Gastronomy and Wine Portal

Giancarlo Guidolin, president of Cantina Viticoltori Ponte and member of the Consortium’s board since its inception, will lead the Prosecco DOC Consortium for the next three years.

The consortium released a statement announcing Giancarlo Guidolin as its new president. Senior Guidolin was appointed by unanimous decision. He will be supported in his responsible position by three vice-presidents: Alessandro Botter, Giangiacomo Gallarati Scotti Bonaldi and Mattia Mattiuzzo.

The key objectives of the Prosecco DOC Consortium are to ensure product quality, protect consumers and increase production by promoting and protecting the Prosecco appellation in Italy and worldwide. Today, Prosecco DOC is the best-selling sparkling wine in the world. In 2023, 616 million bottles of Prosecco were produced. Of them, 18.8% were consumed in Italy, and 81.2% were exported; the main sales markets are the USA, Great Britain, Germany and France.

“The main goal is to consolidate the results that have been achieved so far,” said Prosecco DOC president Giancarlo Guidolin.

Also, in his solemn speech, the new president expressed his gratitude to Stefano Zanette, his predecessor, stressing that today’s successes are the result of joint hard work: “We have shared the path that has led us to this day.  It’s all about hard work!″

Source: thedrinksbusiness.com, glassofbubbly.com
Photo: thedrinksbusiness.com

Giancarlo Guidolin, president of Cantina Viticoltori Ponte and member of the Consortium’s board since its inception, will lead the Prosecco DOC Consortium for the next three years. The consortium released a statement announcing Giancarlo Guidolin as its new president. Senior Guidolin was appointed by unanimous decision. He will be supported in his responsible position by […]

The Wines of Ukraine team invites Ukrainian wine producers to participate in the “TOP 24 BEST WINES OF UKRAINE” project — a professional wine tasting by Masters of Wine from Great Britain, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland. 

The tasting event will be held in Warsaw on July 28-29. Influential international experts — Masters of Wine — will evaluate the best Ukrainian wines and discuss the prospects of their promotion on the international markets. 

Why is this project extremely rich for Ukrainian winemaking? 

The purpose of the project is to change the global perception of Ukrainian wine, increase awareness of the Wines of Ukraine brand, and promote export development for Ukrainian winemakers. “We have invited recognized Masters of Wine from key European markets, which are extremely interesting for our exports, to participate in this tasting. The invited experts will conduct a blind tasting of about 100 Ukrainian wines, after which the TOP 24 (and the shortlist of the TOP 12) of the best Ukrainian wines of the season 2024 will be announced. This objective list, confirmed by the world’s most professional wine experts, will become an reputable benchmark for the quality of Ukrainian wines throughout the year,” comments Svitlana Tsybak, representative of Wines of Ukraine, the Main Association of Craft Winemakers of Ukraine and CEO of Beykush Winery. 

Who are Masters of Wine? 

Currently, there are only 416 people in the world who have reached the highest level of expertise in the field of wine and received the title of Master of Wine. These experts are rigorously trained and tested to earn the prestigious title, demonstrate solid knowledge and ability to decode a wide range of wines and regions. They are probably the most influential figures in the world‘s wine industry. Their evaluations and recommendations are of considerable interest to consumers, wine professionals and the media. Masters influence perceptions of wines, regions and styles, set trends and drive buyers‘ decisions, developing an important role in shaping the global wine market. 

Which Masters of Wine have already joined the “TOP 24 BEST WINES OF UKRAINE” project?

Sarah Abbott MW, United Kingdom

Sarah Abbott became a Master of Wine in 2008, after ten years of working in sales, sourcing, education and marketing roles for specialist fine wine importers of Burgundy, Bordeaux and Italian wines. Sarah writes about wine for diverse publications including timatkin.com, the World of Fine Wine, and Swirl’s company blog. She is a twice-listed finalist in the Roederer wine-writing awards and oversees the content strategy and creation for all client campaigns.

Richard Bampfield MW, United Kingdom

Richard Bampfield passed the Master of Wine Exam in 1990. He regularly guides groups of students and press on visits to Bordeaux and Burgundy, and has been actively involved in the promotion of English wines. He is now probably best known for his work writing tasting notes and evaluating wines for Lidl and is a regular presenter on 67 Pall Mall’s TV channel. Richard is a past Chairman of the Association of Wine Educators and was the European Champagne Ambassador 2009.

Wojciech Bonkowski MW, Poland

Wojciech Bońkowski is a wine writer from Poland. Simultaneously he developed a career in wine, working in London before returning to Poland where he published eight books and founded the country’s leading wine website, Winicjatywa (2012), and wine magazine, Ferment (2017). The Ferment media group now also includes a wine events agency, wine school, and publishing house. He was President of the Polish Wine Trade Association (2015–22) and is a member of the Académie Internationale du Vin. He currently focuses on the wines of Italy, Greece, Austria, Central and Eastern Europe.

Cees van Casteren MW, Netherlands 

Cees spent 14 years in fine chemicals and oenological specialties. Cees started writing about wine in 2004. Since then he has written twelve books and some 600 articles on wine and food. His most recent book is Anyone Can Taste Wine. Cees is a judge at international wine competitions, and WSET Educator. He also runs his own independent wine consultancy and training business. Cees has twice been named Dutch Vinologist of the Year. He currently is Chairman of the United Vinologists, the main association of wine professionals in The Netherlands.

Caro Maurer MW, Germany

Caro Maurer is a journalist who writes to the General-Anzeiger, the daily newspaper in Bonn, responsible for the food and wine section, Germany’s leading food and wine magazine Der Feinschmecker (The Gourmet) and as a writer for Decanter. Caro also works as a wine educator for WSET Diploma in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Tuscany, Bordeaux, Paris and Norway. She is hosting educational seminars and tastings for numerous generic wine associations such as Wine Australia, Wines of New Zealand or VDP. She is judging in international wine competitions, at Decanter WWA in London she is a panel chair, at 5STARWines in Verona she is a General Chair.

Heidi Mäkinen MW, Finland

Heidi is Portfolio Manager and Partner of a Finnish wine importing company Viinitie. She became the Best Sommelier of Finland and the second in Chaîne des Rôtisseur’s Jeunes Sommeliers of the World in 2015, and the eight Best Sommelier of the World in 2016. She was selected as one of The Future 50 by WSET and IWSC in 2019. She is also currently the President of the Finnish Sommelier Association and a member of ASI Sommeliers Contests Committee. In addition to her daily job, Heidi teaches WSET at all levels, judges in various international wine competitions, offers consultation, and gives presentations on wine both in Finland and around the world.

“I met many of the Masters of Wine last year, when I gave a speech about the situation in Ukrainian winemaking at the Masters of Wine symposium in Wiesbaden,” recalls Svitlana Tsybak. “The idea of ​​doing a tasting engaging Masters of Wine came from Wojciech Bonkowski during his visit to Transcarpathia as part of an event organized by our team. We liked the idea, we contacted MV from different countries, which are interesting markets for Ukrainian wines. And literally everyone to whom we wrote volunteered to participate in the tasting and do for free. This really touched me as it is usually a high paying job. It was even more pleasing that most of them are sincerely promoting Ukrainian wines in their countries. And two of the Masters even decided to stay after the competition to discuss the development of distribution in their markets. It is incredible.»

