BIWCF 2020, Interesting Times, Successful Wine Competition, Powerful Message
They say it’s a curse to live in interesting times and we have definitely been living them to the fullest for the past few months. Organizing a wine competition in times like these is by all means a challenge which was successfully pulled off by Galina Todorova Niforou, Managing Director of the Balkans International Wine Competition & Festival & Igor Lukovic, this year’s BIWC Co-organizer & Konstantinos Lazarakis MW, chairman of the jury, who was impeded to attend the long-awaited event due to the coronavirus situation.
The 9th edition of The Balkans International Wine Competition as of this year started rotating countries, and Belgrade, the Serbian capital, was the first one were it landed. And, rightfully so as what Decanter is for the Western countries, that is BIWC for the Balkans and especially for Serbia. A medal from the Balkan International Wine Competition is praised among the Serbian winemakers.
“Who could tell that I wasn’t with you this week?”, the chairman of the judging panel Konstantinos Lazarakis MW said at the beginning of his recorded video message for the BIWC participants.
“Remember – go back home and just think about your experience in Serbia. The Serbian wine producers and some of the most amazing ones in Europe”, he added.
Having been following the Balkan wine scene as far as from 2012, I couldn’t agree more. The overall wine industry on the Balkan Peninsula has changed enormously since then and has been changing ever since. The level of quality of the wines went up as much as the investments in the wine sector as both the producers and the institutions in the sector realized how much potential the Balkan wines can offer.
This year’s judging panel consisted of renowned experts: Rod Smith MW (UK/France), Katia Iontcheva (Bulgaria) Đurđa Katić (Serbia), Horia Hasnas (Romania), Ivana Simjanovska (North Macedonia), Tomislav Ivanovic (Serbia), Dashamir Elezi (Albania), Prof. dr Vesna Maras (Montenegro) , Fabiola G. Rios (Mexico, Czech Republic), Alexander Matejic (Serbia), Zvonko Herceg (North Macedonia), Michaela Kapickova (Czech Republic), Róbert Csévári (Serbia), Vihren Velkov (Bulgaria) and Vuk Stefanovic ( Serbia). It was my first time to be panel chair at BIWC this year after having participated every year since its inception.
The Best of Show awards were given for the first time last year at the 8th edition of the Competition. Their national value was regarded as important and therefore this year BIWC awarded again the best wine per country.
Here are the awarded Best of Show wines by countries:
● Albania – Belba winery, Chardonnay, 2019
● Bosnia and Hertzegovina – Vinarija Jungic, Tamjanika Premium, 2018
● Bulgaria – Villa Melnik, Rare Varieties Melnik 13 Jubilee, 2017
● Croatia – Caric winery, Plovac Ploski Barrique 2013
● Greece – Estate Argyros Vinsanto 20 years Barrel Aged, 1996
● Kosovo, Labi Wine, Vranç Reserve, 2017
● Montenegro – Plantaze, Stari Podrum Marcelan & Petit Verdot & Merlot, 2013
● North Macedonia – Chateau Kamnik, Terroir Vranec Grand Reserve, 2015
● Romania – Familia Vladoi, Ravak White, 2019
● Serbia – Vinarija Veritas, Momentum Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
● Turkey – Suvla winery, Karasakis Reserve, 2017
During our stay in Belgrade, visits to several wineries took place- Vinum winery, a small winery located in Sremski Karlovci, producing amazing Frankovka & crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Revelation of the evening was the first sparkling wine from Grashac– the first winery in Serbia to produce sparkling wine from this variety. Erdevik winery, located in the village of Erdevik on Frushka Gora, was the following one we visited that apart from the well crafted wines it also offered one of the best professional services I’ve come across not only on the Balkans but for surely wider. Their Grand Trianon 2015 as well as Grand Trianon 2015 both the same wine, a blend of Merlot, Syrah & Cab Sau, with the only difference that the latter was submerged underwater at the Adriatic Sea for 6 months at 30 m depth.
Aleksandrovic & Despotika were the following wineries to visit on the second day. Aleksandrovic, located in Topola, Oplenovac on Frushka Gora is well known for an array of excellent wines but I would say they stand out for their sparkling ones, especially Trijumf Rose Sparkling 2018 as well as their powerful reds- an outstanding Rodoslov Grand Reserve, a blend of Cab Sau, Merlot & Cabernet Franc. We had the unique chance to taste the 2016 & 2005 vintages from this wine. The day was completed with a visit to Despotika winery in Shumadija. An impressive build with an amazing view of the Jesenica river valley. Having arrived there just as the sun was going down, it very much added to the whole unique experience. Their Prokupac Zmajeviti (zmaj is dragon in Serbian) is one of the best expressions of this variety that Serbia has to offer.
The history of the Competition began in 2012, when Galina Niforou and her team met in person the wine producers to convince them to participate. They were also attracted by the name of Konstantinos Lazarakis – the first Master of Wine in the Balkans who took over the chairmanship of the jury. It has been a long run since and today, BIWC is a guarantee of quality, and wine makers highly value the medals and trophies awarded by the prestigious international jury.
Тhe Festival, the ninth edition, will take place in Sofia, and will be opened on September 17 and will run until September 19. Then the awards in the other categories will be announced, the grand trophy for the best wine in the Balkans and the country that will host the jubilee tenth edition will be announced.