Gastronomy and Wine Portal

Wine Meridian, Wine Travel Awards’ info partner, reporting daily on the evolution of the wine markets, best practice of the most successful companies and the most famous professionals, goes on a wine tour to the United States to explore the opportunities of wine tourism there (US wine tourism industry is considered to be the most efficient in the world).

In recent years, the Wine Meridian team has traveled tens of thousands of kilometers to get to know and explore wine tourism opportunities in Italy, South Africa and Europe.

These travels have collected a wealth of interesting stories and incredible wine tourism experiences that Wine Meridian shares with its followers to showcase just how diverse the wine tourism scene can be around the world.

To get to know the American model of hospitality firsthand, Wine Meridian is embarking on a new journey in June – a wine tour from coast to coast of the United States.

On June 11, 2023, the Wine Meridian team will arrive in San Francisco and set on a journey of 15,000 km. The researchers will search for the key to the success of American wine tourism, crossing 20 states and visiting 150 wineries, from the giants of Napa Valley to the little-known vineyards of Oklahoma.

The purpose of the tour is to provide comprehensive information about the many wine tourism options available in the United States, as well as to introduce the American wineries, products and regions that the tour will pass through. The study is not only aimed at the most famous vineyards, but also small producers who serve a more local market will be given the floor.

It is also a good opportunity for Wine Meridian to gain experience and ideas for new articles, consultations and training events.

You can support Wine Meridian on this adventure by reading articles full of interest and in-depth analysis, and by following the journey on social media @wine_meridian.

Wine Meridian, Wine Travel Awards’ info partner, reporting daily on the evolution of the wine markets, best practice of the most successful companies and the most famous professionals, goes on a wine tour to the United States to explore the opportunities of wine tourism there (US wine tourism industry is considered to be the most […]

Wine Travel Awards Celebration ceremony in honour of the winners of WTA’s second edition, accompanied by a Walk-Around wine tasting, will take place during WinExpo Georgia, one of the region’s biggest and most important international wine events.

The event will be hosted by WTA’s lead Oleksandra Hryhorieva and WTA nominee from Georgia, Daria Kholodilina a.k.a. Dariko Mogzauri. They will introduce our dear guests to the WTA concept, and after a brief presentation guests will have an opportunity to get to know WTA community members from Georgia and taste their exemplary wines in a pairing with premium American beef.

Sofia Nikabadze, the public voting winner in ‘The brightest journey’, will talk about the growing international interest in the Georgian wine industry and the changes that small wineries in Georgia pursue.

SHUMI Winery, the winner in the Visiting card of the country / Must visit, Progressive Approach, Art & History Object categories, will present their wines, as well as a unique alcoholic beverage, Zigu. GWS, another significant winemaking company from Georgia, will also introduce their wine collection to the guests of the tasting, while Chateau Mukhrani, the WTA public voting winner and one of the best wineries of Georgia, will impress our guests with their premium wines. More details about the wines in the tasting will come later, and we will certainly share them with our readers.

The WTA team will be glad to welcome wine, tourism and HoReCa professionals, journalists and bloggers to the Wine Travel Awards celebration and tasting. The WTA, an innovative global project in the field of wine tourism, will shed light on the winners of the 2022-2023 edition in the following nominations: The Visiting Card of the Country, Ambassador, Wine & Food Influencer, Education in Enotourism, Wine Guide, Enogastronomic Events. Wine Travel Awards is more than just a rating: it’s a unique and interactive platform for promoting wine tourism and wine culture, as well as for networking, bringing together wine tourism professionals around the world.

We believe that tourism is an opportunity for wine and wine is an opportunity for tourism! And we are very happy that our celebration ceremony will be hosted by Georgia, the cradle of winemaking, and the famous land of wine and hospitality!

When: Friday, June 2, 2023, 16:00 PM

Where: WinExpo Georgia, Exhibition Center ExpoGeorgia, pavilion 11, 118 Akaki Tsereteli Ave., Tbilisi, Georgia.

Wine Travel Awards Celebration ceremony in honour of the winners of WTA’s second edition, accompanied by a Walk-Around wine tasting, will take place during WinExpo Georgia, one of the region’s biggest and most important international wine events. The event will be hosted by WTA’s lead Oleksandra Hryhorieva and WTA nominee from Georgia, Daria Kholodilina a.k.a. […]

Winner of the Wine Travel Awards, Château Mukhrani hosts the renowned wine festival for the second year in a row.

