Istria’s Benvenuti Winery Triumphant at International Wine Challenge in London

Benvenuti (photo: Benvenuti)

A well-known Istrian winery, Benvenuti, was recently awarded a gold medal and a national trophy at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) in London for the Benvenuti Muškat momjanski ‘San Salvatore’ 2011 wine…

One of the world’s most prestigious competitions, IWC from London, announced this year’s results awarding gold medal and a national trophy award to the Benvenuti winery.

IWC is notorious for its strict and rigorous awarding criteria. A minimum of 10 judges and three separate tastings are needed to evaluate every sample. In order to win a gold medal, a wine must be marked somewhere in between 95 and 100 points, silver requires from 90 to 94 points, bronze from 85 to 89 and a mere recommendation requires from 80 to 84 points of a total of 100.

Over the past few decades IWC London has grown to be one of the world’s most prestigious wine competitions coming shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Decanter magazine’s competition.

Benvenuti Muškat momjanski San Salvatore 2011 made quite an impression with the jury for its quality and appeal. It is a desert wine, intensely sweet, with an abundance of candied and caramelised orange peel aromas and a lemony nose, yet it still retains an attractive fresh finish. A great aging potential of years, even decades, makes this a worthy ‘special occasion’ gift.

Benvenuti Muškat momjanski San Salvatore 2011

Benvenuti Winery rests in a quiet little village of Kaldir facing the near-by Motovun. Vineyards are planted with three indigenous Istrian varieties; Istrian Malvazija, Teran and Muscat momjanski (Muscat of Momjan). Family values and tradition are put forward as the main ‘ingredient’ of Benvenuti wines. Owners will often say every bottle holds a small part of the family’s history as well as the ‘wine is only as good as the person making it’ philosophy.

A tasting of Benvenuti wines and a selection of creative gastronomic dishes from the Balon restaurant in Zagreb accompanied the occasion of handing the awards to the proud winemakers.

Numerous awards already confirm Benventi family to be one of those promising Istrian, winemaking families. However, they have proved to be a true, long lasting and genuine heritage of Istrian winemaking. For, winning awards, as important as it may be when it comes to getting some much needed attention, cannot guarantee a prestigious status. A continuity of highest standards and a reliable quality in most vintages are the only things that can guarantee that status.

During the guided tasting first came the Malvazija Benvenuti 2015 followed by the Anno Domini Malvazija 2013 and the Teran Benvenuti 2012.

The ending, naturally, belonged to the awarded San Salvatore 2011 beautifully fused with dried figs, wild maroon honey and Pecorino cheese. It is a desert wine, intensely sweet, with an abundance of candied and caramelised orange peel aromas and a lemony nose, yet it still retains an attractive fresh finish. A great aging potential of years, even decades, makes this a worthy ‘special occasion’ gift.

Due to this special occasion, Restaurant Balon is having a ‘Benvenuti wines’ week, during which visitors will have a chance to enjoy these wines at promotional prices.