full-scale russian aggression since February 2022. Despite the war, life goes on here, Ukrainians continue to grow grapes and produce wonderful wines that have already been recognized internationally. Ukrainian people are doing all they can for their Victory, hoping to welcome guests from all over the world very soon.

SHABO Family Winery, founded in 2003, is a family business of the Iukuridze family. The winery has the most up-to-date production facilities, and a Wine Culture Center with bicentennial Swiss cellars, modern art collection, and several tasting halls. SHABO’s own vineyards covering 1200 hectares are located in a unique terroir of Shabo village, Odesa region, between the Black Sea and the Dniester estuary. They have the largest plantations (more than 40 ha) of Telti-Kuruk, a unique Ukrainian indigenous grape variety.

Villa Tinta (Winehall Oksamytne) is a family estate winery founded in 1998, located in the village of Oksamytne, Bolgrad district, Odesa region. Their own 500 hectares of vineyards grow in the unique and picturesque spot of Danubian Bessarabia, washed by the River Karakurt and Lake of Yalpug.

46 Parallel Wine Group is a young and successful winemaking company that has won more than 70 awards in domestic and international tasting competitions, Mondial de Bruxelles, Sélections Mondiales des Vins Canada, and London Wine Competition.The company’s slogan is “Proudly Ukrainian!”, and they do have a lot to be proud of!

Beykush is a family winery located in Mykolaiv region. Their vineyards are growing on the Beykush peninsula, washed by the Berezan estuary and Beykush Bay. Their winemakers are well-known for their successful experimenting with blends. Beykush wines have gained the highest awards in domestic and international competitions. Just before the war, Beykush finished the construction of a new winery building, a little masterpiece of contemporary architecture.

Stakhovsky Wines is a craft family winery founded by the Ukrainian tennis legend, Serhiy Stakhovsky, who decided to engage in winemaking in 2015. He rented a plot of 20 hectares in Transcarpathia, one of Ukraine’s most famous wine regions, turning it into one of the most beautiful vineyards in Transcarpathia. The winery has a big tasting hall where tourists can taste elegant and powerful wines by Stakhovsky.

Vitaliy Kovach, the founder of Kovach Sommelier School, is a member of Italian Sommelier Association and one of the most famous sommeliers of Ukraine. His expertise, profound knowledge and passion for wines, as well as his irresistible charisma, contribute to the success of his Sommelier School.

Ukrainian Bessarabia’s Wine and Taste Route, a unique wine and gastronomy region located in the south of Ukraine, has a length of about 800 kilometers and unites 27 participants, including winemakers and farmers. Traveling this route is the best way to get acquainted with the culinary specialties and wines of Bessarabia.

The Black Sea Craft Winemakers’ Association was established in 2021 in order to coordinate and develop Ukrainian winemaking industry, as well as to enhance the competitiveness of Ukrainian wines internationally, and to promote the brand of Wines of Ukraine. In times of war, the Association also focuses on helping to rebuild destroyed wineries and on demining the vineyards liberated from russian occupation. Currently, the Association includes 72 wine manufacturers.

Tanya Olevska is a wine and food influencer, blogger, and journalist, member of the Association of Sommeliers of Ukraine, Founder of wine and gastronomic tours “Friends Wine Travel”, founder of blind wines tasting project “Kyiv Wine Cup”, and brand ambassador for the Kyiv-based restaurant “Hlek – Modern Kyiv Cuisine”. Tanya lives in the United Kingdom at the moment, working for the London Wine Fair. But her heart and soul belong to Ukraine, and, of course, to the amazing Ukrainian wines!

Yurii Kovryzhenko is a famous Ukrainian chef, a graduate of many well-know cuisine schools, such as Ecole Ritz Escoffier, Ferrandi Paris, Basque Culinary Center. His unique molecular borsch astounded the Michelin Guide. Yurii is the Ambassador of Ukrainian cuisine worldwide, promoting national gastronomy at official events, international forums and competitions, and cooking for top officials and the political elite.