The first Merano International Wine Festival took place in 1992 in the city of Merano in South Tyrol. It was the first wine festival in Europe, which later became a leading event not only in Italy, but also internationally, as well as a traditional meeting place for both professionals and wine lovers.

In 2022, the Merano Wine Festival went outside Italy for the first time, when it took place at Château Mukhrani (Georgia), in partnership with the Georgian Wine Association.

As we know, Château Mukhrani is the winner of the Wine Travel Awards 2021-2022 in the Must Visit category, and the finalist of the Wine Travel Awards 2022-2023 in two categories – Must Visit and Event of the year (Harvest Celebration at Chateau Mukhrani).

This year, the Merano Wine Festival will also take place at Château Mukhrani – in the newly built greenhouse. The date of the event is June 11.

The Merano International Wine Festival promises to be rich and to present a lot of unforgettable experiences to festival visitors of all ages. The program of the event includes an exhibition of wines from different regions of Georgia, as well as Italy and Turkey (more than 350 items), an exhibition of food products and gastronomic ingredients, seminars, wine tastings, culinary master classes of Georgian and Turkish cuisines, a children’s entertainment area.

You can contact the organizers and get additional information by writing an email to 1878@mukhrani.com

Detailed information about the Merano International Wine Festival program and ticket purchase here https://www.facebook.com/events/197463889770170?ref=newsfeed

Winner of the Wine Travel Awards, Château Mukhrani hosts the renowned wine festival for the second year in a row. The first Merano International Wine Festival took place in 1992 in the city of Merano in South Tyrol. It was the first wine festival in Europe, which later became a leading event not only in […]

Corks are popping out of the bottles. Bubbles are dancing in the glasses. The Consorzio dell’Asti DOCG are welcoming guests of the Wine Travel Awards official Ceremony at the London Wine Fair. 

Holding the WTA Awarding Ceremony in London became symbolic and some kind of a tradition. Last year, a new innovative WTA project debuted at the LWF – and it was literally preceded by a celebration of the Platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth marking 70 years as Monarch. This year, the WTA team was holding the awards’ ceremony again in London – and recently, King Charles III was formally crowned at Westminster Abbey. We believe London sends us a good sign. 

Wednesday 17th of May, 10.30 am marked another special milestone of the WTA project. The new and prosperous names of businesses and personalities operating in the wine tourism industry were revealed in all 6 nominations, naming the Visiting Card of the Country, Ambassador, Wine & Food Influencer, Education in Enotourism, Wine Guide, Enogastronomic Events. This reflects the result of a two-stage selection process: public voting in March and expert opinion of the WTA Jury Committee in April. 

At the beginning of the sublime awarding ceremony, Sarah Abbott, MW, WTA Judge, Founder of Swirl Wine Group, marketing strategist, communications specialist, wine judge and writer, underlined the importance of the WTA initiative in today’s very diverse wine and tourism world: “Wine is a cultural journey, as well as a physical journey. Everything that we’ve experienced in recent years showed us how important it is that individual cultures can thrive and be respected, nurtured and enjoyed among as wide a community as possible. And I think those shortlisted candidates that really stood out were the ones that were fully embracing every aspect of the potential journey of wine… the viticulture, the heritage and its expression, contemporary times that lead to society and community, as well as creation of experiences where people have so much fun that they do not necessarily realize that they have been taken into this journey, culture and intellect.”

Georgia, Ukraine, France, Armenia, Moldova, Netherlands, Greece, Germany, India and UK replenished the community of WTA winners in the 2022-2023 campaign year. In total, around 300 community members coming from 30 different countries, including Austria, Nigeria, Italy and many others, participated in WTA second edition. As a result, we have 80 public voting winners and 16 final WTA winners. All of them are invited to an online master class held by Gergely Szolnoki, WTA Jury, Professor of Market Research at Geisenheim University, and to a webinar led by Romané Basset, Co-Founding Trustee of the Gérard Basset Foundation.

