Belgrade Hosts the Balkans International Wine Competition 2020 in July
The ninth edition of The Balkans International Wine Competition will take place between July 15th and 17th in Belgrade, Serbia, after its postponement due to the borders closure in March. This is the first edition of the competition outside of Bulgaria and marks the beginning of a rotation of the hosting countries that aims at better integration of the wine cellars from all Balkan countries and at their better exposure in the region and in Europe.
“I believe that the energy and the inspiration that we invest in the organisation of the Balkans Wine Competition will allow us to make up for lost time. The crisis was unexpected and caused a lot of damage to the wine industry. But winemakers are people who work with passion, ambition and inspiration. I believe that forums such as the 9th Balkans Wine Competition and Festival provide a platform that wine cellars can use to tackle the crisis!”, said Galina Niforou, Managing Director of BIWC.
The main mission of BIWCF is to promote the Balkan wines and the wine culture both in Bulgaria and around the world. The chairman of the Competition and the jury is traditionally Konstantinos Lazarakis MW, the first holder of the title of Master of Wine in the Balkans.
“The Balkan wine is a symbol of quality and authenticity that consumers value! The ninth edition of BIWC will help not only wine lovers, but also representatives of the HoReCa sector to get to know more regional wines and producers”, promises Lazarakis. After the competition, an exhibition will be organized with all samples – on July 17th at the Falkensteiner Hotel in Belgrade, to which business representatives, sommelier, distributors and wine lovers are invited.
The best wine in the Balkans is chosen by the prestigious jury and includes four holders of the title of Master of Wine, the first Bulgarian Master Sommelier Svetoslav Manolev, who works in London, wine professionals and experts from around the world.
The best wine on the Balkans is chosen by the prestigious jury and includes four holders of the title Master of Wine, the first Bulgarian Master Sommelier Svetoslav Manolev, who works in London, wine professionals and experts from around the world.
BIWC is one of the few wine competitions in Europe that is closer to the Australian model of tasting and scoring, which allows a better evaluation of competing wines.
The second open-air edition of the Balkans Wine Festival was planned in early June. The wine town in the heart of Sofia will rise in front of the National Palace of Culture on September 11 and will allow guests and residents of the capital to enjoy a “long wine weekend” until September 13.
With nearly 1.8 million tonnes of wine per year, the Balkans rank 5th in the world, just behind the largest wine-producing countries – Italy, France, Spain and the United States. The Balkans International Wine Competition is the event that brings together the world’s wine elite to see, drink and discover the richness and diversity of the Balkan wines. Each year, the awarded wines are celebrated at a special ceremony and gala dinner, known as the “Balkan Wine Oscars”.
The Balkans International Wine Competition And Festival 2020 is taking place with the support of Sofia Municipality, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bulgarian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SAVEZ – Association of the Serbian Wine Producers, SERSA – Organization of the Serbian Sommeliers, as well as with the media partnership of БНР, списание Мениджър, Exporter.bg, Мама Нинджа, Hit-bg.com, WineBG.info, списание Твоят бизнес, b2b media.bg, Exporter.bg, InFoodVeritas.com, ExpoWorld.bg, Agro TV, Аз чета, Жената днес, Winetours.bg, Wineo.bg, Bulgaria Wine Тours, Арт Идея Бг, Bulgaria Wine Тours, Fresh Cuts of Life, предаването “Винена одисея” on Balgare TV, wineo.bg, WineTourMaker.com, Стандарт.