Ukraine, an amazingly beautiful land demonstrating natural and cultural diversity, the land of industrious, open-hearted and talented people, is going through its darkest time now, due to the full-scale russian aggression since February 2022. Despite the war, life goes on here, Ukrainians continue to grow grapes and produce wonderful wines that have already been recognized […]

This year’s Mundus Vini Spring Tasting session within the 32nd Mundus Vini Grand International Wine Award was impressive — as impressive, perhaps, as ever before, but also bringing new trends and new challenges the contemporary winemaking is facing into the spotlight. 

To begin with, a few remarkable numbers. Director Degustation Christian Wolf and board member Prof. Dr. Ulrich Fischer, supported by a very efficient, dynamic, stress-resistant and very friendly Mundus Vini team, gave their warm welcome to a total of 242 international wine experts from 46 countries within 6 days. Two rounds of tastings, each 3 intense and inspiring days, presented 7,568 wines from all over the world, plus 187 non-alcoholic wines; all of them were critically tasted and evaluated by the expert commission.

During the blind tasting and evaluation, experts were informed of the category, grape variety, vintage and residual sugar level for each sample. Tanksamples a were marked accordingly.

Prices for the submitted wines were ranging from less than Euro 2,99 (17 wines) to over Euro 50 (139 premium wines), the core being Euro 5 — 15 (1497 wines), while fine wines in the price range of Euro 15-30 counted as many as 912. The geography of wines, as well as the members of the jury, was incredible, proving once again that the world of wine is expanding, yet bringing people in the industry closer, despite geographical and cultural differences. New wine regions are emerging, totally changing the map of winemaking and shifting the long-existing barriers subdividing it into the Old World and the New World.

The results of the blind tastings and evaluation are as follows: 3021 wines, including 70 Grand Golds, 1920 Golds, and 1031 Silvers. Focusing on Grand Gold, one may see that, apart from the usual headliners such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Austria, Greece and Germany, Grand Gold has been won by the regions with robust winemaking traditions but significantly less worldwide export coverage, such as Turkey, Serbia, UK, Croatia, Hungary and Bulgaria. We are very happy for Moldova bringing home 4 Grand Gold medals for 2021 Pinot Noir de Purcari Limited Edition by the famous Purcari winery, 2018 Domeniile Davidescu GENERATII Rara Neagra / Syrah / Feteasca Neagra and 2018 Domeniile Davidescu GENERATII – Saperavi by Vinaria din Vale,  as well as 2019 Barbaro by Fautor SRL. 

Two Grand Golds went to Georgia, awarded to 2020 Glekhuri Saperavi Qvevri Special Edition by Teliani Valley, and 2020 Vazisubani Estate Saperavi Qvevri by Vazisubani Estate. Speaking of Georgia, our team is happy to congratulate SHUMI Winery, the Wine Travel Awards 2023 nominee, for winning 1 Gold and 2 Silver medals.

As a lover of Israeli wines, I paid attention to the Grand Gold for 2019 Yarden Malbec by Golan Heights Winery from Katzrin, Israel. Yarden wines also won a generous harvest of 7 Gold medals. Interesting news came from China, where the winemaking and wine culture seem to be booming these days: 2018 Niya Winemaker Cabernet Sauvignon Dry by CITIC GUOAN WINE from Beijing, from grapes grown in Xinjiang — Grand Gold. I was lucky to blind-taste this wine on my board. Suffice it to say, the high score was given to it by all the board members. In total, apart from Grand Gold, wines from China were granted 20 golden and 4 silver medals by Mundus Vini Spring Tasting 2023.

Ukrainian wineries also submitted their wines for the competition, and we are extremely happy to congratulate the Wine Travel Awards nominee and our long-term partner, Vinos de la Luz, with a brilliant Ukrainian premiere: 2020 Big Wines Big Art Odesa Black Ivan Marchuk, the first Ukrainian-produced wine of BIG WINES, the branch of Vinos de la Luz, won a gold medal! Chateau Chizay, an amazing winery from Zakarpattia (Transcarpathia), is a proud winner of two Silvers: for 2018 Merlot Aged and 2018 Pinot Noir Aged. Well done, Ukraine, the country of ancient winemaking traditions and unbreakable spirit! 