So, how will the project develop in the future and what are the prospects for the winning wines? 

Here are 3 immediate steps:

• in the SILPO supermarket chain, branded shelves “TOP 24 BEST WINES OF UKRAINE” will be installed, on which wines selected by the experts will be presented; 
• a page on the Wines of Ukraine website (ukr.wine) with information about these wines will be created;
• over the next few months, the Wines of Ukraine team plans to hold at least 6 Road Shows with selected wines in Europe and in Ukraine. 

“This is a dream project for Ukrainian winemaking and a wow-project for our team,” says Yevgenia Nikolaichuk, Wines of Ukraine ambassador and project leader for the Silpo network. — “Cooperation with the European Masters of Wine, who will choose the TOP 24 BEST WINES OF UKRAINE for the 2024 season, is an incredible and unique opportunity for Ukrainian winemakers to receive a professional and detailed assessment of the export potential of their wines from well-known experts. In addition, special corners with winning wines that will appear in Silpo will solve the question — where can one buy these wines? All 24 TOP-wines will be collected together on a special shelf!”

TOP 24 BEST WINES is a marketing project intended to influence the image of Ukrainian wine on the domestic and foreign markets through the validation of such a selection by expert international professionals. 

Why do we need to improve the image of our wines? “In order to increase sales and competitiveness in Ukraine and beyond,” Yevgenia comments. — “We’ve are willing to expand the market for Ukrainian wines, to increase their export potential and international sales, which is good for the economy of Ukraine.”

All wineries meeting certain criteria are invited to participate in the project. It refers exclusively to licensed wineries that already export their wines or intend to do so in the near future. 

Please find more details about the terms of participation and the registration form on the Wines of Ukraine website.

Photo: Oleg Savka

The Wines of Ukraine team invites Ukrainian wine producers to participate in the “TOP 24 BEST WINES OF UKRAINE” project — a professional wine tasting by Masters of Wine from Great Britain, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland.  The tasting event will be held in Warsaw on July 28-29. Influential international experts — Masters of […]

The spring edition of the RO-WINE festival, held from May 24-26, 2024, at Fratelli Studios, attracted thousands of wine lovers from across the country and abroad. The event offered a unique and memorable experience, featuring over 10,000 bottles of wine, more than 2,000 pizzas with carefully selected ingredients, and over 2,000 specialty coffees from Constantin Coffee.

In the three themed zones, visitors could explore over 1,500 wine labels, some newly launched, from well-established local wineries and international wineries making their debut in Romania, including producers from Greece, Argentina, and Champagne.

Studio 1 — brought together renowned wine producers alongside young wineries from Romania and Moldova. Visitors had the opportunity to choose wines that matched their taste, from the latest vintages—2023 for whites and rosés, 2022 for reds—to precious labels that have made history over the past decade or more.

Studio 2 — Taste of Italy Salon, organized in partnership with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), featured the Italian Ambassador to Romania, Alfredo Mangoni, who socialized with visitors and enjoyed his third participation in the RO-WINE festival.

Studio 3 — dedicated to importers, was buzzing with sparkling wines like Prosecco, Franciacorta, Cava, and Champagne, as well as excellent selections of still wines from the most appreciated companies.

The Italian Trade Agency (ICE) organized a masterclass on olive oil, led by Edoardo Nati from UNAPROL, giving participants the chance to differentiate and appreciate the attributes of authentic, high-quality olive oil.

Wine enthusiasts were eager to participate in the exclusive tastings proposed by the festival organizers, resulting in two of the most anticipated tastings being sold out within minutes of the announcements.

The masterclass area hosted guided tasting sessions by renowned experts, revealing the secrets of wine. Participants enjoyed unique experiences, including exclusive Champagne tastings (featuring wines from private reserves), 100-point Parker Bordeaux wines, and masterclasses conducted by international experts specially invited for the occasion.

Chef Ovidiu Malișevschi prepared several snacks to pair perfectly with the wines presented, such as Risotto al Nero d’Avola, a high-quality culinary delight appreciated by all participants.

Festival partner Macromex prepared exceptional gourmet delights for the weekend, presented at five exhibition stands. Participants enjoyed a generous area where they could taste the goodies prepared by Macromex and its brands, Food and Glory, Philadelphia Romania, La Lorraine Romania, and Dr. Oetker Professional. Additionally, they organized a raffle where visitors won delicious prizes.

The gourmet selection was completed by specialty coffee from Constantin Coffee, offering participants a comprehensive enogastronomic journey. As always, the coffee was highly appreciated and in great demand throughout the festival.

The Spring Edition of RO-Wine Bucharest was full of surprises, new labels, and gourmet delights perfectly paired with the premium wines at each stand.

The Spring Edition of the RO-Wine wine festival in Bucharest was a real success. We are pleased to announce the remarkable presence of HoReCa representatives, facilitating valuable connections between them and the producers present at the fair. The event attracted an impressive number of young wine enthusiasts, and the launch of new labels brought a fresh breath to the industry. Many new producers showcased their products, contributing to the diversity and quality of the experience offered to participants! — said the festival organizers, Marinela Ardelean and Liviu and Mihai Popescu.

Press Contact: Antonia Văideanu

E-mail: info@romaniawinefestival.com

Phone: 0763409052

The spring edition of the RO-WINE festival, held from May 24-26, 2024, at Fratelli Studios, attracted thousands of wine lovers from across the country and abroad. The event offered a unique and memorable experience, featuring over 10,000 bottles of wine, more than 2,000 pizzas with carefully selected ingredients, and over 2,000 specialty coffees from Constantin […]

The London Wine Fair 2024, which took place at Olympia from 20th to 22nd May, has attracted over 9,200 visitors, with 31% from the on-trade and 22% from off-trade.

Although the number of visitors was slightly down compared to 2023, the quality was most definitely up, which was confirmed both by the organizers and participants. In total, there were 401 exhibitors at this year’s Fair, coming to London from all around the world. Apart from major international producers, such as Hatch Mansfield, Felix Solis, ABS and Mentzendorff, which returned after an absence of 12 years, there were national pavilions which showcased producers from the key winemaking regions of the New and the Old World. Among others, Japan was present for the first time, with a national pavilion focusing on sake.

Second time in a row, Wines of Ukraine participated in the London Wine Fair with our national pavilion too, showcasing 15 wine and spirit producers from various regions of Ukraine, including two UK-based businesses owned by Ukrainians. The Ukrainian stand was attended by a significant number of visitors, among them — journalists, bloggers, international buyers, sommeliers and HoReCa representatives, as well as opinion leaders and wine celebrities, who were thoroughly impressed by a wide range of wines from still to sparkling and naturally sweet, as well as original Ukrainian spirits.