Considering education as an important part of our initiative and wine tourism as a whole, we have engaged with Prize Fund sponsors in order to provide a wide range of educational opportunities and experiences for the WTA 2022-2023 winners. The Château Smith Haut Lafitte, a cult place for Bordeaux wine culture which was even chosen by King Charles III for his official visit to France, invites 10 WTA winners to a Private tour and tasting of SHL and its Land Art Forest of the 5 senses. Mastroberardino, one of the oldest producers of South Italy, invites all 16 final winners to a winery tour and wine tasting in Atripalda, Avellino. The Consorzio dell’ASTI DOCG, WTA Nominees’ Sponsor and Sponsor of Welcome Drink at the WTA Ceremony, organizes an exclusive online master class and wine tasting from ASTI DOCG for WTA winners from Germany and France. Finally, the London Wine Fair is delighted to provide two free tickets to LWF 2024 and guaranteed participation in 2 masterclasses of the winners’ choice.

For the second consecutive year, Wine & Food Influencer nomination has been supported by the international wine group Vinos de La Luz, which created for journalists, bloggers, and influencers the opportunity to join the awards completely for free. This year, the nomination got new professions on the list: actors and actresses passionate about wine, TV hosts, bartenders, photographers, podcasts, sommeliers and many more. 

Dr. Ricardo F. Nunez, founder and owner of Vinos de La Luz, emphasized on the Ukrainian roots of the project during the ceremony: “Last year, we were here in London two months after the invasion of Ukraine. The company who is organizing this award is also Ukrainian. They worked hard to organize this fantastic contest. And we are very proud that one team like the WTA is fighting outside of the country to put in front the identity of Ukraine.” Besides, Dr. Ricardo F. Nunez mentioned that the selection of the best among many nominees requires not only lots of time but also “to go inside the work that each and every made in their career”.

According to the Vinos de La Luz prize conditions, the WTA winner in the Wine & Food Influencer nomination, who gets the highest points from the panel of judges, receives 1000 euros. Professor Marianna Sigala, the winner of ‘Author of the Year’ was ranked first with 47 points receiving 1000 euros from Vinos de La Luz. Two other winners of the nomination determined by the jury – Gergely Szolnoki, the winner of ‘Expert Opinion’ (45 points) and Rojita Tiwari, winner of ‘The Brightest Journey’ (40 points) – receive 500 euros each.

In addition to the sponsorship of the prize fund, this year was distinguished by a very honorable collaboration with the Gérard Basset Foundation. Thanks to the personal consent of Nina and Romané Basset, Artyom Mkrtchyan, WTA winner in the Ambassador Nomination, a sommelier and proactive wine professional from Armenia, was awarded with the Gérard Basset Prize “Ambassador of the Year” receiving 1000 euros for his educational purposes. 

The WTA Ceremony was followed by the walk-around tasting where guests had an opportunity to get to know WTA community members and taste their wines:

• ASTI DOCG (Italy)
• Mastroberardino (Italy)
• Vinos de La Luz (Spain, Argentina, Ukraine)
• SHABO Family Winery (Ukraine)
• Beykush Winery (Ukraine)
• Askaneli Winery (Georgia)
• ‘Armenia Wine’ Winery and Vineyards (Armenia)

What fantastic memories we made during the second edition to cherish forever! Our greetings and the good wishes of future growth and prosperity to the WTA 2022-2023 winners! 

We will continue the celebration in honor of the WTA winners and second successful project year in June. The next stop is WinExpo Georgia – Friday 2nd of June at 16:00 PM, in the main pavilion of WinExpo Georgia, Business Forum area.

Corks are popping out of the bottles. Bubbles are dancing in the glasses. The Consorzio dell’Asti DOCG are welcoming guests of the Wine Travel Awards official Ceremony at the London Wine Fair.  Holding the WTA Awarding Ceremony in London became symbolic and some kind of a tradition. Last year, a new innovative WTA project debuted […]

In May 2023, London, which is rightly considered the “world capital”, attracted the attention of the international media: a week ago millions of people around the world watched the coronation of King Charles and the celebration of this important event, and already this week London welcomed the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who arrived here on an official visit. On the same day, May 15, another important event started in London: the London Wine Fair, a grand international wine expo, and we are happy to note that Ukraine, once again, has become one of the fair’s newsmakers. For the second time in a row, Ukrainian wines are presented at LWF, also under the long-awaited Wines of Ukraine brand!

Ukrainian producers showcase their best still and sparkling wines from unique local and European grape varieties which have received a very warm welcome from local importers and distributors. The Wines of Ukraine stand at London Wine Fair will present the following wineries:

46 Parallel Wine Group (Odessa region)

Beykush Winery (Mykolayiv region)

Biologist Craft Winery (Kyiv region)

Bolgrad / Alcoline (Odesa region)

Chateau Chizay (Transcarpathian region)

Father’s Wine VB (Ternopil region) 

Graevo (Zaporizhzhya region)

My Wine by Eduard Gorodetsky (Odesa region)

Stakhovsky Wines (Transcarpathian region)

Villa Tinta (Odesa region / Southern Bessarabia).