A reminder: for those of you who are planning to visit ProWein 2023 expo, the WTA team is holding a tasting of 6 high-class Ukrainian wines on Tuesday, March 21, at 16 PM, Hall 13 (Forum 13.2). 

Trending now: alcohol-free wines. This trend, no matter how many heated discussions it caused among the jury, as well as wine experts in general, is growing so steadily that it cannot be ignored. For the first time, the tasting of non-alcoholic wines was held at MUNDUS VINI Spring Tasting 2023. A total of 187 wines were tasted, the best of which were awarded 21 gold and 54 silver medals. The unanimous opinion of the jury of experts specially assembled for this competition: the organoleptic features and overall quality of alcohol-free wines have noticeably improved across the board. “There are numerous wines that can be highly recommended in this segment, and some that bring outstanding quality to the glass”, said Meininger, the organizers of Mundus Vini, in their report of the event.

Another trend which was actually welcomed by experts with great enthusiasm is the upsurge of PIWI wines. PIWI, resulting mostly from climate change and the “green” agenda as such, are sustainably produced wines from grape varieties with naturally high resistance properties, such as Johanniter, Solaris, Muscaris, Souvignier Gris, Calardis Blanc, Cabernet Blanc etc. Some experts claimed that these varieties did not have the sophistication and complexity of organoleptic features, demonstrated by the classic varieties. However, PIWI winemakers have already managed to prove the opposite, working with the new varieties that produce very different wines with their own character and organoleptic profiles, from grapes grown at the vines which are not cultivated in the laboratory, but in the vineyard, no genetic engineering involved. The Mundus Vini team and PIWI International organized a special tasting for the jury of the first session during the evening program, and the wines tasted there were, according to some experts, clean, elegant, and “demonstrating an impressive character”. Here I need to add that a few craft wineries from Ukraine, such as Bohdan’s Winery, Yanchyn Hills, Chateau Edem, Vitaliy Malanchuk and others, have been working with these varieties successfully for several years. Hopefully, we will have an opportunity to taste their wines at Mundus Vini some time soon.

Meininger and Mundus Vini will present the selection of the award-winning wines of the Spring Tasting 2023 at ProWein in Düsseldorf in mid-March. Subscribe to the event not to miss it. Thank you, Mundus Vini, and see you at ProWein 2023!

Wine Travel Awards and Drinks+ Media Group are grateful to Meininger Verlag GmbH and Mundus Vini team for collaboration and invitation to participate in the MUNDUS VINI Spring Tasting 2023. To be continued!

This year’s Mundus Vini Spring Tasting session within the 32nd Mundus Vini Grand International Wine Award was impressive — as impressive, perhaps, as ever before, but also bringing new trends and new challenges the contemporary winemaking is facing into the spotlight.  To begin with, a few remarkable numbers. Director Degustation Christian Wolf and board member […]

The WTA team is delighted to invite you to the Wine Travel Awards presentation and tasting of Ukrainian wines that will take place on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 – 16:00 / Hall 13 (Forum 13.2), at ProWein.

This is a unique opportunity to taste the Odesa Black local grape variety and Telti-Kuruk, a Ukrainian indigenous variety, as well as international varieties from Ukrainian terroirs!

In just one week, on March 19-21 one of the largest and most influential wine and spirits exhibitions in the world, ProWein 2023, opens its doors in Dusseldorf.

For the second year in a row, Wine Travel Awards, a new innovative project launched by Communication Media Group Drinks+, are collaborating with the world’s #1 wine and spirits trade fair, ProWein, which opens its doors again in Düsseldorf on March 19-21, 2023.