Anatoly Pavlovsky, Brand ambassador for UA Wines UK, who was presenting Ukrainian wines at the national stand, shares his impressions of this year‘s event: 

“By our estimate, throughout the three days of the fair we had the opportunity to communicate with approximately 800-900 visitors. The organizers reported that the exhibition was visited by more than 9,000 people — therefore, we can say that every tenth participant of the exhibition took a special interest in Ukrainian wine.” According to Anatoly, this year Ukrainian stand was visited by fewer buyers from large retail chains looking for cheaper, mass-market wines, but interest from the HoReCa segment and wine boutiques, as well as from smaller retailers, has increased significantly, especially considering that many of the wines presented in the national pavillion are now available to order in the UK. “As always, Odessa Black and Telti-Kuruk were favorites among visitors, getting many compliments. However, our other local varieties — Sukholymansky and Citron of Magarach — also received lots of favorable reviews. Interest in unusual, local and indigenous varieties is growing every year,” comments Pavlovsky.

Discover the Taste of Ukraine, a master-class and commented tasting, which took place at the LWF on May 22 and was hosted by Richard Bampfield, Master of Wine from the UK, and Svitlana Tsybak, Wines of Ukraine representative and CEO Beykush winery, was a tremendous success. The speakers presented 6 Ukrainian wineries and 6 wines from different regions and unique terroirs:

• Carpathian Sekt Rose Brut Blaufrankisch by Château Chizay (Zakarpattia)
• Duo Select by Bolgrad (Odesa region)
• Telti-Kuruk by Beykush (Mykolaiv region)
• Odesa Black Premium by Villa Tinta (Odesa region)
• Haut de Gamme by Kolonist (Odesa region)
• Cabernet Sauvignon Iukuridze Family Wine Heritage by SHABO (Odesa region).

“The educational zone where the master class and tasting took place was full, the guests were impressed and rather enthusiastic, asking a lot of questions. Every event of this scale is a wonderful opportunity to reach international wine professionals and continue spreading the word about Ukrainian winemaking around the world. We do hope that all the compliments gathered by our wines will convert into new export contracts,” says Svitlana Tsybak.

“It was an honour for me to co-present with Svitlana at the recent London Wine Fair and to get to know many of the producers on the Wines of Ukraine stand, which was, happily, highly popular throughout the 3 days. It is obvious that we can support Ukraine’s economy by buying the country’s wines. And make no mistake, the wines merit their place on wine lists on quality grounds — not just as a gesture of solidarity. As a result of the efforts of Svitlana and her brilliant team the wines of many of the top Ukrainian producers are available in the United Kingdom and in many export markets,” comments Richard Bampfield, MW.

Ukrainian wines have gained international acknowledgement, and professional interest and awareness are growing, due to the efforts of the Wines of Ukraine team, as well as daily work, talent and passion of Ukrainian winemakers. 

Wines of Ukraine’s participation in the London Wine Fair was supported by the international cooperation program ReACT4UA (Application and implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine in the sphere of trade) funded by the German government. The strategic implementor of the program is the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The program is aimed at supporting the economic stability, recovery and growth of Ukraine, creating better conditions for the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially with regard to accession to the EU.

The London Wine Fair 2024, which took place at Olympia from 20th to 22nd May, has attracted over 9,200 visitors, with 31% from the on-trade and 22% from off-trade. Although the number of visitors was slightly down compared to 2023, the quality was most definitely up, which was confirmed both by the organizers and participants. […]

VieVinum 2024, the international wine fair, which took place in the Austrian capital on May 25-27, has come to an end.

For three days, 500 Austrian wineries presented their wines in the luxurious Hofburg Palace in Vienna (former royal residence). This year’s expo was attended by 1,200 wine experts, media representatives and international buyers from 58 countries, and this is a real record: “We are delighted with how many international trade visitors have accepted our invitation to Vienna,” comments Chris York, CEO of the Austrian Council of wine marketing (Austrian Wine). 

“This is of crucial importance for our wineries, because the economic situation is not easy for them now. It also shows how popular our wines have become all over the world.” Among the guests were the elite of the international wine industry — the World‘s Best Sommelier of 2023 Raymonds Thomsons, six Master Sommeliers and twenty one Masters of Wine —  these are experts who have two of the most prestigious wine qualifications in the world. “International dialogue is key to raising the profile of our winemakers and increasing demand for their wines around the world,” explains Mr York. 

VieVinum, organized by M.A.C. Hoffmann, has been the central platform for the success of Austrian wine exports since 1998. Over the past 25 years, the value of Austria’s exports has increased more than sevenfold, reaching 238 million euros in 2023. 

It was a significant event not only for Austrian wines, but also for Ukrainian winemaking. Over three days, the Wines of Ukraine stand, which presented 10 wineries from various regions of the country, was visited by hundreds of guests. The team, consisting of representatives of Wines of Ukraine and wineries, actively communicated with international experts, retailers, HoReCa representatives, international buyers, sommeliers, Masters of Wine, journalists, bloggers and wine lovers not only from Austria, but literally from all over the world, from New Zealand to Denmark, from the Netherlands to Great Britain and the USA. All visitors expressed their admiration for Ukrainian wines and the persistent and inspired work of Ukrainian winemakers. It was a very useful, meaningful and interesting communication. Such contacts are extremely important for the development of exports and for marketing of Ukrainian wines. 

The Wines of Ukraine stand was also visited by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Austria, Vasyl Khymynets. The ambassador thanked the Ukrainian team for the contribution that “guilty diplomacy” makes to the promotion of Ukrainian identity and values ​​abroad. 

What was the reaction of the VieVinum audience to Ukrainian wines?

“Generally speaking, the response to Ukrainian wines among visitors was very positive,” Svitlana Tsybak, representative of Wines of Ukraine and CEO of Beykush Winery, shares her impressions. — It is difficult to single out one wine or winery as the most successful one though. Each of the 10 participating wineries selected 3 wines that best represent the peculiarities of their style and terroir.”

According to the feedback of the team, the visitors of the stand were delighted with dry white wines from Telti-Kuruk, Ukrainian indigenous variety, presented by Beykush and Big Wines, with the local white variety Sukholimansky by Villa Tinta and Biologist, with sparkling and still Chersegi and late harvest Furmint produced by Chateau Chizay, with Sauvignon Blanc and Barbaryska Rose presented by the Bohdan’s Wine, as well as with the rosé sparkling and Chardonnay Reserve of the My Wine winery by Eduard Horodetsky, and aged Chardonnay by Stakhovsky Wines. Exquisite reds from international varieties — Loca Deserta by Beykush and Pinot Noir by 46 Parallel Wine Group, as well as elegant aged Merlot and Saperavi by Stakhovsky Wines, also aroused great interest both from professionals and winelovers. Our flagship wine — the red variety Odessa Black in various styles, presented by Big Wines, My Wine, Biologist and Villa Tinta — was also favoured by the guests of the Ukrainian stand for its bright character, rich aroma and powerful taste. Pet-nat by Biologist, Rkatsiteli Amphora by Beykush, orange Burshtyn by Bohdan’s Wine were appreciated by connoisseurs of special wines. The real hype was created by the classic aged sparkling Grand Admiral Brut Rose from 46 Parallel.

“This is altogether a tremendous marketing experience and, at the same time, an excellent promotion of Ukrainian winemaking. VieVinum is a good platform for communication with experts, but also an opportunity to get a direct reaction from European consumers. We hope that we have made Austrians fall in love with Ukrainian wine and that next time we will not hear “oh, we didn’t know that wines are produced in Ukraine!” from Austrian wine lovers,” concludes Svitlana Tsybak. 