“The interest in Ukraine and Ukrainian wines at the London Wine Fair is extraordinary, we have a lot of work at our stand. We are glad to have the opportunity to communicate with experts and buyers not only from the UK, but also from other countries. We hope to expand exports, to find new partners and distributors. We are very happy that the quality and unique nature of Ukrainian wines are admired by specialists. I am once again proud of our team, all the winemakers, and grateful to them and to our Ukrainian colleagues who came from all around the UK to support us and to work at our stand. I am proud of Ukraine, Ukrainians and Ukrainian wines. We love our country infinitely, and we are and will be doing our best to make people of the world love our wines!” comments Svitlana Tsybak, representative of Wines of Ukraine, head of the Association of Craft Winemakers of Ukraine and development director for Beykush Winery.

SHABO family winery, one of Ukraine’s flagship wineries and the winner of the Wine Travel Awards in the Brand – the visiting card of the country category, will also present their wines at their own stand.

Wines of Ukraine are participating in this year’s LWF due to the kind support of Mr Yevgeny Chichvarkin, investor at Hedonism Wines –  a fine wine, whisky & spirits boutique located in the heart of London’s Mayfair. “Ukraine has a wonderful climate, fertile soils, and hardworking people. Apart from a few moments of legislative deregulation and organisational issues, nothing prevents Ukraine from taking its rightful place on the world wine map. Unfortunately, I cannot influence the legislation of Ukraine, but I am happy to contribute to the speedy search for a distribution channel in the UK,” comments Mr. Chichvarkin. 

The London based entrepreneur is a great supporter of Ukraine in its fight for freedom and independence. Evgeny Chichvarkin has financed more than £4.5 million worth of medical purchases for the Ukrainian people subjected to Vladimir Putin’s illegal war. In March 2022, he launched the EC Project, where others were invited to join his efforts and cover large invoices for the purchase of medical aid. 

Drinks + and the Wines of Ukraine team express their deep gratitude to Evgeny for supporting Ukraine and the participation of Wines of Ukraine in the London Wine Fair!

Ukrainian wines will also be showcased at a walk-around tasting, which will be held during the Wine Travel Awards 2023 awarding ceremony. This event, which marks the second successful year of our innovative project in the field of wine travel marketing, will take place on May 17 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: 30 in the Industry Briefing Room at the London Wine Fair.

The wines of the Ukrainian WTA 2023 winners – SHABO, Big Wines / Vinos de la Luz (sponsor of the WTA Wine & Food Influencer category) and Beykush Winery – will be presented at the tasting: SHABO Reserve Telti-Kuruk 2022, SHABO Limited Edition Saperavi-Merlot (by Kachetin technology) 2020, Big Wines Big Art 2020, and Beykush Telti Kuruk 2022. The tasting also includes wines from WTA winners from Armenia, Argentina, Georgia, Spain and Italy. This will be one of the largest round tastings held by WTA.

The Drinks+ team would also like to express their sincere gratitude to Tanya Olevska, who is the founder of the Friends Wine Travel company, the winner of this year’s WTA and an employee of the London Wine Fair, and to her colleagues for prompt and friendly assistance in solving logistical problems with the delivery of our prizes and catalogues from Germany, as well as wines from Ukraine. United we stand!

In May 2023, London, which is rightly considered the “world capital”, attracted the attention of the international media: a week ago millions of people around the world watched the coronation of King Charles and the celebration of this important event, and already this week London welcomed the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who arrived here […]

The official awarding Ceremony of the WTA second edition will take place on Wednesday 17th of May, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM, in the Industry Briefing Room at the London Wine Fair to celebrate the WTA winners and the second successful year of the project.

In the framework of the event, the Drinks+ and Wine Travel Awards team organizes a walk-around tasting of wines produced by the WTA nominees and partners. 

