Gastronomy and Wine Portal

The terrible war that came to our land, taking lives, breaking destinies, destroying homes, unspeakable pain and bloody wounds is etched in the heart of every Ukrainian. But we believe in our Victory! And every good news brings us closer to this bright day.

In March, the Château Kurin winery was barbarically destroyed by invaders in the Kherson region. Fortunately, its owners, the Khalupenko family, were lucky to survive. But you can imagine how people who saw the ashes on the site of their home and mutilated the fruits of their many years of inspired work felt…

Denys Khalupenko dreamed that tourists from all over the world would come to the hotel they built at the winery, taste wonderful wine and admire the endless steppes of the Kherson region. That’s why he took part in the Wine Travel Awards (WTA) project.

The first good news after the terrible tragedy – Château Kurin was recognized as one of the winners of our award by public vote. So, we are confident that the winery will be rebuilt later, and all the ambitious plans of its owners will be implemented. May the boldest dreams come true!

The second great news we learned from Denys’s post on his FB page: there was a donkey Asiyat – a pet that adorned the wine label Chateau Kurin.

“When the fighting began, he was in the barn. And when we left the winery, we opened the way for him. He wandered through the vineyard with the goats for a few days, and then came to Chornobayivka to our neighbor-farmer, where he is now,” said the owner of Château Kurin.

Imagine, the donkey did not return anywhere, but to the legendary Chornobayivka! Therefore, the wine with Asiyat on the label should enter the history of Ukrainian winemaking – as a symbol of our stability and victory.

Life goes on. And it is stronger than ruin and death!

We are convinced that the Khalupenko family should not be left alone with their misfortune: Chateau Kurin winemakers have already received many words of support from colleagues and winelovers. Denys Khalupenko posted the monobank card number 5375419907212102 on the social network: everyone who wants to help revive the Kherson winery can join in this way.

The terrible war that came to our land, taking lives, breaking destinies, destroying homes, unspeakable pain and bloody wounds is etched in the heart of every Ukrainian. But we believe in our Victory! And every good news brings us closer to this bright day.

The Communication Media Group Drinks+ received the invitation to participate in the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon before 24.02.2022 and, of course, was very delighted about participating in such a significant wine event, and the opportunity to meet wine professionals from around the World. However, 24.02.2022 happened and the Ukrainian flag on the degustation table, among all other international flags, symbolized much more than a country’s representation in a wine competition. And we wore it proudly.

Honor and Praise Sauvignon Blanc Wines, Contest Significance

Sauvignon Blanc, being in the top 3 most widely planted international white grape varieties in the world, attracted so much attention over the last decade, and conquer the global wine scene in such a way that winemakers from around the world started to experiment much more in their cellars in order to make the offer more diverse and to meet the needs of the most fastidious consumers.

The 13th Concours Mondial du Sauvignon was the newest edition of this internationally renowned wine competition that aims to honor and praise wines made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes and showcase the diversity of this varietal. This contest is the largest and most significant international competition entirely dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc wines.

The objective of the contest is to promote the quality and diversity of the Sauvignon variety wines and the most outstanding styles of it and to popularize it to consumers and markets.

In 2022, 1120 Sauvignon Blanc wines from 23 producing countries, including France, Italy, Austria, New Zealand, South Africa and Chile were submitted. The increasing popularity of the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon in Eastern Europe is substantiated in the rising number of entries from the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary and Croatia.

Over the past decade, the competition has taken place in Sauvignon producer regions all over Europe including Bordeaux, Touraine, Styria, Rueda and Friuli. In 2022, Concours Mondial du Sauvignon took place from the 17th to 20th of March in Torres Vedras, a small beautiful town situated about an hour north of Lisbon, Portugal. Because of the recognition of the diversity of wines of this wine region, Torres Vedras was awarded by RECEVIN as the ‘European Wine City’ in 2018.

