Fifth edition of Vinobalcanica
April 16 - 18, 2015 Veliko Tarnovo

The fifth edition of the international Vinobalcanica competition was held in Veliko Tarnovo. Over 70 wines from Bulgaria, Macedonia, Turkey, and Romania participated, showcasing the rich diversity of varieties from the countries of the Balkans and the Black Sea region. Vinobalcanica is a competition for wines produced with the participation of varieties from the eco-geographical groups Black Sea /Proles Pontica Negr.-PPN/ and Eastern /Proles Orientalis Negr.-PON/ or varieties that have been selected and distributed in the countries encompassing the Balkan Peninsula and the Black Sea basin. The goal of the organizers, the Union of Oenologists in Bulgaria, is to encourage the production and consumption of regional wines. "I hope that with joint efforts we will not only help the wider, and why not the European, public to get to know our local varieties, but also stimulate the exchange of cultural and culinary values between the countries of the Balkans and the Black Sea region", emphasized Stanimir Stoyanov, Chairman of the UOB. The competition also aims to contribute to the cultural exchange between the countries of the region and the other EU countries.

From the Bulgarian side, the wineries Marjan (the winery from the namesake village in the Elena Balkan is one of the new names in Bulgarian wine) and Villa Yustina participated. The program concludes today, April 18, at the Wine Museum in the National Institute for Research on Wine and Spirits.

Jury

The jury of Vinobalcanica this year includes Elisabeth Gabay (MW), John Salvi (MW), Robin Kick (MW), Peter Koff (MW), Brian Davies (MS), Assoc. Prof. Hristo Spasov - Head of the Department of Wine and Beer Technology at UFT Plovdiv, Vasil Stoyanov - Chief Oenologist of Villa Yustina, and Yassen Zaharieff from the DiVino team.

Participation Conditions

Licensed wine producers of PPN and PON varieties. Each wine submitted for participation must be produced with a minimum of 15% participation of a variety from the mentioned groups or a locally selected variety. Wines can be white, rosé, and red wines that are on the market or ready for sale, of the types: still, sparkling, and special.