The Consortium Asti DOCG, a sponsor of the WTA Ceremony, will provide welcome wine for guests of the official Wine Travel Awards Ceremony. At the tasting, you will feel the vibes of Asti and Moscato d’Asti and taste the best wines from the UNESCO hills such as:

• SAROTTO, Asti Spumante Dry
• MARANZANA, Asti Spumante Dry
• MATTEO SORIA, Asti Spumante Brut
• LA TORRE, Asti Spumante Dry
• FONTANAFREDDA, Asti Spumante Dolce
• SANTERO, Asti Spumante Dolce
• TRE SECOLI, Asti Spumante Dolce
• SANT’ORSOLA, Asti Spumante Dolce
• TERRENOSTRE, Moscato D’Asti
• MALGRA’, Moscato D’Asti
• BERA, Moscato D’Asti
• SCAGLIOLA, Moscato D’Asti

Moreover, the guests of the ceremony – WTA winners, nominees, wine & food influencers and wine journalists, wine buyers and wine professionals – will have an opportunity to taste the wines from:

Vinos de La Luz

The international wine group Vinos de La Luz, the WTA Sponsor of the Wine & Food Influencer for the second consecutive year will present its notable wines:

• Callejon del Crimen Red Blend Criminal 2021, Argentina 
• Valpincia Crianza 2019, Spain
• Big Wines Big Art 2020 – the very new and already Gold Awarded by Mundus Vini and Berliner Wine Trophy wine from Ukrainian Project

MASTROBERARDINO

Italy  – the WTA nominee at The Visiting Card of the Country, Authentic Location

• Novaserra Greco di Tufo DOCG
• Radici Taurasi DOCG
• Fiano di Avellino DOCG

SHABO FAMILY WINERY

Ukraine – the WTA winner at the The Visiting Card of the Country, Brand – the visiting card of the country 

• SHABO Reserve Telti-Kuruk 2022
• SHABO Limited Edition Saperavi-Merlot (by Kachetin technology) 2020

 BEYKUSH WINERY

Ukraine – the WTA nominee at The Visiting Card of the Country, Must Visit 

• Telti Kuruk 2022 – one of Beykush Winery’s flagship wines 

ASKANELI WINERY & DISTILLERY 

Georgia is presenting its Gocha’s Collection, that was nominated at the Brand – the visiting card of the country:    

• Gocha’s Collection. Muza Qvevri 2019
• Gocha’s Collection. Saperavi Reserve 2018
• Askaneli Brut. Méthode traditionnelle

“ARMENIA WINE” WINERY and VINEYARDS 

A modern winery that produces wines and brandies which give a chance to discover Armenia through the autochthonous grape varieties and diversity of the terroir. 

• Tariri. Areni, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon  
• Takar. Areni 
• Yerevan 782. B.C. Areni, Karmrahyut 

We are inviting you to join the WTA Ceremony and Walk-Around Tasting. Please register here or send us a request via contact@winetravelawards.com to obtain your confirmation.

The official awarding Ceremony of the WTA second edition will take place on Wednesday 17th of May, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM, in the Industry Briefing Room at the London Wine Fair to celebrate the WTA winners and the second successful year of the project. In the framework of the event, the Drinks+ and Wine […]

On June 2-4, 2023, the 15th WinExpo Georgia International Wine and Spirits Fair will be held at the ExpoGeorgia Exhibition Center, located in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi. We would like to emphasize the fact that the awarding ceremony of WTA winners will be also held during this event.

WinExpo Georgia is the largest event in Georgia dedicated to wine, alcoholic beverages and related services, among which a wine tourism takes its place. It is no coincidence that WinExpo Georgia joined the international Wine Travel Awards community and this year became the winner of the public vote in the Enogastronomic Events/Magnet of the Region nomination.

The WTA stand will be located at WinExpo Georgia, and the second round of the Wine Travel Awards 2022-2023 Awards Ceremony will take place (the first round will be held at the London Wine Fair on May 17, 2023).

As part of the event, the Drinks+ and Wine Travel Awards teams will organize a wine tasting of nominees and WTA partners.

International interest in Georgian wine, produced in the lands where winemaking itself was born, grows year by year, which directly affects the scale and importance of the exhibition. WinExpo Georgia attracts nearly 4,000 visitors annually, representing up to 100 companies from different countries and focusing on creating a fruitful working environment for all participants and visitors.

WinExpo 2023 will be attended by international manufacturing companies, exporters, sommeliers, representatives of hotels, restaurants and retail chains, international media and, of course, wine lovers. One of the largest fairs in the region, it presents a wide array of national and international brands of wine and spirits and other related products, as well as wine education and services for buyers and travelers from around the world.