This year, not only are we going to present the WTA nominees in a special edition of the Wine Travel Awards Guide (printed and digital), which will be distributed at the International Trade Press Stand (between Halls 7 and 9)  and on the digital platform of Messe Düsseldorf, but also during the tasting of wines produced by several Ukrainian wineries.

Ukrainian winemakers will present their best and unique wines. The fame of the local Ukrainian grape variety Odesa Black, which many have heard of, but few have tasted, as well as the autochthonous Telti-Kuruk, which has survived only in the vineyards of southern Ukraine, is spreading more and more among wine professionals.

So that, the Wine Travel Awards tasting has every reason to be called unique and exclusive!

We have selected the best of the best:

• Beykush Winery – Beykush Telti-Kuruk 2021
• Family Winery SHABO – SHABO Grand Reserve Telti-Kuruk 2021
• Big Wines (Ukrainian branch of Vinos de La Luz) – BIG WINES BIG ART limited edition. Ivan Marchuk 2020
• Villa Tinta – Villa Tinta Odesa Black VIP 2019
• 46 Parallel Wine Group – Grand Admiral Proudly Ukrainian 2018
• Stakhovsky Wines – Stakhovsky Wines Merlot “ACE” 2019.

The event is open to the public, no pre-registration is required. But the number of places is limited.

It will be our pleasure to meet you at our tasting at ProWein. See you soon!

The WTA team is delighted to invite you to the Wine Travel Awards presentation and tasting of Ukrainian wines that will take place on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 – 16:00 / Hall 13 (Forum 13.2), at ProWein. This is a unique opportunity to taste the Odesa Black local grape variety and Telti-Kuruk, a Ukrainian indigenous variety, […]

Reimagine wine in the most authentic way, pairing age-old traditions with modern winemaking practices in the highlands of Armenia.

Discover the bottled history – Armenia

Nestled between the mountains of the South Caucasus, Armenia is at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Armenia has a long history of winemaking traditions. And our spirit of experimentation now drives us forward. That’s what Armenian Winemaking artists do to revive forgotten varieties, to create new wines, and tell new stories. Despite being one of the oldest winemakers in the world, we are dedicated to innovation and creativity, and challenging winemaking traditions to showcase the potential of Armenian indigenous grape varieties.

We devotedly protect our more than 6-millenia-old traditions in viticulture and winemaking. The sound scientific data, the discovery of Areni-1 cave complex, many millennia-old wine-presses, jars and karases (Armenian clay vessels), charred remnants of grape seeds and many other pieces of evidence prove that Armenia has an ancient and rich heritage of winemaking and viticulture. In the case of Areni-1, we can claim that it’s the world’s oldest and most complete wine production facility. And more is still waiting to be discovered.

In the current era of developments, we invite you to experience the renaissance of Armenian wine. After a long-lasting supremacy of brandy production, wine production has been booming in Armenia in the last 10 years. We see the establishment of modern and traditional wineries; local and international interest in investments; the combination of modern technology and historical traditions; enthusiastic and dedicated efforts of young winemakers jointly with their experienced friends.

 Armenia – the sacred land of wine

Steeped in history and tradition that dates back thousands of years, Armenian viticulture has rich unique traits thanks to its history and terroir. Despite the relatively small territory, the country has a very diverse range of natural conditions.

There are several wine routes to take in order to have hands-on experience making wine and tasting the outstanding wines made by local producers. Armenian wines are world-class because of their history and terroir, particularly a very diverse range of natural conditions, volcanic soil, high-altitude vineyards, and indigenous grape varieties, as well as abundance of sunny days.

The climate varies drastically from one region to the next. Summers are generally hot and dry; meanwhile some locations can be humid. Winters are cold and may reach below 0°C. The altitudes are quite high due to the country being essentially a boiling pot of mountains. Thanks to the altitudinal zonation, wine regions host diverse ecosystems. Spanning through 400-1,750 meters above sea level, high-elevation vineyards are among the highest in the northern hemisphere. Another key feature is the soil either of limestone or volcanic origin, which lends definite flavors to the grapes, and eventually gives the wines an incredibly unique taste. All these unique traits combined result in a diverse and special selection of more than 350 grape varieties. And that is why Armenian wines consistently win honors! The Wine Travel Awards are not an exception: 11 Armenian wine projects and initiatives became leaders at the public vote stage, 4 of them were selected as winners by the professional WTA Jury Committee during the first edition.