The Wines of Ukraine team is extremely grateful to the organizers of the event, Austrian Wine and M.A.C. Hoffmann, for organizing the fair, and personally to Mr. Chris York, CEO of Austrian Wine, for the incredible opportunity to participate in VieVinum 2024 and for his consistent support of Ukrainian winemaking.

VieVinum 2024, the international wine fair, which took place in the Austrian capital on May 25-27, has come to an end. For three days, 500 Austrian wineries presented their wines in the luxurious Hofburg Palace in Vienna (former royal residence). This year’s expo was attended by 1,200 wine experts, media representatives and international buyers from […]

After many years of work, the Public Union “Vinegrowers and Winemakers of Transcarpathia” has officially received the Geographical Indication (GI) – “Zakarpattia / Vyno Zakarpattia”, and the corresponding certificate of the state model.

The Ukrainian National Office of Intellectual Property and Innovation reports that the Geographical indication “Zakarpattia / Vyno Zakarpattia” can be assigned to white, rosé and red wines produced in the southwestern part of the Transcarpathian region, where the Pannonian plain ends and passes into the slopes Carpathian Mountains of Transcarpathian region. We are talking about the lands of Berehiv, Uzhgorod, Khust and Mukachiv districts.”

Wineries that have a license and are members of the “Vinegrowers and Winemakers of Transcarpathia” will be able to use this name. Currently, these are: Chateu Chizay and, as a wine expert Olga Toiichkina just informed the editors of D+, winemakers Oleksandr Shatalov (Kohanovska Winery), Milan Berynets (Terroir Farm), Andriy Fechora and Christian Sass (Sass K. Winery) have joined literally today. Mrs. Olga commented on this event: “Our volunteer team worked for five years and finally today, after many years of work, the “Vinegrowers and Winemakers of Transcarpathia” has officially received the geographical indication “Zakarpattia / Vyno Zakarpattia” and the corresponding state certificate.

The process of formation of geographical indications on the territory of Ukraine continues, opening to us magical corners of our country, terroirs and names of winemakers. We would like to remind you that the Association of Grape Growers, Winemakers and Distillers of Transcarpathia is currently working on the design of another, incredibly interesting GI – Wines of the Silver Land.

Therefore, the certificate for the “Zakarpattia/Vyno Zakarpattia” is only the first step on the way to this exciting process. “This is a step towards the recognition and preservation of the unique wine-making heritage of our region,” Viktor Mykyta, head of Transcarpathian Regional State Administration, wrote on his social media page. Mr. Gennadiy Gutman, founder of the “Vinegrowers and Winemakers of Transcarpathia” and owner of the exemplary Ukrainian farm Chateau Chizay, shared further plans: “Now is a new stage: practical work on implementation will continue. We are already developing clear rules for granting the right to label the wines of Zakarpattia producers with a geographical indication. French and Hungarian colleagues were asked for a detailed methodology in order to use the best practices. Of course, these will be only legal producers. Our team intends to provide winemakers with the most detailed and understandable “road map” for obtaining the right to use a geographical indication. Absolutely transparent. We are pleased that immediately after receiving the geographical indication, five “small” producers wrote an application to join our Public Union. We invite everyone! We are doing a common thing for the region and the wines of Transcarpathia. We unite Transcarpathians!”

The corresponding certificate of the state model was handed over to Gennady Gutman. A delegation headed by Bohdan Paduchak, first deputy director of the state organization “Ukrainian National Office of Intellectual Property and Innovations” arrived at the Regional State Administration to present the certificate.

Source: ukrpatent.org, nta.ua
Photo: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100040194801912, Serhii Hudak for Chateau Chizay

After many years of work, the Public Union “Vinegrowers and Winemakers of Transcarpathia” has officially received the Geographical Indication (GI) – “Zakarpattia / Vyno Zakarpattia”, and the corresponding certificate of the state model. The Ukrainian National Office of Intellectual Property and Innovation reports that the Geographical indication “Zakarpattia / Vyno Zakarpattia” can be assigned to […]

For the third year running, the Wine Travel Awards Ceremony and Public Voting awards celebration took place alongside the renowned London Wine Fair, solidifying the enduring collaboration between Drinks+ Communication Media Group and this prestigious event.

This occasion was infused with an air of exhilaration and unity, a true testament to the Wine Travel Awards’ mission of fostering a warm and inclusive community. Familiar faces reunited, while new connections blossomed, all bonded by their shared passion for the wonders of wine travel. It was a delightful atmosphere of friendship and celebration.

Angelo Peretti, the esteemed winner of the Author of the Year category, eloquently captured the spirit of the event: I am happy, overjoyed. Robert Joseph, one of the world’s leading international wine critics and analysts, has just presented me with the author of the year award in the wine and food influencer category at the Wine Travel Awards at the London Wine Fair for my book Spiritual Exercises for Wine Drinkers (Ampelos Editions). Thank you, thank you, thank you! <…> It was a great honor to receive the ‘author of the year’ award, to have the chance to listen to Robert Joseph’s enlightening speech and taste the splendid selection of wines offered during the event.

Truly, the Wine Travel Awards represent a close-knit community of individuals united by their fascination with the diverse world of wine travel and exploration.

The Wine Travel Awards 2023-2024 ceremony was one of the most exciting international events at the London Trade Fair. Even the location testified to the status of the event — the WTA winners were gathered in the Gallery Suite, where the jury of this year’s most high-profile event in the entire wine world, the London Court of Justice, had just met.

And it was in this representative hall that our hosts, Anna Petunina, WTA Senior Manager, a communication specialist at Drinks+ Communication Media Group, and Tanya Olevskaya, the Friends Wine Travel CEO, and the winner of last season’s WTA, started the ceremony.

All of our events contain at least two options in one — being gorgeous and useful. Therefore, this time, the award ceremony was preceded by an informative lecture. We are proud that the main speaker of the Wine Travel Awards 2023–2024 was the incredible Robert Joseph, whom our entire female team adores!

Robert Joseph is a distinguished member of the WTA jury, editorial consultant, and columnist for Meininger’s Wine Business International, whose expertise and insights have proven invaluable throughout this journey.

He spoke on the topic Wine Tourism: Benefits and Challenges about the growing industry of wine tourism, focusing on the positive impacts it brings as well as the difficulties it faces. Mr Joseph’s humour and brilliant analyses, original conclusions and recommendations were a real gift for the distinguished audience, including MVs and representatives of the most powerful UK distribution networks, influencers from around the world, winemakers from the USA, Australia, Argentina, and EU countries.

At the same time, Robert Joseph and the Wine Travel Awards team prepared special gifts for our award winners. This year’s unique gifts included certificates for Robert Joseph’s highly anticipated book, Wine Thinking, for each winner — a rare opportunity to delve into this work ahead of its official summer release! The ceremony began with a presentation of each winner and the presentation of the trophy. It is worth noting that this year the largest number of winners came to London to receive their diplomas and awards in person.

We are grateful to everyone who was with us that day: Angelo Peretti, Marinela Ardelean, Daria Kholodilina, Cloudy Bay’s representative Astrid de Jong, SHUMI Winery’s Commercial Director Salome Lomsadze, Miguel Leal, Oleksandra Polishuk (from Vitaliy Kovach), Allison Levine, and Dr. Elizabeth Smith.