Judges and Evaluations

To guarantee the impartial and balanced approach, as well as the diversity of expertise, the evaluation process of Concours Mondial du Sauvignon was held by top-class judges from over twenty nationalities, including the Ukrainian representative. The judging panel consisted of masters of wines, producers, winemakers, sommeliers, distributors, wine writers and journalists and other opinion leaders of the industry with rich tasting experience.

Blind tastings of more than 80 samples were divided between 2 contest days. During the tasting sessions the wines are grouped taking into account their origin, category, blend proportions and price.

To achieve the correctness of evaluations and to secure consumers, after the competition the organizers conduct subsequent checks on award-winning entries, by comparing a selection of those products with anonymously bought samples from the same batch.

This year with the assistance of new technologies all evaluations were submitted digitally, each judge had a gadget – an evaluation tablet with pre-established wine characteristics to highlight, as well as a free form to justify the judge’s personal evaluation. Each group of judges had their leader to clarify doubts and achieve a common understanding on whether a wine is worth special recognition.

Medals and Recognition

Gold and silver medals in certain categories became the main indicators of success at the contest. Additionally, the jury awarded special trophies to entries achieving the highest scores in special categories such as Sauvignon Blend, Sweet Sauvignon, Oaked Sauvignon and Best Sauvignon in the Competition.

Medals Ranking in 2022: France became a leader with 143 medals, with also the most awarded region this year, Loire Valley, with 100 medals. Followed by Austria with 75 medals (worth noting that 39 Gold and 32 Silver medals and 2 trophy winners were all given to wines from Styria). The third most recognized wine country for Sauvignon Blanc was Italy with 31 medals.

Over 96% of the Austrian wines in the competition were from Styria, a Sauvignon wine region that has garnered increased global recognition over the past few years. And even though the tastings were done blindly, I soon realized, as the results were revealed, that the highest scores that I gave all coincided with Styrian wines.

Austrian Discoveries

Having tasted so many Sauvignon Blancs blindly, my personal breakthrough was to confirm the idea about the great terroir, particularly for this grape variety, that is the Austrian region of Steiermark. Sauvignon Blanc is one of Steiermark’s specialties, where wines often demonstrate freshness, powerfulness, good balance, volume, spicy or salty minerality, ripe fruits and, above all, good ageing potential.

Steiermark, Bundesland, known in english as Styria, is on southeastern and central Austria, bordering Slovenia on the south and bounded by Bundesländer Kärnten (Carinthia) on the south, Salzburg on the west, Oberösterreich und Niederösterreich (Upper and Lower Austria) on the north, and Burgenland on the east.

Styria collected the most awards in the oaked category – 42 (and nearly 60% of awarded Styrian wines were oaked), as well as the 2022 Revelation Oaked Sauvignon trophy awarded to the Peter Skoff Sauvignon blanc Ried Kranachberg Reserve 2015.

The Sauvignon Blanc variety produces world-class wines across all 3 wine regions of Styria with DAC indication (“Districtus Austriae Controllatus”). When so many top winemakers focus on one variety, success is inevitable – also very important: the terroir of the Styrian wine-growing region is predestined for this variety, and the Styrian Sauvignon Blanc variants matured in wood were particularly successful at the Concours Mondial Sauvignon.

Styrian wines play an important role in the great global Sauvignon arena, regularly showing themselves at the major competitions such as Concours Mondial Sauvignon. Some of the world’s most respected wine experts have included the Sauvignon Blancs from Styria in the ranks of the best dry white wines in the world.

The program

Besides the two days of official tastings, the members of the jury visited a masterclass on Sauvignon Blanc and a workshop on the host town regional wines. Finding some time as well to visit 4 local wineries with wine tourism facilities such as the very renowned Adega Mãe Winery, Quinta de Almiara, Quinta da Boa Esperança and Quinta da Folgorosa. And all 4 wineries revealed high quality of hospitality, service and authenticity.

