The 26th VinAgora International Wine Competition has once again solidified its position as one of Central Europe’s most prestigious wine contests. With a history spanning more than three decades, the event consistently evolves year after year while remaining committed to quality, objectivity, and internationally recognized evaluation standards.
This year, special attention was given to two grape varieties, providing wine professionals with an opportunity to explore their diversity and quality potential in depth. Under the “Grape Varieties in Focus” initiative, wines made from Sauvignon Blanc and Kékfrankos were highlighted. Thanks to a pre-competition campaign, the number of entries from these two varieties significantly increased.
Behind every glass of wine poured at the VinAgora Wine Competition stands the expertise, dedication, and passion of committed winemakers from both Hungary and around the world. The judges approached every wine with equal respect and openness, aware that each bottle held the result of years of careful work and experience. Ensuring this recognition could unfold smoothly and professionally was made possible by the vital work of experienced coordinators. Their tasks included proper sample preparation, overseeing service logistics, and supporting the evaluation process with precision, from temperature monitoring and bottle handling to communication with panel chairs.
The 70-member international jury comprised highly respected wine professionals, including winemakers, sommeliers, educators, and wine merchants. Many among them are frequent participants in leading wine competitions around the world. This year’s jury composition was informed by a detailed analysis of evaluations from previous years. In addition to prominent experts from the Carpathian Basin, judges came from countries such as France, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Greece, and Lebanon. This international presence not only enhanced the competition’s prestige but also ensured a diversity of consumer expectations and wine cultures was represented during evaluation.
The judges' work was supported by cutting-edge technology through the WineCompass software, which enabled fast, accurate, and transparent scoring. The system processed and compared data in real time, facilitating a unified professional judgment across the jury. Developed by Borkult, WineCompass proved itself as a reliable and complex solution for the identification, analysis, and evaluation of wine samples.
Behind the scenes of VinAgora
The organization of the VinAgora wine competition requires meticulous and precise preparation, beginning well before the actual evaluation takes place. After the registration period closes, the process of assembling tasting series begins, taking into account the color, character, and sugar content of the wine samples. The goal is to ensure that tasting sequences follow one another consistently, with each series consisting of 11 to 13 wines. Within each flight, further ordering is based on vintage, the intensity of barrel aging, and aromatic expression.
The preparation of the wines takes place in a separate room, away from the judging area, ensuring the anonymity of the samples and allowing the competition to run smoothly and without disruption. The jury work exclusively in a designated tasting room, where only individuals directly involved in the tasting process are allowed to be present. The Jury may evaluate up to 33–35 wines per day, short breaks between the flights provide a much-needed opportunity to refresh their senses and maintain focus.
The term mise-en-bouche refers to a trial sample that the Jury taste together before the official evaluation begins. This openly scored wine helps to align the individual assessment criteria, ensuring that the jury members start the competition with a harmonized sensitivity and shared reference point.
The role of the committee presidents is crucial in achieving consensus among the members.There are occasions when a wine is considered worthy of a medal by the majority, but the averaged score just crossed the medal threshold. In such cases, the president is entitled to initiate a constructive discussion and, with the agreement of the committee, give higher score to secure its place in the medal category. This fine-tuning process ensures that exceptional wines are not excluded from recognition due to minor technical differences in scoring.
Let's see the results
Nearly 1000 wine samples lined up, waiting to win the judges' approval after a few spins in the glass. A total of 929 wines from 16 different countries were entered to the competition, with approximately three-quarters of them coming from Hungary.
The distribution of awarded medals reflects the overall quality of the wines in the competition: 30% of the awarded wines received silver medals, 65% were awarded gold, and the top 5% earned the coveted Grand Gold medal. Of the total medals awarded, 20% were claimed by international wines, with Spain achieving the greatest success, followed by France and Brazil. Notably, for the first time in VinAgora's history, wines from New Zealand participated, with bottles traveling the farthest to reach the competition.
According to the finalized score thresholds, 83 silver, 187 gold, 15 grand gold medals and 7 Champion awards were awarded to the top 30% in line with the competition's regulations. In addition to the main awards, several special prizes were presented. The Spotlight Varieties program also produced the Sauvignon blanc and Blaufränkisch TOP 25 lists, based on the judges' scores.
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Let’s start with the best wines in each main category, the Champion award-winning wines:
- Still white wines category: Bujdosó Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet - Our Sea Chardonnay 2023
- Still rosés category: Prantner Pince – Rosé 2024
- Still red category: Vylyan Pincészet - Villányi Franc 2018
- Sparkling wines category: Kreinbacher Birtok - Kreinbacher Brut Classic NV
- Natural sweet wine specialities category: Tóth és Tóth Debrői Borok - Debrői Hárslevelű késői szüret 2023
- Botrytis category: Gróf Degenfeld Szőlőbirtok - Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2017
- Pearl wines category: Feind Pincészet - Irsai Olivér gyöngyöző 2024
The Champion winners are chosen only from the dry wines in the white, rosé and red categories, and only from the traditional brut wines in the sparkling wine category. The chairmen of the judging panels select the Champion Winners from the lots that have won at least a gold medal, including the 5 highest scores, by blind tasting in parallel.