The quality of Armenia’s top wines today – whether white or red, rosé or bubbly – is frequently stellar. Five regions of Armenia offer favorable conditions for growing grapes and making wines. Each area ensures a distinctive taste of wines based on the location of vineyards and various indigenous and local grape varieties.

Ararat is the sunniest region in Armenia and ensures favorable conditions for growing Mskhali, Milagh, Karmrahyut, and Garan Dmak grape varieties. Here, there are plenty of activities to do: winery visits, bird watching at Khosrov forest state reserve, paragliding and hot air ballooning.

Vayots Dzor region, the birthplace of the Armenian red grape variety – Sev Areni is the gem of local wine-making art. Coming in October, you will have a full eno-gastronomic experience thanks to Areni Wine Fest.

Armavir region ensures the majority of white grape production in Armenia. Here Garan Dmak, Mskhali and Kangun white grape varieties turn into alluring wines for dozens of winemakers and wineries. Haghtanak, on the other hand, is a red grape variety and wines from Haghtanak have a long aging potential, expressed aromas of dark berries and peppery notes. The must-see in the region is the Cathedral and Churches of St. Etchmiadzin that is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. If you come in May, you have a wonderful opportunity to taste delicious Armenian tolma at the Tolma Festival.

Tavush region, the greenest area of Armenia, plays a significant role in wine-making. Banants and Lalvari grape varieties from the Tavush region are a unique addition to the local wine-making.

Aragatsotn region is home to dozens of modern wineries also hosting guests to tour and taste local wine. Here is situated the Wine History Museum of Armenia.

Armenia – your next magnificent enogastronomic destination

First and foremost, what makes Armenia an extraordinary and unique tourism destination is its warm hospitality. Open-hearted Armenians are always ready to dress a table for guests, friends and relatives to turn any and all occasions into a celebration. There are no strangers here – just a family you have not met yet. And tourists can feel this vibe all across Armenia.

The gastronomic culture is very rich in Armenia featuring some of the oldest European dishes and the oldest in the South Caucasus region. A bowl of spas, a creamy soup based on fermented Armenian yogurt, is a delicious starter for your experience. Tolma, grape leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice, Kofta, (Armenian meatballs), and Chi Kofte (Armenian Steak Tartare) and a variety of Armenian cheeses are definitely on the top of the to-taste list. Something else Armenians are remarkably good at preparing is Khorovats (juicy and tender grilled meats) and Basturma (dried spiced meat). Khorovats, a succulent and tender grilled beef, and Basturma (dried spiced meat) are two other dishes that Armenians are very skilled at making. And of course, what would a table be without a glass of Armenian wine?

Wine Street аnd Armenian festival culture

Besides visiting local wineries, you should visit a wine street named after Saryan and wine festivals like the Yerevan Wine Days to try local wine. Each year several central streets in Yerevan host tourists and locals alike with positive emotions, music, colorful lights, and laughter. During these 3 days, more than 35,000 locals and tourists have a chance to taste Armenian wines along with tasty bites. Join the special festival of Yerevan Wine Days on June 2-4, 2023.

Wine and gastro yards in Armenia

Tradition doesn’t make things old, backward or boring. Centuries made us (wine) younger, more vibrant, interesting. The perfect transition between history and modern life. We speak about impressions of happiness, of life in general that transcends time, nationality, location remaining forever relevant, forever human at its heart, and always “young”.