With level of excellence, the organizers tried to exhibit some Portuguese heritage and traditions using authentic Fado music, delicious local food and wines, all of this crowned with multiple breathtaking viewpoints to observe the beauty of the Portuguese land such as meditating over the sunset at Santa Cruz – part of the municipality of Torres Vedras.

All cultural activities were organized in a way to know Portugal better and to develop some special connection with this gorgeous wine producing country.

2022 Concours Mondial du Sauvignon Revelations

The final remark of the judges was the unprecedentedly high number of oaked Sauvignon Blancs that entered the competition this year: 225, or a fifth of total entries. Most of the oaked Sauvignon wines came from Styria and Bordeaux. And they performed extremely well, with 35% of them receiving medals.

The results of the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon 2022:

Dubourdieu Trophy (Best Competing Sauvignon)
Domaine Jean-Christophe Mandard Blanc 2020
Touraine Chenonceaux, Loire Valley, France

Tonnellerie Sylvain Trophy (Oaked Sauvignon Revelation)
Peter Skoff Sauvignon blanc Ried Kranachberg Reserve 2015
Styria, Austria

Sauvignon Blend Revelation
Ktima Biblia Chora White 2021
Mt Panego, Macedonia, Greece

Sweet Sauvignon Revelation
SKALÁK Sauvignon Slámové Víno 2015
Slovacka, Moravia, Czech Republic

Loire Revelation
Caillottes 2020, Joël & Sylvie Cirotte
Sancerre, Loire Valley, France

Austria Revelation
Wruss Sauvignon Blanc Gamlitz DAC 2020
South Styria, Austria

New Zealand Revelation
Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021
Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand

Italy Revelation
Cantina Rauscedo Sauvignon 2020
Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy

South Africa Revelation
Diemersdal The Journal Sauvignon blanc 2021
Cape Town, Coastal Region, South Africa

Complete list of results: https://resultats.cmsauvignon.com/en/results

The Communication Media Group Drinks+ received the invitation to participate in the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon before 24.02.2022 and, of course, was very delighted about participating in such a significant wine event, and the opportunity to meet wine professionals from around the World. However, 24.02.2022 happened and the Ukrainian flag on the degustation table, among all […]

At the Berliner Wine Trophy, one of the most famous and ancient estates in Ukraine, which is a nominee for the Wine Travel Awards, received prestigious awards.

Prince Trubetskoi Winery, like many other wineries in Ukraine, has suffered from the Russian military aggression but our winemakers do not give up, they continue participating in prestigious wine competitions and receive high awards.

At one of Germany’s most influential wine competitions and the world’s largest international wine competition under the auspices of the OIV and UIOE – Berliner Wine Trophy (BWT), Prince Trubetskoi Winery wines won three gold medals:

• Prince Trubetskoy 2018, (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon). Alcohol% 13.7;
• Cabernet Franc 2017. Alcohol% 13.4;
• Velvet of Ukraine 2016, (Cabernet Sauvignon). Alcohol% 12.3.

In the category BWT Special Awards 2022 Winners Prince Trubetskoi Winery received the title of Best Producer Still wine of Ukraine.

BWT gathers well-known manufacturers and distributors from all over the world every year, and the number of samples submitted is constantly growing and amounts to almost 15,000 applications per year (winter and summer competitions).

The winners of the Berliner Wine Trophy receive not only medals, but also a full package of offline and online marketing for the promotion of award-winning wines, namely: a free medal in digital format for the promotion of award-winning wines; free set of marketing tools and tips; promotion of the winner’s wines through social networks; announcement of winners at BWT events in Asia for industry professionals, etc.

We remind you that Prince Trubetskoi Winery is a nominee for the Wine Travel Awards. The D+ and Wine Travel Awards teams wish to all Ukrainian winemakers a peaceful sky and victory – both our common over enemies and personal in the award. Voting for WTA nominees lasts until March 31.

