Meet the Judges of BIWC 2025: Igor Lukovic
As part of our ongoing series introducing the jury of the 14th edition of the Balkans International Wine Competition (BIWC), we are proud to present some of the experienced professionals shaping the future of Balkan wine. Each of them brings years of expertise and deep passion for the industry. Today, we spotlight Igor Lukovic — read more about him below.
This is your 5th year as President of the Jury in the BIWC. How does it feel to inherit this position after Konstantinos Lazarakis MW, the first Master of Wine in the Balkans and Southeastern Europe and a renowned name in the world of wine?
It wasn’t easy for me to take over the judging after Konstantinos, but assuming the role of president was easier than I expected. I was welcomed by a well-coordinated team and the competition system that Konstantinos had established, and the experience I had previously gained alongside him — judging wines as a judge and panel chair in previous years — proved useful. Specifically, he is one of the people who has influenced me the most and shaped my work process. I believe that Konstantinos was also a visionary in his time because he understood how much more practical and effective the panel wine judging system is compared to others, and today it is applied by the majority of relevant and major wine evaluations.
Why do you think participating in the competition is important for winemakers? What benefits can it bring them?
First and foremost, it significantly increases visibility in the international market, primarily thanks to the fact that the BIWC has gained serious international prestige over time. The medals and trophies attract attention from both the local Balkan audience and the international public.
Where do you want to see the competition in 2040, that is, in 15 years?
As a competition that gathers the most relevant international wine experts and that, in every sense, is at least twice as significant as it is today. I hope for a Balkans that will be more united in every sense, just as it was long ago united around its wines — and for that process, the BIWC deserves part of the credit. The Balkans deserves to be one of the most important wine regions in the world, in terms of the diversity of terroir, grape varieties, and wine quality — and the BIWC competition is here to help communicate these facts to the market.
