Bela Voda White 2021 from North Macedonia Won The Grand Trophy For The Best Balkan Wine

Bela Voda White 2021 of the Tikves Winery from North Macedonia was named the best wine in the Balkans at the moment. The decision of the expert jury became clear during the traditional award ceremony, called “Balkan Wine Oscars”, at the eleventh edition of The Balkans International Wine Competition and Festival (BIWCF).

The official part of the evening began with a congratulatory address by the Minister of Agriculture Dr. Ivan Ivanov, read by the Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Vine and Wine Georgi Todorov. Tsvetan Simeonov, Chairman of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also took the stage in front of the National Palace of Culture. The ceremony was also attended by Yordan Chorbadjiiski, Chairman of the National Vine and Wine Chamber.

“The time is not far off when the Balkans will take their fifth place in the ranking of world producers. I would like to thank Galina Niforou for being the driving force behind this prestigious forum for the 11th time. The wine sector is becoming stronger and more recognizable and the growing number of connoisseurs is the best illustration of this”, said Simeonov.

The most prestigious award in the competition was presented by the director of BIWCF and chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Wine Exporters Galina Niforu. Rados Vukicevic, director of Tikves Winery, took the stage to receive the statuette in person.

“I am very happy that this wine won the grand prize of the Balkan International Wine Competition, because 12 years ago, when it was created, it was the first wine from North Macedonia, awarded many points by Robert Parker. And today it is number 1 in our country as well!”, said Niforou.

The trophy for “Best Winery in the Balkans” was awarded for the third year in a row to Turkish Suvla Winery. The award is given to the winery that won the most medals in the competition. The award went to Sulim Winery’s Selim Ellialti, who expressed his gratitude and pride for the award and the fact that their team is part of the Balkan community that BIWCF unites.

At the end of the ceremony, BIWCF Director Galina Niforou announced the next host country which will host the competition. In 2022, the jury of the wine forum will assess Balkan wines in Romania (Bistrita-Nasaud, Transylvania).

Here is the complete list of trophy holders in the different categories:

Best Dry White Wine Trophy – Bela Voda White 2021, Tikves winery, North Macedonia

Best Dry Red Wine Trophy – N 1/2, Vinarija Ivanovic, Serbia

Best Dry Rose Wine Trophy – ISSA Pinot Noir Rose 2021, Crama la Salina, Romania and Zelanos Pinot Noir Rose 2021, Zelanos Winery, Bulgaria

Best Sparkling wine Trophy – Rose Metodo Classico, 2016, Edoardo Miroglio, Bulgaria

Best Orange Wine Trophy – Orange, 2020, Vidinska Gamza, Bulgaria

Best Organic Wine Trophy – Assyrtiko Nikolaou Bio 2021, Greece

Best Dessert Wine Trophy – Monemvasia-Malvasia, 2011, Monemvasia Winery, Greece

Best Semisweet Wine Trophy – Oenodos Moschato Semisweet, 2021, Evdaimon – Tselepis P.C, Greece

Best Special Wine Trophy – SWEET SUNSET, 2020, Skevofilax, Greece

Best Indigenous Red Wine Trophy – Prokupac 2019, Vinarija Grabak, Serbia

Best Indigenous White Wine Trophy – Cuvee Evdemon, 2018, Estate Argyros, Santorini, Greece

Best Indigenous Dessert Wine Trophy – Vinsanto Late Release,  2002, Estate Argyros, Santorini, Greece

Best Label Design Trophy – Gorun Winery, Bulgaria

The other participants in the contest with a record number of samples won double gold, gold, silver and bronze medals. The awards for best wine by country – Best of Show – were announced after the end of the competition in Salamina, Greece. 

Here are the awarded Best of Show wines by countries:

Best of Show Albania

Juga e Bardhe 2021

KANTINA FABA

Best of Show Bosnia and Herzegovina

Perle Ljubavi 2021

VINARIJA FAZAN

Best of Show Croatia

Plovac Ploski 2015

CARIC WINERY

Best of Show Greece

Diaporos Xinomavro 2017

KIR YIANNI ESTATE

Best of Show Kosovo

Rahova Klasike Reserve 2019

LABI WINES

Best of Show Montenegro

Stari Podrum Vranac 2013

PLANTAZE WINERY

Best of Show North Macedonia

Luda Mara Vranec 2019

TIKVES WINERY

Best of Show Romania

Crama Gabai Red Blend 2019

CRABA GABAI

Best of Show Serbia

Vincic White Reserve 2012

VINCIC WINERY

Best of Show Slovenia

Seven Numbers Sauvignon Blanc 2019

PUKLAVEC FAMILY WINES

Best of Show Turkey

Suvla Bogazkere – Okuzgozu 2021

SUVLA WINERY

Best of Show Ukraine

Odessos Merlot Limited Edition 2020

ODESSOS WINERY

The Balkans International Wine Festival is open until June 18th and welcomes the residents and guests of Sofia in the specially built Wine Town in the park in front of the National Palace of Culture. In addition to getting acquainted with some of the most interesting wineries in Bulgaria and the Balkans, wine lovers will have the opportunity to taste the award-winning wines in a special Golden Tent.

The Balkan International Wine Competition and Festival 2022 is supported by the Sofia Municipality, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as the media partnership of Wines of Macedonia, All Wine Stories, Vino & Fino magazine, Sofiaadventures, Visitskopje, Vinopedia, Winepeople.ro, In your pocket, Drinks.ua, Wine Travel Awards, ivanasimjanovska.com,  Autentika, Turističke priče, Moto Pfohe Rent a Car, Страница.бг, vevesti.bg, divident.eu, Sportal Media Group, Exporter.bg, Apollowine.com, Hit-bg.com, WineBG.info, списание твоят БИЗНЕС, b2b media.bg, ExpoWorld.bg, Agro TV, Стандарт, Trio.bg, White Water, АИДБ, Аз чета, Jasmin.bg, bgtourism.bg, Winetours.bg, Wineo.bg, Bulgaria Wine Тours, Bulgaria Wine Тours, Fresh Cuts of Life, WineTourMaker.com, Exotic Wine Travel, bgvipnews.eu, hotpressbg.com, bulgarianews.bg, green-news.bg, Литературен клуб „Перото“, Екопак.

You can download photos by Anton Markov/Agency PhotoGroup.bg