Photo: results.wine-trophy.com, facebook.com/BerlinerWineTrophy

At the Berliner Wine Trophy, one of the most famous and ancient estates in Ukraine, which is a nominee for the Wine Travel Awards, received prestigious awards.

The 11th Balkans International Wine Competition will take place in Salamina from 1 to 3 June, and the Balkan Wine Festival will take place in Bulgaria from 16 to 18 June. Both events are united under the common name Balkans International Wine Competition and Festival (BIWCF) and aim to promote Balkan wines in the region and the world.

Following the success of last year’s 10th Anniversary edition in Skopje (Northern Macedonia), the BIWC will begin its new decade on the beautiful island of Salamis. The purpose of the rotation of the most prestigious Balkan wine competition is the integration of wineries from all Balkan countries and their largest representation in the region and Europe.

The Balkans International Wine Competition is an event that brings together the world’s wine elite to see and taste the richness and diversity of Balkan wines. Producing 1.8 million tons of wine a year, the Balkans rank 5th in the world after such wine-producing countries as Italy, France, Spain and the United States.

“I’m so glad to execute the chairmanship for the new decade ahead of BIWC. The Competition proved itself as the most renowned and respectable Wine Competition in the region and the first assignment for me and the experienced BIWC team is to keep this reputation and upgrade it further,” – said the newly elected BWC Chairman Igor Lukovic from Serbia. “I would give my best to attract new winemakers from the neighbouring countries with the end goal to unite the whole Balkan wine producers and to make the reputation of the Balkan wines even bigger. Additionally, we’d like to expand the jury pool with even more relevant world wine judges, in order to make the Competition even more efficient. Good luck to the Balkan wines in the 11th BIWC 2022!”

The Mayor of Salamina, Giorgios Managopoulos, stressed that the municipality strongly supports such initiatives and welcomes the Balkans International Wine Competition as an opportunity to emphasize the island’s tourist identity.

“Special thanks to contributors and organisers who worked hard to render Salamina the best choice in order to be the Host city of such an important event,” said Giorgios Managopoulos.

The main mission of BIWCF is to promote Balkan wines and wine culture around the world. Honorary Chairman of the Competition is Konstantinos Lazarakis MW, he became the first holder of this title in Greece and the Balkans.

“The Balkan International Wine Competition coming to Greece! Feels like your favourite TV show comes to your city for shooting the next season! Deeply excited by welcoming the 11th edition of BIWC in Greece. It will be another amazing steppingstone in making Balkan Wines as famous as they deserve!” said Mr. Lazarakis.

Galina Niforou, BIWCF Managing Director, also emphasizes that making Balkan Wines even more recognizable and occupying an important place on the world wine list is a priority for the organizers.

“It is a great honor for us to have the possibility to carry out the 11^th edition of BIWC in historical island of Salamina. From the team of BIWC, I would like to thank to the Mayor of Salamina, Mr. Giorgos Panagopoulos for his warm welcome and his desire to host the Balkans International Wine Competition 2022!”

The Balkans International Wine Competition jury consists of five MW and world-renowned regional and regional wine experts.

The awards ceremony and gala dinner Balkan Wine Oscars will take place on June 3 at Ktima Filippikon Restaurant. The special Golden Dionysus Award will be presented by the mayor to the best Greek wine of 2022. Last year, the trophy in the nomination “Best Wine in the Balkans” went to Argyros winery (Santorini) for the Vinsanto Late Release 2001.

On June 4, after the competition, an exhibition will be held in the courtyard of the City Hall, to which business representatives, sommelier, distributors and winelovers from Greece and abroad are invited.

At the Balkans International Wine Competition, the Wine Travel Awards team will hold a tasting of the wines of our nominees and sponsors, as well as present wines of Ukraine. Condemning the atrocities of the aggressor in Ukraine and supporting Ukrainian winemakers, BIWC, like other international exhibitions and competitions, provides a number of preferences to participants from Ukraine.