And again Angelo Peretti shared his feeling about meeting with friends and colleagues: I met American wine writer Allison Levine during a press tour of US journalists in Italy, a country she knows quite well (and also speaks Italian fluently). I was delighted to find her at the Wine Travel Awards at the London Wine Fair in London. Here we are in the photograph together, she with the diploma of winner of the popular vote in the ‘expert opinion’ category, me with the trophy of winner in the ‘author of the year’ category. Well done, Allison, bravo!

Finally, we appreciated that guests from Tenuta Manoylo (Italy) — Illia Manoylo and Helen Dzekunova — had the ooportunity to be with us at the WTA Ceremony. Also, we were very glad that the WildChina Travel’s (China) representative Kendra Tombolato attended the WTA event. In addition, João Vasconcelos, UK Sales Manager at Fladgate Partnership, visited the WTA Ceremony to get the WOW (Portugal) awards. The prizes for the Imeretian Wine Association and the Kabistoni Wine School, the nominee from Imeretia, were accepted by Ana Tbileli. We were very pleased to meet Jidvei‘s representatives Sabina Stroe-Bibescu and Costi Dragan.

Unfortunately, we won’t be able to convey the atmosphere of friendliness that the WTA community in London demonstrated, but it was evidenced by the pleasant impromptu interactions that took place throughout the event.

Needless to say, Robert Joseph took the initiative to help our moderators during the awards ceremony and even agreed to take a photo with each of our winners, which some of them gratefully shared on their networks.

The last iteration of the WTA showed that the Wine Travel Awards is gaining an international reputation, as evidenced by the presence of diplomatic delegations at the ceremony.

The ceremony witnessed an unprecedented turnout, with nominees and winners gracing the event from far and wide, including esteemed representatives from the embassies of Armenia — His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United Kingdom, Varuzhan Nersesyan, and the Armenian delegation. Also we were very proud to see His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to London, Mr. Ruslan Bolbocean. And Ms. Laura Banealite, First Secretary for Economic Cooperation of the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in London.

An interesting fact: distinguished guests, first of all, His Excellencies the Ambassadors of Armenia and Moldova, attended the ceremony to personally receive the trophy for winning the Enogastronomic Events nomination on behalf of their countries. The National Wine Day of Moldova won the Magnet of the Region category, and Yerevan Gastronomic Days won the second category — Event of the Year.

The fact that the ambassadorial delegations headed by His Excellencies the Ambassadors of Armenia and Moldova expressed a desire and found time to carry out this mission speaks of the state’s respect for its citizens. It also shows that the state understands the importance of enogastronomic tourism for the development of the country’s winemaking as a promising economic sector.

One of the winners of the Public Voting in the Top Guide category is Anna Alekseyeva from Italy. Anna is actively engaged in organising enogastronomic tours and excursions in Verona and the Lake Garda area. We are thankful to Anna’s representative, Maria Podlesnova, for visiting the award ceremony.

Our team was very glad to see Meguel Leal — the winner in the category Top Guide (nomination — Wine Guide).

This year, two nominees — SHUMI Winery and Marinela Ardelean — were awarded by Grand Prix of Wine Travel Awards: for exceptional achievement and dedication in advancing the art of viniculture and crafting unforgettable wine tourism experiences. It was the initiative of Dr. Ricardo F. Nunez.

Our sincere appreciation also goes to WTA judge Nina Basset and the Gérard Basset Foundation for providing the memoir book by Gérard Basset, complete with Nina Basset’s autograph, as the esteemed Ambassador of the Year award.

The grand finale of this extraordinary day was a unique tasting experience, featuring an array of exceptional wines from participating wineries:

Tenuta Manoylo (Italy)

1. Passo del Borgo Marche IGT Passerina
2. Falerio DOC Pecorino
3. Marche IGT Sangiovese

Jidvei Winery (România)

1. PINOT NOIR ROSU, 2019 red
2. GRIGORESCU FETEASCA REGALA, 2023, SGR white
3. OWNER’S CHOICE ANA, SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 white
4. OWNER’S CHOICE MARIA, PINOT GRIS, 2022, white
5. Sparkling Wine, Jidvei, the traditional method, Extrabrut White, DOC-CMD JIDVEI white

Chateau Purcari (Wine of Moldova)

1. Château Purcari Negru de Purcari 2020
2. Château Purcari Rara Neagra 2022
3. Château Purcari Viorica de Purcari 2022

Chateau Vartely (Moldova)

1. Château Vartely Dealu Nucului Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
2. Château Vartely Dealu Nucului Feteasca Regala & Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Radacini (Moldova)

1. Radacini Pinot Grigio
2. Radacini Metier Brut Alb

Apriori Wine (Moldova)

1. Apriori Wine Maestro Limited Edition Secret Blend Bottle Reserve 2022
2. Apriori Wine Maestro Cuvee Blanc Alb Brut

SHUMI Estate (Georgia)

1. Shumi Kakhuri Mtsvane
2. Shumi Mukuzani
3. Sumi Iberiuli Khikhvi
4. Shumi Iberiuli Saperavi

Gramophone Winery (Romania)

1. VIRTUOZ FETEASCA REGALA — DRY 2021
2. VIRTUOZ FETEASCA NEAGRA — OFF DRY 2021
3. GRAMOFON WINE SAUVIGNON BLANC — DRY 2020
4. GRAMOFON WINE CUVEE — MERLOT/FETEASCA NEAGRA/5. CABERNET SAUVIGNON — DRY 2022

Cloudy Bay (New Zealand)

1. Pelorus NV Methode Traditionelle
2. Sauvignon Blanc 2023
3. Te Wahi Pinot Noir 2019

Le Grand Noir (France)

1. Le Grand Noir Chardonnay
2. Le Grand Noir GSM Red Blend

K’AVSHIRI (Georgia)

1. K’AVSHIRI White 2022
2. K’AVSHIRI Assemblage Red

Shaloshvili’s Wine Cellar (Georgia)

1. Kisi Mtsvane White Dry 2021
2. Rkatsiteli Oak Barrel Aged White Dry 2017
3. Saperavi Oak Barrel Aged Red Dry 2018
4. Saperavi QVEVRI 2020

Stay tuned for dedicated articles exploring the captivating stories behind each of these esteemed participating wineries and their enchanting wine destinations. We are preparing a separate article about the wineries that presented their wines at this festive tasting for wine lovers and enogastronomic travellers.

For the third year running, the Wine Travel Awards Ceremony and Public Voting awards celebration took place alongside the renowned London Wine Fair, solidifying the enduring collaboration between Drinks+ Communication Media Group and this prestigious event. This occasion was infused with an air of exhilaration and unity, a true testament to the Wine Travel Awards’ mission of fostering a […]

On May 20, the London Wine Fair’s Judgment of London took place, and already on May 21, the organizers published the verdict — so we can discuss the results. The Drinks+ media group would like to thank the London Wine Fair organizers and events director Hannah Tovey personally for the honor of being the information partner of this exceptional event.