The GastroYards are local households offering enogastronomic experiences as agrotourism initiatives. Engage in the delicious routines of Armenian families by picking grapes, tasting wine, cheese, dried fruits or tea, going hiking, or just singing and dancing in Armenian. You can also take masterclasses with the locals and truly immerse yourself into the local traditional experience. You can bake lavash, make sujukh, learn carpet weaving, or make cross stones just to name a few.

Sharing the common mission to promote Armenia as an enogastronomic tourism destination

Preserving over 6,100-year-old Armenian winemaking traditions, Armenia’s rich culture and historical heritage are nowadays combined with excellent opportunities for development of viticulture and winemaking, climatic conditions, rich diversity of grape varieties, modern technologies and scientific potential, strengthening the basis of sustainable development of the sector.

Photos are provided by the Tourism Committee of Armenia and the Vine and Wine Foundation of Armenia

Reimagine wine in the most authentic way, pairing age-old traditions with modern winemaking practices in the highlands of Armenia. Discover the bottled history – Armenia Nestled between the mountains of the South Caucasus, Armenia is at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Armenia has a long history of winemaking traditions. And our spirit of experimentation […]

The Wine Travel Awards and the London Wine Fair, our exhibition partner, are continuing the wonderful collaboration in this new upcoming season!

At the end of February, the WTA representative was invited to the London Wine Fair 2023 Launch Party were the Wine Buyers Awards 2023 shortlists were announced.

The Wine Buyers Awards – a competition designed to identify and reward excellence in wine buying, across all sectors. The Awards provide recognition for the UK’s best professional wine buyers across the spectrum of the trade.

The Wine Buyers Awards 2023 have a rigorous evaluation process overseen by Chris Losh, a renowned industry expert who has served as the editor of Imbibe, founded Sommelier Wine Awards, edited Wine International, and been a finalist for the Louis Roederer Feature Writer of the Year. Accompanying him will be a select group of accomplished and seasoned judges from the industry, including former senior group buyers.

Rising Star Category Shortlist – Hatch Mansfield & Dine Out Magazine

• Jake Biggs
• Imogen Bowen-Davies
• Zoltan Kopacsi

Online Category Shortlist – Askaneli Brothers

• Matthew Horsley
• Matt Smith

Independent Merchant Shortlist – The Wine Merchant

• Elizabeth Coombes
• Peter Wood
• Chris Goldman DipWSET
• Phil Innes
• Kasia Konys-Pieszko DipWSET
• Nicolas Rezzouk

On-Trade Category Shortlist – Enotria Winecellars Ltd (T/A Enotria&Coe) The Buyer

• Vincenzo Arnese
• Phill Morgan
• Alexander Pitt
• Alexios Stasinopoulos
• Andrew Chudley
• Freddie Cobb
• Andrew Maidment
• Charlie Young – Vinoteca

Pub Category Shortlist – Pub & Bar Magazine

• Edmund Inkin
• Alistair Morgan
• Roberta Neave

Supermarket/ Multiples Category Shortlist – Felix Solis & The Drinks Business

• Anastasia Duncanson
• Samantha Glanfield

Join for the Wine Buyers Awards ceremony at the London Wine Fair at 1 pm on 16th May.

We would also like to remind that as a part of the London Wine Fair, the WTA team will host a distinctive event in May 2023. The gathering will showcase the WTA nominees, sponsors, and jury members, and include a grand wine tasting. The event is scheduled for Wednesday 17th May from 10 am to 12 pm and will take place in the Industry Briefing Room at Olympia London, LWF.

Interested in joining us as a partner or a sponsor at the event or / and the WTA stand? Please feel free to contact us at partnership@winetravelawards.com.

The Wine Travel Awards and the London Wine Fair, our exhibition partner, are continuing the wonderful collaboration in this new upcoming season! At the end of February, the WTA representative was invited to the London Wine Fair 2023 Launch Party were the Wine Buyers Awards 2023 shortlists were announced. The Wine Buyers Awards – a competition designed to identify and reward excellence […]

This year, Drinks+ Communication Media Group continues its fruitful and active cooperation with its International exhibiting partner – VinItaly. Drinks+ has been a traditional information partner of VinItaly for years, reporting on the course of events during this large-scale business and promotion exhibition.