We invite Ukrainian winemakers to take part in the Balkans International Wine Competition free of charge!

The 11th Balkans International Wine Competition will take place in Salamina from 1 to 3 June, and the Balkan Wine Festival will take place in Bulgaria from 16 to 18 June. Both events are united under the common name Balkans International Wine Competition and Festival (BIWCF) and aim to promote Balkan wines in the region and the world.

Bacardi, one of the world’s largest producers of alcoholic beverages, donates money to support humanitarian projects in Ukraine.

The Bacardi Limited group of companies, which owns more than 100 alcohol brands, has decided to provide $ 1 million in financial assistance to Ukraine at this difficult time for our country.

The funds donated to the Red Cross and the Mercy Corps will be used to purchase and deliver food, hygiene products, medicines and resuscitation equipment. In addition, the money will be used to organize first aid courses, as well as projects to help reunite war-torn families.

The group said in a statement: “Bacardi Limited’s priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of people, especially those directly affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine. We support the people of Ukraine with the resources and services needed in this time of emergency.”

In addition, Bacardi has joined a number of the world’s leading beverage producers who stopped selling in Russia after its armed aggression against Ukraine: the company suspended exports and froze advertising investment in the invading country.

Bacardi, one of the world’s largest producers of alcoholic beverages, donates money to support humanitarian projects in Ukraine.

The board of the Association de la Sommellerie (ASI) has announced initiatives to support Ukrainian refugees.

According to ASI President William Wouters “we are all concerned about the fate of our Ukrainian friends, their families and loved ones. The unprovoked war has forced the people of Ukraine to defend themselves against their Russian invaders. Many people have become homeless and millions, mostly women and children, have been forced to leave the country. ASI has prepared an initiative that we hope will help many Ukrainians find work in the hospitality, winery and wine retail sectors in Europe.”

As part of its commitment to support displaced Ukrainians, ASI will organize and promote a platform on their website which allows restaurateurs, vineyard owners, retailers, wine agencies and wine training and educational institutions from across Europe to post job offers exclusively for Ukrainian citizens. Every job offer will be verified by ASI and the job listings will be provided free to employers, wishing to take advantage of the program, for a 4-week period.

Wouters elaborates “the situation in Ukraine requires, first and foremost, financial support initiatives through authorised organizations which provide medicine, food clothing and organise aid for refugees. As such we (ASI) have asked our member associations and supporters to both promote the cause to its members but also to work with their partners to provide financial support for Ukraine. The association has identified proven, established organizations it feels can best provide immediate support.

Polish Humanitarian Action https://www.pah.org.pl/en/ukraine/
International Red Cross https://www.icrc.org
MSF https://www.msf.org

According to Wouters “we are already seeing our member associations rally behind this important cause, including hosting fund raising initiatives, and supporting Ukraine businesses via seminars and tastings highlighting Ukrainian beverage alcohol products.” To support its members ASI will be utilizing the strength of its social media to support efforts.

Employer Job Posting Form

Application Form 

The board of the Association de la Sommellerie (ASI) has announced initiatives to support Ukrainian refugees.

The Decanter World Wine Awards cancels applications from Russian wineries, and the Balkans International Wine Competition and Balkan Wine Festival give preferences to participants from Ukraine.

The organizers of the Decanter World Wine Awards have stated that after the recent military invasion of Ukraine, DWWA cancels applications from Russian wineries, their wines will not participate in the evaluation.

By supporting Ukrainian participants, DWWA exempts them from the mandatory financial levy. “And although winemakers around the world have much more in common than what separates them, we feel we need to stand up for ourselves now. DWWA organizers believe in peace as soon as possible and send best wishes to all victims.”

The organizers of the Balkans International Wine Competition and the Balkan Wine Festival, wine competitions that will take place on June 1-3 in Greece (Salamis) and June 16-18 in Bulgaria (Sofia), respectively, condemn the atrocities of the aggressor in Ukraine.