In recent years, the world has seen a surge in wine competitions, each striving to distinguish itself amid a crowded field. However, among the myriad events, one stands out for its historical significance and the promise of setting new standards: the Judgement of London, an homage to Steven Spurrier’s landmark Judgement of Paris.

The original Judgement of Paris in 1976 shocked the wine world when Californian wines bested their French counterparts in a blind tasting, fundamentally altering perceptions and market dynamics. This year, the London Wine Fair revisits this iconic event, updating its format to reflect the current diversity and maturity of the global wine industry.

Ronan Sayburn, MS, CEO of The Court of Master Sommeliers, and Sarah Abbott, MW, MD of Swirl Wine Group, judge of the Wine Travel Awards 2022–2023, curated this year’s Judgment of London. The panel comprises 21 esteemed judges from the UK wine industry, including leading buyers, top sommeliers, and noted wine writers. The format involves tasting pairs of European icon wines and their non-European equivalents, divided into eight pairs of whites and eight pairs of reds; all tasted under strict exam conditions.

Kateryna Yushchenko spoke with some of the leading professionals involved in the event to understand its impact on the wine world.

Kateryna Yushchenko was able to talk behind the scenes of this extraordinary event with some of the leading specialists involved in the event, before and after the tasting — to understand its algorithms and impact on the wine world.

The Significance and Evolution of Judgement

Kateryna Yushchenko: This competition seems poised to change the standards of wine judging. Would you say it’s the best of all existing competitions?

Jancis Robinson: I have to wait and see what the wines are before making any judgment. I haven’t a clue what the wines are and how they’ve been chosen, but I always love the chance to taste wines blind. Particularly good wines blind, so I approve of the practice of comparing different regions. I think that benefits the consumer. So I think it’s a worthwhile exercise, but at the moment, I’m in the dark.

Kateryna Yushchenko: But do you think this could set new standards, especially when comparing New World and Old World wines?

Jancis Robinson: I’m not very keen on the term New World. It’s a little outdated. You can say Europe versus non-Europe. But it’s all one big world of wine where everyone tries to make the best wine. I don’t think there’s any animosity between the New and the Old. It will be interesting to see.

Kateryna Yushchenko: Would this help consumers understand the global world of wine better?

Jancis Robinson: I would be very surprised if we concluded that all New World wines are like this and all Old World wines are like that. I’m voting for how the wine is.

Ensuring Impartiality and Consistency

Kateryna Yushchenko: What are the challenges in ensuring impartiality and consistency among the judges during the blind tasting?

Sarah Abbott MW: The most important factor is the experience and selection of the judges. We needed proven experience in judging and assessing wines at a high level, a balance between specialists and generalists, and judges who approach wines with purity of heart. London is fortunate to have a deep heritage of wine education and tasting, allowing us to pull from a vast pool of experts. All wines were opened and tasted blind in a secure room, decanted into identical containers, and scored without any conferring among judges.

The Results

Over a period of four hours, 32 wines were tasted by 21 judges, a selection of the UK’s best palates, two-thirds of which were either Masters of Wine or Master Sommeliers. Each wine was scored out of 10, resulting in a grand total for each wine and an overall score for European versus Rest of World wines.

The key findings are as follows:

Top Scoring White

• Pegasus Bay Riesling, Bel Canto, Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand 2011

Runner Up (White)

• Polish Hill Riesling, Grosset, Clare Valley, Australia 2012

Top Scoring Red:

• Hermitage Rouge, Jean Louis Chave, Rhône, France 2012

Runner Up (Red):

• Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France 2009

Top Scoring Wine Overall:

• Pegasus Bay Riesling, Bel Canto, Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand 2011

Overall Scores:

• European wines: 2,621.5 points
• Rest of the World wines: 2,604.5 points
• Overall Winner: Europe (by a narrow margin of 0.65%)

The full list of wines, shown in pairs and in the order of tasting each pairing, is as follows:

White

Riesling

• Europe: Trimbach, Riesling Clos St Hune, Alsace, France 2008
• Rest of the World: Polish Hill Riesling, Grosset, Clare Valley, Australia 2012

Chardonnay

• Europe: Cervaro Della Sala, Marchese Antinori, Umbria, Italy 2018
• Rest of the World: Kistler Chardonnay, Les Noisetiers, Sonoma, USA 2018

Chardonnay

• Europe: Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, Maison Louis Jadot, Burgundy, France 2017
• Rest of World: Felton Road Chardonnay Block 6, Central Otago, New Zealand 2017

Blend

• Europe: Terre Alte, Livio Felluga, Friuli, Italy 2020
• Rest of the World: Au Bon Climat Hildegard, Santa Maria Valley, USA 2020

Sauvignon Blanc

• Europe: Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Grand Cru Classé, Pessac Léognan, Bordeaux, France 2017
• Rest of the World: Peter Michael Winery Sauvignon Blanc, L’Apres Midi, Sonoma, USA 2014

Textured

• Europe: Franz Hitzberger, Grüner-Veltiner Singerriedel, Wachau, Austria 2019
• Rest of the World: Pegasus Bay Riesling, Bel Canto, Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand 2011

Rhône

• Europe: St Joseph Blanc Les Oliviers, Pierre Gonon, Rhône, France 2020
• Rest of the World: Viognier, Tahbilk, Nagambie Lakes, Australia 2011

Textured

• Europe: Quinta dos Roques Encruzado, Dão, Portugal 2014
• Rest of the World: David & Nadia Chenin Blanc, Skaliekop, Swartland, South Africa 2019

Red

Pinot Noir

• Europe: Bonnes Mares Grand Cru, Domaine Dujac, Côtes de Nuits, France 2017
• Rest of the World: Storm Pinot Noir, Ridge, Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa 2019

Pinot Noir

• Europe: Spätburgunder, Weingut Mayer-Näckel, Ahr Valley, Germany 2019
• Rest of the World: Hirsch Vineyards Pinot Noir, San Andreas, Sonoma, USA 2019

Cabernet

• Europe: Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France 2009
• Rest of the World: Promontory, Harlan Estate, Napa Valley, USA 2019

Cabernet

• Europe: Château Léoville Las Cases, St Julien, Bordeaux, France 2009
• Rest of the World: Viñedo Chadwick, Maipo Valley, Chile 2015

Syrah

• Europe: Hermitage Rouge, Jean Louis Chave, Rhône, France, 2012
• Rest of World: Homage Syrah, Trinity Hill, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand 2018

Textured

• Europe: Saperavi Qvevri, Quevri Wine Cellar, Kakheti, Georgia 2019
• Rest of the World: Clonakilla Syrah, Canberra, New South Wales, Australia 2015

Grenache

• Europe: Clos Magador, Priorat, Spain 2019
• Rest of World: Torbreck Hillside Vineyard Grenache, Barossa Valley, Australia 2016

Cabernet Franc

• Europe: Saumur Champigny, Clos Rougeard, Loire, France 2018
• Rest of World: Gran Enemigo, Cabernet Franc, Gualtallary, Argentina 2018

The Broader Impact

Kateryna Yushchenko: What do you expect to be the most surprising outcomes from this year’s event?

Sarah Abbott MW: Including a Saperavi from Georgia paired with a Syrah, which did really well, was quite surprising. The overall quality of the wines was superb, with incredible consistency and excitement. There wasn’t a huge difference between European and rest-of-the-world wines, which speaks to the global advancement in winemaking.