This year, this is the 55th edition of the leading wine & spirits trade fair targeting wine business operators on international markets. It will take place on 2-5 April 2023 in Verona, Italy. If you are a professional in the food, wine and distillation sectors, you can join the world’s leading event by requesting the free badge here.

The Drinks+ team cannot miss this eagerly-awaited event! That is why Drinks+ Communication Media Group with its new and innovative project Wine Travel Awards, which many Italian wine operators have already joined, will be presented in a 8 sq.m stand at the International wine hall for International press.

VinItaly provides an excellent communication platform, a meeting point for wine producers, buyers, distributors and consumers. At one of the best wines and spirits events, you seize the opportunity to join the network of proactive industry professionals and discover all the thematic areas such as Sol & Agrifood, Vinitaly Bio, Micro Mega Wines, Mixology, International Wine Hall, Vinitaly Design!

Moreover, during the exhibition days, Verona will become a capital of wine and mixology excellence. From 31 March to 03 April, VinItaly and The City offers a preview of the fair: from 6.00 pm, start your journey in the old town of Verona to Discover the wine and mixology excellences and visit the most evocative locations in the city, already registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

This year, Drinks+ Communication Media Group continues its fruitful and active cooperation with its International exhibiting partner – VinItaly. Drinks+ has been a traditional information partner of VinItaly for years, reporting on the course of events during this large-scale business and promotion exhibition. This year, this is the 55th edition of the leading wine & […]

ProWein 2023, the world’s #1 wine and spirits trade fair, opens its doors again in Düsseldorf on March 19-21, 2023, and will be greeting 10 Ukrainian wineries presenting their products under the Wines of Ukraine umbrella.

It’s not the first time that Ukrainian wineries will be participating in ProWein. However, this year the Ukrainian Association of Craft Winemakers, being also the initiator and the founder of Wines of Ukraine, will give a bigger picture of Ukrainian winemaking to the visitors of the fair.

Ukrainian Association of Craft Winemakers was established in 2021 in order to coordinate and develop the national winemaking industry, as well as to enhance the competitiveness of Ukrainian wines internationally, and to promote the brand of Wines of Ukraine. In times of war, the Association also focuses on helping to rebuild destroyed wineries and on demining the vineyards liberated from russian occupation. Currently, the Association includes 72 manufacturers.

“Our mission is to actively develop the Wines of Ukraine brand,” says Svitlana Tsybak, Wines of Ukraine representative, Head of the Association of Craft Winemakers of Ukraine and Beykush Winery’s Development Director, “The attention that Ukraine is getting all over the world these days is extraordinary. We have to spread the word that, despite the war, life goes on here, we continue to grow grapes and produce our wines that have already been recognized by the world. We are happy to do our job, to work for our Victory.”

The Wines of Ukraine stand at ProWein will present 10 wineries:

Beykush Winery (Mykolaiv region)

Father’s Wine VB (Ternopil region)

Prince Trubetskoi Winery (Kherson region)

Chateau Chizay (Transcarpathian region)

Stakhovsky Wines (Transcarpathian region)

Biologist Craft Winery (Kyiv region)

Kolonist Winery (Odesa region / Southern Bessarabia)

Villa Tinta (Odesa region / Southern Bessarabia)

My Wine by Eduard Gorodetsky (Odesa region)

46 Parallel Wine Group (Odessa region).

Participation of Ukrainian winemakers at ProWine 2023 is supported by USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine (USAID CEP) in cooperation with the Consulate General of Ukraine in Düsseldorf.

“Over the recent years Ukrainian winemaking industry witnessed an upsurge and Ukrainian wine has been highly rated. At the same time the appearance of craft winemakers with high quality products made Ukrainians prefer local. Despite the challenges faced today by Ukrainian businesses, now it’s time for the world to find out more about Ukrainian wine. USAID CEP supports the participation of 10 Ukrainian winemakers in the ProWine fair. It will stimulate Ukrainian exports and help Ukrainian winemakers to the global market”, — said Olesya Zaluska, head of the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine (USAID CEP).