If at least 15 Hungarian samples of a given variety are submitted, the wine with the highest number of points within the variety will be awarded the special prize for the best Hungarian varietal wine, certified by a special certificate. Only varietal wines for which the technology does not override the varietal character can compete (for example, a Merlot rosé can win the special prize, but not a Furmint aszú or a Pinot noir sparkling wine).
This year's best Hungarian varietal wines:
- Cabernet Franc: Vylyan Pincészet - Villányi Franc 2018
- Kékfrankos: Riczu Tamás Borászata - Villányi Kékfrankos 2021
- Irsai Olivér: Fodor Borbirtok - Balatoni Irsai Olivér 2024
- Cabernet sauvignon: Lelovits Tamás Pincészete - SOLO Villányi Cabernet Sauvignon Premium 2021
- Olaszrizling: Szatmári Pincészet – Olaszrizling 2021
- Chardonnay: Koch Borászat - Koch&Evans Chardonnay 2022
- Merlot: Egri Korona Borház - Selection Egri Merlot 2017
- Riesling: Pannonhalmi Főapátság - Pannonhalmi Rajnai Rizling 2023
- Sauvignon blanc: SKIZO by Sike Balázs - Balatoni Sauvignon Blanc 2024
- Syrah: Matias Borház – Syrah 2022
- Pinot Noir: Androsics Birtok - Androsics Pinot Noir Rosé 2024
If at least 15 samples are received from a foreign country, the highest scoring wine from the nominated samples will receive a special prize (Best of Country), which this year goes to the following wines:
- Best of Czech Republic: Vinarstvi Josef Dufek - Pinot Blanc, VOC 2021
- Best of Brazil: Vinícola Campestre LTDA - Troppo Maturo Zanotto 2020
- Best of France: Mas du Novi - O de Novi 2019
- Best of Italy: Sui Nui Spumanti Societa' Agricola - Prosecco Doc Treviso Millesimato Brut 2024
- Best of Slovakia: Vienna DC - Chateau Rúbaň Grand 2020
- Best of Spain: J. García Carrión - Pata Negra Valdepeñas Reservado 2014
Several special prizes were awarded at the 26th anniversary VinAgora International Wine Competition:
- Csonka és Fiai Ltd. won the special prize for the "Most Successful Family Winery":
Bock Borászat (Villány wine region) Out of eight wines entered, 2 were awarded gold medals and 4 gold medals. - Special prize for the "Most successful young winemaker" from the molino.hu:
Attila Szentpéteri – Szentpéteri Borpince (Kunság wine region) - Special prize of Vince Magazine for the "Discoverer of VinAgora":
Káldi Wine (Szekszárd wine region) - Chef Market's special prize for the "Most worthy wine from environmentally friendly production":
Riczu Tamás Borászata - Villányi Kékfrankos 2021 (Villány Wine Region) - Special prize of Amorim Cork Hungary Zrt. for two "Wineries committed to cork sealing":
Vylyan Pincészet (Villány wine region)
Sauska (Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region, Villány Wine region)
The Prix VINOFED is awarded in four categories - still, dry white, red, rosé and brut sparkling wines - by the World Federation of Wine and Spirit Competitions, according to the same rules for all member competitions. The selection procedure is the same as for the VinAgora Champion selection, so that the Champion wines in these four categories automatically receive the special VINOFED prize.
- Prix VINOFED - a still, dry white wine:
Bujdosó Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet - Our Sea Chardonnay 2023 - Prix VINOFED - still, dry red wine:
Vylyan Pincészet - Villányi Franc 2018 - Prix VINOFED - still, dry rosé:
Prantner Pince – Rosé 2024 - Prix VINOFED - brut sparkling wine made with the classic method:
Kreinbacher Birtok - Kreinbacher Brut Classic NV
To whom we owe thanks
The competition was hosted at the Budapest Congress Center this year as well, where the judging took place in a comfortable and professional environment. The results can be found in the VinAgora supplement of the June issue of Vince Magazine.
Amorim Cork Hungary, one of the key supporters of the competition, provided 1,000 corks for each of two wineries selected by them. During the tastings, Chef Market supplied natural Szigetközi mineral water to help refresh the judges' senses. The company also offered a special award.
The glasses used for the tastings were provided by Csonkagroup, with their high-quality, lead-free crystal glasses, which contributed greatly to the evaluation of the wines and they also awarded a special prize to a winery. The immaculate cleanliness of the glasses was guaranteed by Miele, the specialist in professional dishwashing machines.
A new supporter of VinAgora this year was molino.hu, the expert in printing and promotional materials, who also rewarded a winery and its owner with a special prize.
The preparation of the wines was carried out with dedication by students from the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences, while the professional service was provided by students from the Soós István Wine-growing Technical and Training School.
The competition’s professional oversight was provided by representatives from the two patron organizations, Fernando Gurucharri (VinoFED) and Edita Ďurčová (OIV), who found everything to be in perfect order.
The gold medal-winning wines of the VinAgora Wine Competition will be presented to the public on May 15 at VinAgora Prestige – a walk-around tasting event showcasing the award-winning wines. At this prestigious event, 48 winemakers will offer their gold-medal wines for tasting at the Winehub Wine Center.