Kateryna Yushchenko: How will this influence the general world of wine?

Sarah Abbott MW: I hope it reminds everyone of the richness and depth of wine. It shows that world-class wine can come from unexpected places, uniting us in our love for great wine and making the world of wine bigger and stronger.

Tribute to Steven Spurrier

Kateryna Yushchenko: How does the Judgement of London serve as a tribute to Steven Spurrier’s legacy?

Ronan Sayburn MS: Steven was a great advocate for emerging wine regions. He championed distinctive styles from new regions. If he were with us, he’d be 100% behind this idea. All we can do is pay tribute to him, but it’s definitely done in his spirit.

Breaking Stereotypes

Kateryna Yushchenko: How will the Judgement of London influence perceptions of non-European wines?

Ronan Sayburn MS: It may stop the perception that old-world wines are better. Both new-world and old-world wines are fantastic in their own right. It democratises quality wine, showing that no particular area dominates anymore. This is something Steven Spurrier would have wholeheartedly supported.

The Evolution of Wine Judging

Kateryna Yushchenko: How has the evolution of the wine industry impacted the criteria for judging in this event?

Richard Bampfield MW: We’re now used to wines from many different countries. Thirty years ago, many of these wines weren’t even exported. Today, there’s more variety and diversity than ever, and I hope that will come across in what we’re tasting.

As the Judgement of London unfolds, it aims to provide a nuanced perspective on the global wine landscape, honouring Steven Spurrier’s legacy while pushing the boundaries of contemporary wine appreciation. By comparing the best of Europe with the rest of the world, it seeks not to declare a winner but to celebrate the richness and diversity of wine, ensuring that quality is recognised and appreciated universally.

As we step into this new chapter, we honor the past while embracing the global diversity that defines today’s wine landscape. The footsteps of Titan — Steven Spurrier — lead us onward, reminding us that every sip carries the weight of history and the promise of discovery. The Judgement of London not only celebrates the legacy of a visionary but also sets the stage for a future where the best wines from around the world can shine equally. In following these footsteps, we embark on a journey that enriches our understanding and appreciation of wine, underscoring its timeless allure and infinite potential.

The judges have all been selected from the UK wine industry and are considered leaders in their fields; more than 70% are either Masters of Wine or Master Sommeliers.  They are:

• Elliot Awin, Partner at ABS Wine Agencies
• Isa Bal MS, Consultant Sommelier, Trivet Restaurant
• Richard Bampfield MW, Wine Consultant
• Stephen Brook, Contributing Editor of Decanter and Author
• Alistair Cooper MW, Writer, Consultant and Judge
• Dawn Davies MW, Buying Director, Speciality Drinks
• Gearoid Devaney MS, Director of Flint Wines and Cabotte
• Sarah Jane Evans MW, Wine Writer
• Tina Gellie, Content Manager for the Decanter brand
• Aleesha Hansel, Wine Writer
• Daniel Illsley, Founder of Theatre of Wine
• Anne Krebiehl MW, Wine Writer
• Kathrine Larsen-Robert MS, Head of Fine Wine, Enotria
• Adam Lechmere, Publishing Director, Académie du Vin Library
• Regine Lee MW, Indigo Wine, Managing Director
• Margaret Rand, Wine Writer, General Editor of the Pocket Wine Book
• Laura Rhys MS, Head of Wine – Communications, Education and Style, Gusbourne
• Jancis Robinson MW OBE, Wine Writer of The FT and JancisRobinson.com
• Patrick Schmitt MW, Editor-in-Chief, The Drinks Business
• Matt Wilkin MS, Director, H2Vin
• Clem Yates MW, Founder of English Pink rosé

On May 20, the London Wine Fair’s Judgment of London took place, and already on May 21, the organizers published the verdict — so we can discuss the results. The Drinks+ media group would like to thank the London Wine Fair organizers and events director Hannah Tovey personally for the honor of being the information partner of this exceptional […]

Drinks+ spoke to Tabor Istvan, chief executive of the Winelovers Wine Awards. Our editor-in-chief Olga Pinevich-Todoryuk, as last year, was invited to the team of judges of the competition, and participation is free for Ukrainian winemakers. The event will take place in Budapest on June 28-30.

Considering all info listed in your website, can you, however, define the key special features of Winelovers Wine Awards? What makes it different from other international contests?

Winelovers Wine Awards is not only a competition, but a complete project that includes an international wine contest, a 3-day-event with several trade related side events focusing on Central Eastern European countries, and online wine magazine and social media. This focus on the CEE countries is our special feature and it is going to be more and more feasible in the future. I am being honest with you: in the first two years we had fancy topics of the masterclasses (side events of the contest), and the winelover public as well as the jury members were happy to taste Champagnes or other highly esteemed wines. At the recent, 3rd edition the masterclasses will present only CEE wines, for example the wines of Romania or indigenous varieties from 10 countries of the region. We also plan to have a guest country each year from the next edition, again countries from the Central Eastern European region.

Piotr Pietras MS will be hosting a masterclass at the event

Does your competition have a mechanism regulating the number of medals granted to the participants? How does it work, practically?

Our contest is a so-called “Anglo-Saxon” competition, so we do not limit the number of medals granted to producers. Wines are scored out of 100 and judging comes to a decision based on independent blind tasting, and a collective discussion. However, judgings are half-day affairs so we have incorporated this element from the OIV, Organisation Internationale de Vin, system.

What are the most meaningful advantages the participants are getting from your competition? What are the benefits for those who don‘t win the medals?

The medal winners are featured in several ways from our digital and print magazines to social media posts and events. Maybe the digital publication is the most relevant for entering producers: the award-winning wines will be featured in an English-language digital publication and distributed to more than 4,000 key international decision makers (importers, head sommeliers, wine merchants and wine writers).

As for the non-medal-winners, well – they can learn from the results, since the jury consists of renowned wine professionals from all over Europe. Can you mention any wine contests, where the jury members are introduced before the contest? There are a few, but not many. We want to be as transparent as possible. From the website, the photos, the videos, wine producers can actually see which experts have tasted their wines. Are you a winemaker, entering a rosé? This year Jonas Röjerman MW will be the specialist of the rosé wine tasting table. If your wine does not win medal, will you say that he is not a seasoned taster? Or will you revise the way your rosé was made?

The wine map of the world has been expanding in the last 10-15 years. How did that influence your competition (participants, judges)? Which countries, except Hungary, are represented among the participants and the jury members?

You are right: the last edition of The World Atlas of Wine features countries that were not known as wine countries earlier. Also, there are more and more developing wine countries, like Taiwan – now wonder we will have guests from Taiwan, though not as jury members, but as buyers. This Buyer’s Program is a novelty, and extra opportunities for wine producers and generic boards to introduce their wines to potential importers.

As for your second question, the proportion of foreign experts is much higher than last year.

This year we have 30 foreign jury members and 17 Hungarians, and the next year there will be even less local experts. The jury members come from several countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the USA, Columbia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovenia, Poland, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria.

We do not preach water: we will make this wine contest THE Central Eastern European wine competition.