“We care about the people who are at the epicenter of this horror and express our support to them, we want Ukrainians to return to their normal lives and work again, laugh, love and live in peace,” said the organizers of the Balkans International Wine Competition and Balkan Wine Festival.

The organizers of both Balkan events emphasize that Ukraine has demonstrated the rapid and unique development of its wine industry and, supporting Ukrainian participants, will provide:

• opportunity to submit your samples free of charge at a competition in Greece;
• free stand for the Association of Winemakers of Ukraine “Wines of Ukraine” at the Balkan Wine Festiva;
• opportunity to organize a master class on Ukrainian wines during the festival in Sofia.

London Wine Fair, which decided to support the Wine Travel Awards and became the Official Exhibition Partner of the new format of the wine tourism award, announced that it is ready to provide an opportunity for Ukrainian wine producers to be presented free of charge at the event at a joint stand. Our winemakers only need to deliver their samples to London on their own.

“Our hearts are with Ukraine. We stand in solidarity with our information partner Drinks+ and the organizers of the Wine Travel Awards,” said LWF representatives.

Prepared by O. Bantysheva based on materials from decanter.com, facebook.com/galina.t.niforou

Photo: decanter.com, facebook.com/londonwinefair

The Decanter World Wine Awards cancels applications from Russian wineries, and the Balkans International Wine Competition and Balkan Wine Festival give preferences to participants from Ukraine.

The Verona Exhibition Centre is once again ready to welcome the most prestigious event in the world of wine. 10-13 April 2022: Verona will bring together more than 4000 exhibitors, buyers and stakeholders keener than ever to restart the engines of the wine business.

More than just a trade fair, Vinitaly over time has developed into a brand that brings together international initiatives, guides and competitions, as well as the VinitalyPlus wine community platform on-line all year round. The event has always played a key role in promoting contacts between operators and producers in the wine sector and is increasingly focused on the development of B2B relationships: more than 400 events including seated and walk-around tastings, conferences, gala events and analysis of reference markets.

Vinitaly was the first trade fair to introduce thematic areas that help give voice to the latest international trends. Let’s take a look at the highlight areas in the Vinitaly 2022 calendar:

Mixology

The new entry for 2022 is the launch of the special Mixology thematic area dedicated to an increasingly popular and trendy phenomenon. The four days of the trade fair will offer professional visitors a specific space for master classes involving the most talented and trend-setting bartenders, reports dealing with the history of products, and high-level workshops where new cocktails will be invented based on wines, liqueurs and spirits. The Mixology Competition will see selected bartenders from all over Italy compete with new recipes to create original cocktails. The finalists will compete in the final live session, in the Mixology Area itself, on Wednesday 13 April.

Micro Mega Wines – Micro Size, Mega Quality

Micro Mega Wines – Micro Size, Mega Quality is the new Vinitaly initiative organised in collaboration with Ian D’Agata, a renowned wine writer and one of the leading promoters of awareness of Italian wines around the world. This space is dedicated to companies with small-scale output based on native and international vines with a focus on exceptional quality: products and stories that enhance the world of wine.
The initiative involves companies focusing with passion and tenacity on safeguarding and producing excellent wines from native and at times almost extinct vines, and others that are standard bearers for heroic territories at risk of abandonment.

Vinitaly Bio

Vinitaly was one of the first trade fairs to welcome the organic world: the Vinitaly Bio show made its debut in 2014 and focused exclusively on certified organic wines from Italy and abroad. The Bio Hall is home to guided tasting sessions as well as an organic wine store.

International Wine Hall

The international vocation of the event finds expression in the International Wine Hall dedicated specifically to international production. The tasting area will host numerous guided tastings organised by companies or national institutions highlighting wines and spirits from Austria, Slovenia, Serbia, Turkey, Croatia, Argentina, France, South Africa, Spain, Venezuela, Moldova, Chile, Peru, Santo Domingo, United Kingdom, Macedonia and Lebanon.

