Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2016 is held in Plovdiv

The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is the most prestigious international competition in the wine industry and its 23rd edition is taking place from 29 April to 1 May 2016 at the International Fair Plovdiv. The event will be personally honoured by Thomas Costenoble, Director of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, and Plovdiv is prepared to welcome the wine elite with an engaging cultural programme, local wineries, and a variety of presentations and tastings in the viticulture and winemaking sector.

More than 200 Bulgarian wines will participate in the prestigious competition this year. For comparison, in 2015 Bulgaria was represented at the Competition with about 100 samples. The Bulgarian wine producers that have confirmed their participation in the competition and post-competition programme are: Angelus Estate, Bendida, Bessa Valley, Borovitza, Biltа, Bulgarian Association of Independent Winegrowers and Winemakers, Vinprom Peshtera, Wine Cellar Asenovgrad, Wine Union, Villa Melnik, Vinex Slavyantsi, DiVes Estate, Domaine Boyar International, Domaine Justyna, Dragomir, Edoardo Miroglio, Zagreus, Zelanos, Zlatен Rozhen, Karabunar, Katarzyna Estate, Rumelia, Neragora, Orbelus, Minkov Brothers, Spiritus Sanctus, Terra Tangra, Chateau Burgozone and Chateau des Val. They will represent our country with wines from both international grape varieties and typical Bulgarian ones such as Mavrud, Shiroka Melnishka Loza, Gamza, Rubin, Melnik 55, Pamid, Tamyanka, Misket and Dimiat. Bulgarian organic wines will also take part in the competition for medals.

The tastings will be held over three days, and an international jury of 320 tasters – renowned traders, wine journalists, sommeliers, experts and representatives of producers’ associations, including 40 Bulgarians – will evaluate the wines presented. According to the competition regulations, the number of medals may not exceed 30% of the samples presented, and a mandatory requirement is that they must be wines available on the market. One Grand Gold Medal and gold and silver medals will be awarded in five categories: red, white, rosé, sparkling and sweet wine. The results of the Concours Mondial in Plovdiv this year will be announced after mid-May 2016.

Programme

From 29 April to 1 May 2016 inclusive, the jury will taste wines. On the afternoons of 29 and 30 April, Bulgarian wineries in the region will be visited, and on 1 May – landmarks in Plovdiv. The Municipality of Plovdiv is organising 9 tours around the city with a rich programme. At noon on 1 May, the last day of the Competition, the next host country of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles will be announced. On 2 and 3 May, within the framework of the post-competition programme, wine journalists will visit wineries in more remote regions – in Northwestern and Southeastern Bulgaria.

The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in Plovdiv is open only to accredited persons.

Organisers and partners

The organiser of the event is the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, and on the Bulgarian side – the National Vine and Wine Chamber. The partners of the competition are, respectively, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Municipality of Plovdiv, the International Fair Plovdiv, with the company “Probejex” as the official partner.

History of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles was established in 1994 by the Belgian Louis Havaux and has succeeded in gaining a reputation as a highly renowned wine competition. In order to reinforce its international character, since 2006 the competition has been held in different cities outside Brussels. Wine capitals have included Lisbon, Maastricht, Bordeaux, Valencia, Palermo, Luxembourg, Guimarães, Bratislava and Jesolo.

Bulgaria’s participation as host will highlight its importance as a respected winegrowing and winemaking country on the world wine map.