WinExpo combines a traditional fair with a comprehensive program of events, including the International Wine Award Georgia wine competition. The event proved its importance for the industry and its significance for regional and international markets.

WinExpo Georgia is an experience for everyone who wants to learn about the art of winemaking, taste the best wines and spirits from Georgia and other countries, meet famous winemakers, potential suppliers of wine and other beverages, get information about innovations and industry trends.

On June 2-4, 2023, the 15th WinExpo Georgia International Wine and Spirits Fair will be held at the ExpoGeorgia Exhibition Center, located in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi. We would like to emphasize the fact that the awarding ceremony of WTA winners will be also held during this event. WinExpo Georgia is the largest event […]

A record number of samples will be presented at the event, which will be held on the 12th.

The 12th the Balkans International Wine Competition (BIWC) is scheduled for June 1-3 in Bistrita Nasaud, Transylvania, Romania. In addition to the competition, from June 15 to 17, 2023, the Balkan Wine Festival will be held outdoors in front of the National Palace of Culture in Sofia. The festival provides a unique opportunity to taste the wines awarded during the Competition and to get acquainted with the various wine-making cultures of the Balkan region. Tickets for the Balkan Wine Festival are now on sale – here and here.

The Balkans International Wine Competition is a prestigious event that gathers wine experts and enthusiasts from all over the world, the jury consists of 25 people, which includes 5 MW and MS from Japan, USA, UK, France, Switzerland and famous wine figures from the Balkans and all of Europe. After the competition, a commercial tasting will be organized in the courtyard of the Complexul Muzeal Bistrita-Nasaud, to which business representatives, sommeliers, distributors and wine lovers from all over the world are invited.

Last year, Drinks+ Media Group and the International Wine Travel Awards acted as an information partner at the Balkan competition held in Greece (Island of Salamina) and the Wine Festival in Bulgaria. At both events, the WTA team presented the Wine Travel Awards Guide, published by the media group Drinks+, which includes stories about all the nominees, voting winners and award winners for 2021-2022.

In recent years the Balkans International Wine Competition has gone beyond its regional significance and attracted more and more participants and wineries from outside the Balkan countries. The number of wineries participating in the competition is steadily growing, over 1,000 wine samples have been submitted over the past year. Compared to the first competition, the number of samples has increased by more than 180%, and over the past 10 years, the number of wineries participating in the competition has increased almost 5 times. This year there will be a record number of samples from Italy, whose winemakers see the Balkan wine event as a great platform to enter one of Europe’s biggest markets, namely the Balkans with its 82 million inhabitants.

In the Best of Show category, wines from each country compete separately, but the focus remains on Balkan wines, and only they can compete for trophies in individual categories and for the big trophy – Best Wine of the Balkans.

The awards ceremony and gala dinner (he Balkan Wine Oscars), which this year will be attended by more than 250 guests – will take place on June 3 at the 17th-century Teleki Castle (Transylvania), where the competition will also take place. The Best of Show prizes for individual participating countries will be awarded during the gala dinner, and the remaining 15 prizes in various categories will be announced at the opening of the Balkan Wine Festival on June 15 at 21:00 in Sofia.

Teleki Castle

The Balkans International Wine Competition & Festival is a platform that gives the different parties of the wine business (producers, distributors and importers) an opportunity to get to know each other and start new business relationships. Each year, the competition is held in a different country in the Balkans, which helps promote the country. So far, the event has been held in Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, this year it will be held in Romania, which was announced at last year’s official ceremony and gala dinner.

Detailed information about the competition, the festival and the jury is available on the website the Balkans International Wine Competition & Festival.

A record number of samples will be presented at the event, which will be held on the 12th. The 12th the Balkans International Wine Competition (BIWC) is scheduled for June 1-3 in Bistrita Nasaud, Transylvania, Romania. In addition to the competition, from June 15 to 17, 2023, the Balkan Wine Festival will be held outdoors […]

On May 25-28, Vinnytsia Wine Days will be held for the first time in Vinnytsia. This is a real holiday that will bring together wine industry professionals and wine connoisseurs. Drinks+ & Wine Travel Awards acts as the General International Information Partner of this new ambitious event, which starts in Ukraine during the difficult wartime.

