Zagreb County builds international wine visibility through sparkling wine

The arrival of 55 wine experts from 23 countries to Velika Gorica shows that the sparkling wines of Zagreb County are increasingly going beyond the local framework and are becoming an important tool for the international positioning of the wine-gastronomy destination.

Zagreb County hosted the opening program of the prestigious international competition Sauvignon Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, which is taking place in Varaždin from April 7th to 9th. A total of 55 judges from 23 countries arrived in Croatia as part of this event.

In Velika Gorica, experts from all over the world gathered in InterWine space, newly opened at the beginning of this year, which connects the wine story, cultural heritage and tourist experience in one place. It was there that they had the opportunity to get to know part of what Zagreb County offers today as a wine and eno-gastronomic destination.

The program was not just about wine tasting. President of the Association of Winemakers and Winegrowers Grozd Vlado Mikulcic held a workshop on Turopolje škrlet, which aroused great interest and very good reactions among the judges, while the director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, Ivana Alilović, presented the county, its wine regions and the wider tourist offer.

The focus, of course, was sparkling winesInternational judges tasted a selection of wines and had the opportunity to see firsthand how diverse the styles are and how much the quality has improved in recent years.

The tasting was presented 17 sparkling wines 14 producers from Zagreb County: Bedekovich, Braje, Coletti, Ivančić Griffin, Jagunić, Korak, Kos, Kurtalj, Majcenović, Puhelek Purek, Šember, Tomac & Bajda, Voštinić Klasnić and Žnidarić.

"We are so happy to see such interest in our winemakers and sparkling wines. It is no small feat when 55 wine experts from 23 countries come to Velika Gorica and have the opportunity to taste what we do here in Zagreb County. This is a great confirmation for us, but also a good opportunity for people from the profession to experience our region and the quality we have first-hand. I believe that many of them will leave with very good impressions.", said the director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board Ivana Alilović.

The selection of sparkling wines from Plešivica, