PHOTOS: Croatia hosts one of the world’s most prestigious wine competitions

by croatiaweek
May 14, 2023
in Food & Wine

(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)

The official part of the 30th Concours Mondial de Bruxelles has ended in Istria, Croatia.

One of the most prestigious global wine competitions took place in the Žatika hall in Poreč, gathering 320 judges, including 16 Croatian judges who are well-known names in the wine world: Ivan Jug, Marijan Bubola, Ivan Damjanić, Josip Barišić, Sandi Paris, Danijela Katarinčić, Matea Jagar, Marko Krstačić, Toni Babić, Toni Batel, Filip Božić, Ana Marija Jagatić Korenika, Sanja Radeka, Saša Špiranec, Tomislav Tuđen and Josip Orišković.

(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)

Together with their colleagues who came to Poreč from 50 countries, they tasted 7,504 wine samples over the course of three days, and the results will be announced on the official Concours Mondial de Bruxelles website on May 23 at noon.

(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)

“For such a large event, 600 tables and more than 500 chairs were brought to the Žatika hall, and during the three days, 50 Plava Laguna waiters and 55 high school students from Osijek, Virovitica, Buje, Pula, Rovinj, and Poreč worked there. Participants from the Plava Laguna culinary academy worked at eno-gastronomic events, while more than 600 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles participants stayed in our hotels. Such a wine event has never happened before in Croatia and the wider region; it can be said that this is the Champions League of the wine world,” emphasized Emil Perdec, the food and beverage manager of Plava Laguna, the golden sponsor, accommodation, and logistical partner of Vinistra at this world wine event, which is extremely important for promoting Istrian wines and Istria around the world.

(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)

The event was hosted by the Vinistra association of Istrian winegrowers and winemakers, and it was the largest event organized by Vinistra to date.

(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)

“This is the largest event organized by Vinistra so far, and we wanted to present Istria and Croatia to the competition participants in the best possible way, through a top-notch experience and visits to wineries and our biggest attractions. This wouldn’t have been possible without our partners but also the winemakers, members of Vinistra, who really made an effort to show the competition participants the best we have, of course, with a focus on Malvazija and Teran.

(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)

Istria once again confirmed itself as a representative wine region with exceptional wine quality and beautiful family wineries. The reactions of the participants of the 30th Concours Mondial de Bruxelles are great, and as hosts, we are extremely happy about that,” said the president of Vinistra, the association of Istrian winemakers and grape growers, Luka Rossi, congratulating the governor of Guanajuato, Mexico, Diego Sinhué Rodríguez, on hosting in 2024.

(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)

Istrian county prefect Boris Miletić said he believed the competition participants enjoyed the rich program and tour of Istria.

“I hope you discovered this little piece of paradise, had a good time after the judging in the Žatika hall, and that you will go home full of experiences and fond memories and that you will come back to Istria and Croatia again. Today, when everyone talks about the future and artificial intelligence, we can be sure that it will never beat people when it comes to wine production. I am convinced that the Guanajuato region will be an excellent host, and I wish them all the best in 2024, and once again, I thank Concours Mondial de Bruxelles for choosing Istria for this year’s hosting,” said the Istrian county prefect.

(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)

“Top-notch organization, we are extremely satisfied, the atmosphere is excellent. I would like to congratulate Vinistra and its partners on a job well done. We are impressed with the beautiful Istrian wineries, your exceptional malvasias and terans, attractive landscapes, and the beauty of Istria. I will definitely come back privately to your beautiful wine region,” said Baudouin Havaux, President of Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.