The honorary president of the event is the well-known Vinnytsia winemaker Volodymyr Hygineishvili, who noted: “It is an honor for me to present a new event in Vinnytsia dedicated to the wine-making culture. After all, this event combined two of my passions: winemaking and my hometown. 10 years ago, I changed my field of activity and became interested in wine. What started as a hobby for me has now become a matter of my life. I am happy that I will be able to share my passion with hundreds of residents of Vinnytsia and guests of the city. I am sure that a very high-quality and fruitful networking among winemakers and connoisseurs of high-quality, unique Ukrainian wine awaits us.”

Vinnytsia Wine Days will take place at several locations at once. In particular, visitors can expect events in the historical quarter near Sadki. At one time, the demonstration garden and vineyard of the first director of the Vinnytsia real school, Yaroslav Nemets, an outstanding pomologist and winemaker, was located here. In addition, within the framework of Vinnytsia Wine Days, one of the two authoritative national tasting competitions – Odesa Wine&Spirit Awards will be held.

According to Yaroslav Yushkov, producer of the Vinnytsia Wine Days project, the event will be a platform for the exchange of experience between professionals in the fields of winemaking, hospitality and tourism.

The organizers aim to popularize the “Ukrainian wine” brand and develop the culture of drinking beverages among Vinnytsia residents. And the main goal is to promote Podillia as a promising region for winemaking and food and wine tourism.

“Vinnytsia Wine Days is an educational, touristic, professional, enogastronomic event that will last four days and will consist of several areas: an international exhibition with wine tasting, two scientific conferences for specialists, as well as presentations, excursions and food tours,” said Yaroslav Yushkov.

The initiators of the event, which will become an annual event, are the Association of Gardeners, Grape Growers and Winemakers of Ukraine, Odesa National Technological University and the Union of Grape Growers and Winemakers of Vinnytsia.

Deputy Mayor of Vinnytsia Andriy Ocheretny noted that Vinnytsia Wine Days is an extremely promising event for popularizing the city and region as a wine destination, so the Vinnytsia City Council supported its holding.

“Although the version about the origin of the city’s name from “wine” is unlikely, many people in Ukraine and abroad associate us with this drink from the first time – and we really have something to offer here. We saw enthusiastic reactions to Vinnytsia wine in Dijon (the capital of Burgundy) the year before last, and we are also witnessing a revival of interest in Ukrainian wines in different parts of the world. In a certain sense, we should strengthen our own “wine” patriotism and support domestic producers who promote a whole philosophy and culture of consumption,” said Andriy Ocheretny.

The Vinnytsia Wine Days format is primarily aimed at professionals – winegrowers, winemakers of Ukraine and other countries (Georgia, Moldova, etc.), representatives of the hotel and restaurant business and players in the tourism sector. The event will also be of interest to sommeliers and the media, students and teachers of specialized specialties, residents of Vinnytsia who are interested in wine culture, and tourists from neighboring regions.

Drinks+ & Wine Travel Awards media group welcome the appearance of a new wine event on the map of Ukraine – we are looking forward to a bright event that will become annual and will attract professionals and wine lovers from all over the world!

Details of the project will be announced soon. You can follow the news on the Vinnytsia Wine Days Facebook and Instagram pages.

On May 25-28, Vinnytsia Wine Days will be held for the first time in Vinnytsia. This is a real holiday that will bring together wine industry professionals and wine connoisseurs. Drinks+ & Wine Travel Awards acts as the General International Information Partner of this new ambitious event, which starts in Ukraine during the difficult wartime. […]

The second edition of the Wine Travel Awards has brought us to the point where we can finally release the new and prosperous names of the WTA 2022-2023 winners.

Let us first remind you how the selection process takes place. According to the awards’ algorithm, public voting is on throughout March. Then 5 leaders of each category with the highest number of votes proceed to the professional jury round. In April, the WTA Jury Committee evaluates the finalists according to the WTA protocol. And now we are happy to share the names of the winners with you!

