Best-rated Croatian wine at most prestigious international wine competition named
- by croatiaweek
- in Food & Wine
Meneghetti Val Gambalera (Photo credit: Meneghetti)
Meneghetti Winery’s Val Gambalera from 2015 has been rated as the best Croatian wine at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.
Poreč, May 23, 2023 – The Istrian wine Val Gambalera from the Meneghetti Winery won a gold medal at the prestigious Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, which was hosted by Vinistra from May 11 to 14. Along with the highest honor, this excellent wine also earned the title of the best-rated Croatian wine.
Let us recall that out of the 7,504 wine samples from around the world that were submitted for evaluation in the Žatika hall in Poreč, 220 came from Croatia, with 150 of them originating from Istria.
Meneghetti Val Gambalera (Photo credit: Meneghetti)
Twenty-three Croatian wineries were awarded gold medals, including an impressive 14 wines from Istria. These include Castello Festigia from 2020 by Agrolaguna, Palun Cuvee 2020 and Merlot 2020 by Marčeta Winery, Kabola Amfora Malvasia 2020, Vivoda Istrian Malvasia 2022, Simminor 2018 and Fuga 2019 by Vina Dobravac, Istrian Malvasia 2022 by OPG Poleis, Živolić Merlot 2021, Dešković Chardonnay Barrique 2021, Degrassi Terre Bianche Cuvee Rouge Riserva 2013, Poletti Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Familia Deklić 2016 by Vina Deklić, and Fakin Chardonnay 2022.
(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)
Gold medals were also awarded to Kvarner, with Anton Katunar winning for his Žlahtina Sveta Lucija from 2022. Additionally, four gold medals went to Slavonia and Croatian Danube Region, including Maximo Nero 2019 by Kutjevo d.d., Frankovka 2009 by Belje Plus, Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot 2020, and Goldberg Chardonnay 2006. Dalmatian wineries also received four gold medals, with Grabovac winning for Syrah Riserva 2020, Badel 1862 for Korlat Merlot Eco 2019 and Korlat Supreme 2015, and Vinarstvo Prović for Dux 2019.
(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)
(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)
Out of the 27 silver medals awarded to Croatian wineries, the majority, 15 of them, were won by Istrian wines. These include Vicinim Malvasia Istriana 2022 by OPG Marko Bernobić, Venka Malvasia 2019 by Marčeta Winery, Istrian Malvasia 2022 by AB Vina – Anđelo Brčić, Amfora Momjan Muscat 2020 by Kabola, Livio Benvenuti’s Malvasia Livio Benvenuti 2021, Sonata Riserva 2020 by Vina Dobravac, Istrian Malvasia 2022 by Robi Damijanić, Agrolaguna’s Istrian Malvasia Festigia 2022, Vina Laguna’s Istrian Malvasia 2022, and Malvasia Istriana Festigia Riserva Vižinada 2016. Additionally, two Malvasia Istriana wines from Deklić Winery from 2021, WM Malvasia 365 from 2022 by MonteIstra Winery, Fakin’s Teran Il Primo 2019, Ipša’s Santa Elena White from 2019 and Kadum’s Malvazija Istarska from 2022 were awarded.
(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)
In Kvarner, the silver medal went to Ivan Katunar for Sansigot 2018, and from Slavonia and Croatian Podunavlia silver was won by Galić Sauvignon Blanc from 2022, Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 and Merlot 2020 from Belja, Badelov Vezak Sauvignon from 2021 and Martin Albus from Frankovka 2018 PP Orahovice; from Dalmatia Crljenak Miljas from 2020, Kairos Crljenak from 2016, Korta Katarina Pošip The American White from 2021, Badelov Korlat Cabernet Sauvignon from 2019 and Pošip Hvar Hills from 2022.
(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)
(Photo credit: Merlo de Graia)
At the jubilee 30th edition of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Vinistra, the association of winegrowers and winemakers of Istria, confirmed itself as a top organizer, 320 judges stayed on the Istrian peninsula and during the world’s largest judging, they visited numerous wineries, as well as the biggest tourist attractions of Istria.