Vinitaly Tasting – The DoctorWine Selection

A Vinitaly tasting-event in collaboration with journalist Daniele Cernilli, aka Doctor Wine, organised for buyers and operators in the Ho.re.ca. sector (hotels, restaurants & catering).

Enolitech

From the vineyard to the wine cellar, from the olive grove to the oil mill while also passing by way of brewing. This is the exhibition itinerary for Enolitech – the international exhibition dedicated to the entire technological supply chain applied to wine-growing, olive growing and beverages, with the finest high-tech and digital solutions. The product sectors covered by Enolitech are: vineyard and olive grove nurseries, growing systems and materials, machinery and equipment for harvesting and processing, machinery and equipment for production, bottling and packaging, barrels of all kinds and sizes, vats, machinery and equipment for packaging and transport, labels, corks, bottles, capsules, packaging, software for vineyards/olive groves and wine cellars/olive oil mills, bio-technologies, adjuvants, clarifying agents, stabilizers and preservatives, services, logistics and shipping.

Vinitaly Design: wine accessories and innovation

Following the success of the 2019 edition, Vinitaly Design returns – a hall dedicated to all products and accessories that complete the offering associated with the promotion of wine and sensory experience: from items used for tasting and service, to furniture for wine cellars, wine bars and restaurants, as well as customised packaging and gifts. Vinitaly Design is a place for meetings with buyers from the horeca world and exhibitors at Vinitaly who diversify their activities by offering tastings and hospitality in their wine companies. It is housed in the new Area H totalling 12,000 square meters (1,200 more than last year), reflecting the growing appeal of this event.

Vinitaly: a soul with an international vocation

Highly successful proposals of international scope include OperaWine (in partnership with Wine Spectator), Vinitaly stop-offs around the world (USA, RUSSIA), and new entries in recent years Wine2Asia (Shenzhen, China) and Wine South America (Bento Gonçalves, Brazil), as well as the courses for professionals organised by VIA-Vinitaly International Academy and the international stages dedicated to the HORECA area with the Bellavita Expo brand. 2017 saw the debut of the new international guide “5 Star Wines – The Book” – designed to be an effective business tool and genuine marketing lever for companies, as well as Wine Without Walls – the 5StarWines section dedicated to certified organic and biodynamic wines and other wines covered by sustainability protocols/certifications. If the producers selected for “5StarWines – The Book” are exhibitors at Vinitaly 2022, they will be able to enter the selected wines on the Vinitaly Plus platform free of charge, accompanied by the score achieved. The data detailing wines in “5StarWines – The Book” will also be on the Vinitaly App used by the most important foreign buyers; it is designed to facilitate localization of all companies with at least one wine selected for this guide during Vinitaly by sending specific notifications. Vinitaly has always sought to provide versatile and articulate tools to promote companies, expand customer portfolios and consolidate brand identity: 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls are one such tool.

The historic Vinitaly Design International Packaging Competition completes the framework of international competitions, where wine and design come together to create a great combination highlighting the special beauty of every single bottle of wine. The Vinitaly ecosystem also offers opportunities for meeting, updating and training dedicated to producers, such as Wine2Wine Forum, without ever forgetting consumer events such as Vinitaly & the City, the off-show event in the centre of Verona dedicated to wine lovers.

The Verona Exhibition Centre is once again ready to welcome the most prestigious event in the world of wine. 10-13 April 2022: Verona will bring together more than 4000 exhibitors, buyers and stakeholders keener than ever to restart the engines of the wine business.

The Wine Travel Awards (WTA) public voting started on March 1 and will last all month long.