The Visiting Card of the Country

Stéphane Badet, lecturer at ISVV – Institute of Vine and Wine Science at the University of Bordeaux, specializes in wine economy, industry management, business, marketing and tourism for many years. Based on his expertise and evaluation, the winner of the following category is:

Must visit – SHUMI Winery

According to Robert Joseph, a British wine expert, consultant, producer, and editorial consultant for Meininger’s Wine Business International, the winner of the Brand – the Visiting Card of the Country stands out for being a well-known respected representative of Ukraine:

Brand – the visiting card of the country – SHABO Family Winery 

Gergely Szolnoki, Professor of Market Research at Geisenheim University, made his choice also in favour of the famous historical Georgian Winery:

Progressive approach – SHUMI Winery

The next category was judged by Sarah Abbott MW, Founder of Swirl Wine Group, marketing strategist, communications specialist, wine judge and writer. She also opted for the SHUMI Winery making it an absolute record-holder this year:

Art & History object – SHUMI Winery

Proceeding to the last category of the first nomination, Per Karlsson, co-founder and wine writer of BKWine Magazine, commented on why he gave Ukrainian Bessarabia the highest ranking: “First, because the presentation that they did was excellent and showed many different aspects of wine tourism, as well as exciting opportunities for visitor. (They have – naturally – a much less developed offer than some of the other regions, but I think one needs to take into account the starting point.) And also showed a clear effort to develop and coordinate between different actors in the sector. Secondly, also because I thought it was particularly impressive to have put together such a presentation (and hopefully a supporting offer) in a region that is very new to wine tourism (not to mention their current situation). So it was a vote for “well done!”.

Region of the year – Ukrainian Bessarabia’s Wine and Taste Route

Education in Enotourism

Ester Garcia Adrados, Director of School of Wine Tourism of Catalonia and Vocational Training Institute of Wine Tourism of Catalonia, Director of the Wine Business School, contributed her expertise to the evaluation of the nomination and its two categories:

Unique program – Le Bistrot du Sommelier

Cultural mission – Cité du Vin

Enogastronomic Events

Judging the nomination, Irina Bystritskaya, international consultant, deputy director of the National Vine and Wine Office of Moldova 2017-2021, defined as the winners:

Magnet of the region – The National Wine Day of Moldova

Event of the year – London Wine Fair

Ambassador

Nina Basset, FIH Hotelier, Co-Founding Trustee and Chair of the Gerard Basset Foundation, Co-Founder and Vice President of the UK Sommelier Academy, not only judged this nomination, but gave her consent to award the winner of the Ambassador of the Year category with the very honourable Gérard Basset Prize “Ambassador of the Year”.

Ambassador of the year – Artyom Mkrtchyan

Creative strategy – WineMasters.tv

Wine & Food Influencer 

Based on the points given to the finalists by Dr. Ricardo Nunez, Head of the international group of companies Vinos de La Luz and sponsor of the Wine & Food Influencer nomination, the winners are:

Author of the year – Professor Marianna Sigala

Expert opinion – Gergely Szolnoki

Felicity Carter, Executive Editor, Pix+ Special Projects, contributed to the evaluation of the Brightest Journey category and gave the victory to:

The brightest journey – Rojita Tiwari

According to the Vinos de La Luz prize conditions announced by our team earlier, the WTA winner in the Wine & Food Influencer nomination, who gets the highest points from the panel of judges, will receive 1000 euros. Two other winners of the nomination determined by the jury will receive 500 euros each.

Wine Guide

Assessing the nominees’ profiles, Erik Wolf, Founder and Executive Director of the World Food Travel Association, noted: “Britt Karlsson’s entry was in a class by itself. Truly exemplary. While she did not focus on one specific region, she positioned herself as a thought leader, has a strong social media presence across the major platforms, etc. and it seems that the quality of her product (the tours) is quite high.” Erik also highlighted the importance of food pairing that is part of Britt’s tour experiences.

Top Guide – Britt Karlsson

Maria Athanasopoulou, Founder of Respond On Demand, chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the World Food Travel Association, Master Culinary Travel Professional, ranked a Ukrainian tour operator first:

Travel Operator of the Year – Friends Wine Travel

Our sincerest congratulations to the WTA 2022-2023 winners! We are glad to see so many different profiles and a wide geography among the winners: Georgia, Ukraine, France, Armenia, India, UK, Moldova and other countries. Many thanks to the WTA judges for dedicating their time and knowledge to the project.

We are inviting you to the official WTA Awarding Ceremony and Walk-Around Tasting to celebrate the WTA second edition and its winners. Come and join us on Wednesday 17th of May, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM, at the London Wine Fair (Industry Briefing Room).

The second edition of the Wine Travel Awards has brought us to the point where we can finally release the new and prosperous names of the WTA 2022-2023 winners. Let us first remind you how the selection process takes place. According to the awards’ algorithm, public voting is on throughout March. Then 5 leaders of each category […]