Press Release: DANUBE WINE CHALLENGE IWC 2022
The ninth edition of the prestigious international wine competition Danube Wine Challenge took place from 1 to 5 June 2022. Traditionally, the event was hosted by the iconic manor house Château Belá. Hotel and Winery. Once again, the organizers managed to assemble a stellar jury, which included top international tasters from fifteen countries around the world, including Slovakia.
The Danube Wine Challenge is the top event of the wine year not only in Slovakia, but also in Central Europe. In addition to being held under the high patronage of the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine), it is also a member of VINOFED (World Federation of Major International Wine and Spirits Competitions), which obliges the organisers to comply with very strict rules of evaluation, awarding of prizes and generally ensuring a high quality level of the competition.
In total, the judges evaluated 570 wines from 18 countries: Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Australia, Spain, France, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Chile, Italy, New Zealand, Greece, Slovenia, Switzerland, Croatia and Northern Macedonia. Slovak wines were the most represented (60%). The competition was dominated by white (49%) and red (22%) still wines, but of course, there were also sparkling wines, wines with residual sugar and rare naturally sweet wines. An interesting feature of this competition is traditionally the category of white wines with maceration (orange wines).
Under the strict rules of the OIV, no more than thirty percent of all wines entered in a competition under its auspices may be awarded medals. The high quality level of the wines in this competition is evidenced by the fact that many of them, which scored more than 85 points (the threshold for a silver medal) were left without an award. The OIV’s 30% limit meant that medals could only be awarded from a score of 88.25 points. In total, 12 double gold, 140 gold and 19 silver medals were attributed. Slovak winemakers account for a total of 65% of all medals: 6 large gold, 93 gold and 13 silver.
In addition to the medals, other special awards were also announced. The prestigious Prix VINOFED and the title Champion of the Danube Wine Challenge 2022 for the winners of the final tasting of the highest scored dry wines in three categories were all given to Slovak wines: Pinot gris 2021 (Víno Mrva & Stanko), Sekt 1933 premium cuvée 2018 (Vinárske závody Topoľčianky) and Frankovka Private Reserve 2017 (Vinárstvo Miro Fondrk). The latter also takes the Trophy „Best Frankovka“. In the other categories, according to the Statutes, the winners (highest scored wines) were announced. Seven Slovak wineries, one Moravian and one Hungarian winery take the title of Category Winner out of a total of nine awarded.
Laureates of the VINOFED Prize and Champions of DANUBE WINE CHALLENGE 2022
The special prize for the Best wine collection of the Danube Wine Challenge 2022 goes to the Slovak winery Martin Pomfy – Mavín from Vinosady, which was also awarded the Trophy for the Best Veltliner for its Veltlínske zelené Selection 2019.
The highest ranked wine from Slovakia with a score of 94.2 points (double gold medal) was the white wine with maceration R39 Orange 2019 from the winery Víno Velkeer 1113, which is also the winner of this category and the laureate of the award Best Wine of the Nitra Self-Governing Region.
The Cup of the Danube Wine Route goes to the winemaker Miro Petrech for his red wine Château Belá Alibernet 2011.
An important part of the Danube Wine Challenge project is to present the region and its potential as an attractive destination for wine tourism. For this purpose, expert lectures, presentations, visits to wineries and joint tastings with local gastronomy are provided. This year, the guest experts focused on Cool climate red wines – Slovakia and Burgenland (Austria). During the master class hosted by Georg Schweitzer (Director of Wein Burgenland) and Edita Ďurčová (Director of Danube Wine Challenge) representative samples of wines from the varieties Frankovka modrá (Blaufränkisch), Zweigelt and Dunaj were tasted. Like during the whole competition, the tasting was done from top Slovak RONA five star glasses.
As part of the accompanying activities, the jury members visited several Slovak wineries jointly or individually. A symbolic boat cruise on the Danube from Visegrad to Štúrovo, accompanied by wine tasting and regional specialities, was one of the highlights of the social and tourist programme for the tasters and sponsors.
The beautiful surroundings and facilities of Château Bela Manor House created unique conditions for the tasters, which many, much better known international wine competitions cannot provide.
Slovakia is a beautiful country, with hospitable, kind, cultured and educated people, great wines and rich Central European gastronomy. All this is an excellent background not only for the competition itself, but also for the development of eno-gastronomic tourism.
The Danube Wine Challenge is an opportunity to raise the profile of the country and its quality wines, even from smaller winemakers for whom similar competitions abroad are financially and logistically unaffordable. Renowned international tasters are coming to Slovakia to get to know it, to evaluate our wines and to report on them to the whole wine world. We should take every opportunity at home and abroad to promote Slovakia as an attractive tourist destination through our wines.
Like last year, all participants agreed that wine is an essential element of communication, it is the best and most pleasant ambassador of the country where it comes from.
The organisers would like to thank all the partners and sponsors who made it possible for the Danube Wine Challenge 2022 to take place at the highest level, which was confirmed by the reviews of the OIV and VINOFED experts and comments of other members of the tasting jury.
Main partner of Danube Wine Challenge: Hotel Chateau Béla
Partners: Ministerstvo pôdohospodárstva a rozvoja vidieka SR, Slovakia Travel, RONA, Wein Burgenland, Purgina, SOŠ hotelových služieb a obchodu Nové Zámky, EVIRS, SVA, Národní vinařské centrum, Bricol, Lucka – tvoj vodný svet, Caffé Trieste, ZAX – hand made chocolate, DPD SK and others.
Visit to wineries: Vinárstvo Chateau Belá, Chateau Rúbaň, Bott Frigyes, Víno Nichta, Víno Natural Domin & Kušický, Marvla Tindo, Organic, Vinárstvo András Matyás and others.