Voting for the Wine Travel Awards nominees started on the first day of spring, March 1. But on the eve of the start of a new phase of our awards, founded – if anyone did not know – by Ukrainians, we wondered whether to suspend the wine tourism project or morally continue it at a time when Ukraine is fighting the Russian Nazis. Is all this appropriate when bombs are falling on the heads of civilians and our compatriots are hiding with children in bomb shelters, when men are defending the Fatherland with weapons in their hands, when winemakers pour wine from bottles to fill them with “Bandera smoothie” cocktails… When in our peaceful country children are shot with machine guns…

And we decided – we will not stop. This project was born of a pandemic out of spite: it would seem that tourism is to blame in the days of lockdown. And now, during this terrible war, we have decided that we will continue to form our progressive Wine Travel Awards community.

It is the community, because today Ukraine needs joint action more than ever, it needs support. And the world – and not only the wine, but all reasonable – needs unity. And hope: that the light will overcome darkness.

So, voting for the nominees for the Wine Travel Awards started yesterday – to the detriment of all deaths. Among WTA nominees, there are the star names of wine journalists from Sweden and the USA, Japan and Great Britain, legendary wineries of Argentina and Italy, France and Georgia, Moldova and Germany. Here are the archaeological wineries of Armenia and Italy (Pompeii) along with the latest projects such as the Incubateur Bernard Magrez Start-Up Win. And, of course, our Ukrainian wineries, the SHABO’s wine culture center, wine and food journalists and photographer Arsen Fedosenko, the destination of the Odesa region, Ukrainian events and the Sommelier School “Master Class”…

Today, Drinks+ Communication Media Group appeals to other nominees from all over the world, to all wine lovers and wine travelers to vote both for their compatriots and for ours – Ukrainians. Support the nominees of the Wine Travel Awards from Ukraine, who do not have time for awards today, who do not even care about wine today, and the country has officially introduced a dry law. Today they are defending our land with weapons in their hands or hiding from missile strikes with their children.

Because Ukraine is worth it! We will win!

The Wine Travel Awards (WTA) public voting started on March 1 and will last all month long.

The program of An Understanding of Wine offers lessons on debunking common wine myths, analyzing tasting methods, and deciphering wine labels and language.

Wine critic, journalist, writer, consultant to Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain Jancis Robinson launches her wine training course.

Tasting more than 10,000 wines a year, Jancis Robinson draws on the knowledge she has gained over 45 years of her career, as she became the first person to pass the Master of Wine (MW) exams without being involved in wine trading. Jancis runs a weekly wine column for the Financial Times and co-authored several world-famous wine books, including The World Atlas of Wine and The Oxford Companion to Wine. Robinson has been awarded the Order of the British Empire for her work in the wine industry. She is a wine adviser to Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and the only wine writer to be inducted into the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame.

The course “An Understanding Wine” consists of 25 video lessons lasting 5 hours.

Robinson says an interview with Domaine Dujac winemakers Jeremy Seysses and Diana Snowden Seysses was a very important and valuable moment during the filming of the course. According to the author of the training course, she gained more from communicating with them than just understanding the process of their winemaking. “I learnt from Jeremy that biodynamic wine producers like him can order cow horns via the internet,” says Jancis Robinson.

Robinson jokes that her favourite part of the production process at Domaine Dujac was the picnics in sunny Burgundy during the 2021 harvest.

The author of the course says that it is important for her that the participants of the program learn from her understanding of “the importance of developing your own taste in wine rather than being swayed by someone you know who sets themselves up as a bit of an expert.”

“I don’t tell anyone what to like in the course but give them the tools for learning more,” emphasizes Jancis Robinson.

The course schedule can be viewed here.

* The James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame recognizes books that have influenced our perception of cooking and authors who have the ability to convey their gastronomic vision through the printed word. The first cookbook was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.

Source: thedrinksbusiness.com, bbcmaestro.com

Photo: thedrinksbusiness.com, glossary.wein.plus/robinson-jancis

The program of An Understanding of Wine offers lessons on debunking common wine myths, analyzing tasting methods, and deciphering wine labels and language.