Ukrainian winemakers are dealing with the horrors and challenges of russian aggression every day. Some wineries have suffered more than others. Prince Trubetskoy Winery, a historic chateau located in Kherson region, survived the Russian occupation. The winery’s owners managed to retain their staff, but even now, after the de-occupation, it is not clear what happened to the production facilities, ancient wine cellars, a restaurant and hotel complex. It is still impossible to get there because the chateau is located in the territory suffering from daily shelling and missile attacks. Some of the vineyards have not yet been de-mined. Despite the challenges, Prince Trubetskoy Winery will participate in ProWein 2023.

The international wine community already knows a few things about Ukrainian winemaking, considering Ukraine a “young” wine region. However, from a historical point of view, the traditions of winemaking in Ukraine have existed for several millennia.

“Our main goal is to place Ukraine back on the world map of winemaking, which has existed in Ukraine since the time of Trypillian culture (7 thousand years ago). It reached its peak between the 7th and 1st centuries BC. We have a variety of terroirs, dozens of local grape varieties, and most importantly, a new generation of winemakers who have revised the experience of their ancestors, linked it to modern trends, and are ready to present a new history of Ukrainian winemaking to the world,” says Sergey Klimov, Wines of Ukraine representative, founder of the Kyiv Food and Wine Festival, ideologist and co-owner of Like a Local’s wine bar.

“We are very happy that Ukraine has this amazing opportunity to present its wines to a selected audience of wine professionals from all over the world”, shares her thoughts Victoria Agromakova, the Wines of Ukraine representative and founder of Wine&Spirits Ukraine expo. “Ukrainian wines deserve recognition and admiration, and our job is to spread the word and to grow our international business. We do appreciate the worldwide support that Ukraine and its people are getting. Helping Ukraine is a trend, and ProWein is not an exception. We are very grateful to the Ukrainian Consulate in Dusseldorf for their help and attention, and to the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine, for the support they provide to Ukrainian winemaking.”

Wines of Ukraine stand: Hall 12 / A03.

In addition, Drinks+ & Wine Travel Awards invite to join the tasting of WTA nominees from Ukraine – SHABO Family Winery, Beykush Winery, 46 Parallel Wine Group, Stakhovsky Wines, Villa Tinta, Big Wines (Ukrainian branch of Vinos de La Luz) —  at ProWein. We are very happy to present the heroic Ukrainian winemakers who, even in the times of the war, under the attacks of enemy missiles, have faith in Ukraine’s Victory, and continue to do their job with inspiration and create outstanding wines!

The tasting will take place on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 – 16.00 / Hall 13 (Forum 13.2).

Welcome to taste Ukrainian wines and meet the winemakers!

D+ files:

Winemaking in Ukraine has been historically predetermined: it has an advantageous geographical location, and its climate favours grape growing. The origins of winemaking in Ukraine date back to the 4th century BC (in Crimea), going 2500 years back in the Black Sea Region up to the 14th century in Zakarpattya (Transcarpathia).

The continental climate is characterised by hot summers and severe winters. In 2021, over 100 million litres of wine were produced from 40 thousand hectares of vineyards. Almost 180 grape varieties are cultivated, including the majority of indigenous or varieties grown here.

Ukraine’s most famous indigenous variety is Telti-Kuruk, a white grape grown in Odesa region in the south. Another signature variety is a red Odesa Black, originating from Alicante Henri Bouschet and Cabernet Sauvignon.

ProWein 2023, the world’s #1 wine and spirits trade fair, opens its doors again in Düsseldorf on March 19-21, 2023, and will be greeting 10 Ukrainian wineries presenting their products under the Wines of Ukraine umbrella. It’s not the first time that Ukrainian wineries will be participating in ProWein. However, this year the Ukrainian Association […]