There’s a certain stereotype in the wine community: if a contest is held in Germany / Italy / France / UK, it focuses mainly on the buyers and consumers of that country. Do you think it’s true — and what are the core “markets of influence” for your competition?

Hungary is not a target country for most of the other CEE countries, because it is a wine producing not a wine importer country. There are some exceptions – like Pannon Borbolt with a significant selection of Balkan wines –, but the majority of the Hungarian buyers and consumers are at the phase of discovery when it comes to for example Ukrainian wines. However, we are a catalyst in this process – and we are the only one in this country with this mission.

But more importantly, our aim is to open a gate to the region. We are obliged to invite buyers and other experts of the west, and winemakers of the east and to create a professional environment to meet, taste, network and make business. We are seeking the competitive edge of the Central Eastern European wine producing region, the facets that can make this region interesting for the distributors and consumers of well-established wine importing countries.

What is your experience with Ukrainian wines? Do you see them as competitive as other wines of the Old and the New World within Winelovers Wine Awards?

Last year we had 3 gold medals from Ukraine, 15 silver medals and 6 bronze medals from 6 Ukrainian wineries. This year we are aiming to have 50+ entries from 10+ wineries. We are progressing step-by-step, and I think it is time to learn more about Ukrainian wines. Winelovers Wine Awards is ready to make your wines more recognized! It is up to you to join or not.

The medal winner Ukrainian wines from the last edition of Winelovers Wine Awards

Jury members of WWA 2024

International buyers of WWA 2024

Registration & entry of samples

Drinks+ spoke to Tabor Istvan, chief executive of the Winelovers Wine Awards. Our editor-in-chief Olga Pinevich-Todoryuk, as last year, was invited to the team of judges of the competition, and participation is free for Ukrainian winemakers. The event will take place in Budapest on June 28-30. Considering all info listed in your website, can you, […]

The team behind the LWF23 Bottle Collection Initiative has concluded its research and is set to reveal its findings at next week’s London Wine Fair.  The Initiative was a partnership between The Porto Protocol, Sustainable Wine Solutions and London Wine Fair which was launched at last year’s show.  The Porto Protocol, whose mission is to catalyse climate action in the wine world, with Sustainable Wine Solutions, the UK experts in wine bottle return, challenged LWF to platform this initiative back in early 2023.  The report has subsequently generated a call to action for the global wine industry: the number of bottles being produced must reduce. The “Reuse Ready Charter” will consider action points which the industry – throughout the supply chain – can adopt.  The intention was to assess if – in the current state of play – a reusable supply chain could be a possibility and what would need to happen for this to become a reality.

The initial findings were based on 20,000 empty bottles collected from LWF exhibitors.  A full audit was carried out on 1,017 bottles with a label-removability audit carried out on 2,000 bottles. The remaining 18,000 bottles were reused or recycled by Sustainable Wine Solutions which imports in bulk and bottles in the UK for on-trade distribution.

The backdrop to the initiative paints a concerning picture for the global wine industry: +32 billion wine bottles are produced annually, and with each bottle releasing an average of 600g of CO₂, the total carbon emissions equate to 19.8million tons per annum.  The UK alone consumes an average 1.77bn bottles of wine per annum, most of which are single use.

As the wine industry shifts towards environmental sustainability, the widespread adoption of reusable wine bottles becomes crucial, particularly considering that single-use wine glass bottles account for 35% of the carbon footprint associated with each bottle of wine. This shift aims to drastically decrease the industry’s overall carbon footprint and embrace a holistic circular model throughout the entire value chain.  On the other hand, reusable glass offers the greatest potential to reduce environmental impacts: reusable glass bottles produce 85% fewer carbon emissions than their single-use counterparts; 75% fewer carbon emissions than plastic (PET); and 57% fewer carbon emissions than aluminium cans. (Zero Waste Europe).

Although the initial intention was to audit all bottles in depth, we didn’t feel that it was needed since most bottles were different.

The good news is that the needle is shifting rapidly, and there is now growing consensus that reusing should become the gold standard.  Michael Giannuzi, CEO of Verallia (Europe’s leading manufacturer of glass bottles for the drinks industry) said it well: “As glassmaking experts, we cannot afford to be smug about producing an infinitely recyclable material. That’s a great starting point for our industry. But glass is only sustainable when it is reused when and wherever possible and does in fact get recycled.” (Verallia white book).

However, the wide variation in bottle sizes and weights presents a significant barrier, complicating the scalability of schemes that are essential to make a reuse supply chain a reality.  The results show “chaos on a big scale”, according to Muriel Chatel of Sustainable Wine Solutions.  In the sample of 1,047 bottles, there were 947 different types, varying in terms of shape, weight and design.  With only 7% of bottles being the same, this creates a significant challenge for reuse. The good news is that 73% of bottles can be reused, giving substantial opportunities for the industry.

With key global figures  such as Jancis Robinson MW OBE campaigning for lighter bottles and alternative formats for everyday wines, and with younger generations increasingly demanding low-impact packaging, the glass bottle is at risk of losing its centre stage status. Already PET bottles have an increasing presence on supermarket shelves; there is a real risk of the bottle losing its central stage status.

The findings will be presented on Centre Stage from 12h45 to 13h45 on Wednesday, 22nd May: “Revealing the results of the waste bottle report and introducing the Reuse Ready Project”, hosted by Muriel Chatel (Sustainable Wine Solutions) and Marta Mendonça (The Porto Protocol). 2024 Session Schedule (londonwinefair.com). The partnership will call industry stakeholders to action on three key areas:  an open letter to the glass manufacturers urging them to listen to the global wine industry, its biggest customer; leveraging corporate responsibility; and The Reuse Ready International Charter.

Head of London Wine Fair, Hannah Tovey, commented: “This report provides vital intelligence for the global wine industry.  The industry’s consumption of glass is just not sustainable and whilst the solutions won’t come overnight, the Reuse Ready Charter provides a valuable tool for producers, glass manufacturers, buyers – everyone in the industry – willing (and able) to make a change.”

Adrian Bridge, CEO, The Porto Protocol, commented: “The 2023 Bottle Collection Initiative’s outcomes at the London Wine Fair highlight the pressing need for climate action in the wine industry. With billions of bottles produced yearly, the environmental impact is significant, underlining the urgency for sustainable practices. Our partnership with Sustainable Wine Solutions and the London Wine Fair demonstrates our dedication to fostering industry-wide change for a more sustainable future. By participating in initiatives like this, we collectively tackle these challenges and propel essential climate action within the wine world”

Muriel Chatel, Managing Director, Sustainable Wine Solutions, commented: “The reusable bottle is the silver bullet that will ensure that the glass bottle keeps its status as the container of choice for a long time because of its low impact and not simply because of romance and tradition.  Already initiatives around the world by entrepreneurial pioneers are showing that a reusable supply chain is feasible, but only industry wide collaboration will allow it to scale.”

The team behind the LWF23 Bottle Collection Initiative has concluded its research and is set to reveal its findings at next week’s London Wine Fair.  The Initiative was a partnership between The Porto Protocol, Sustainable Wine Solutions and London Wine Fair which was launched at last year’s show.  The Porto Protocol, whose mission is to […]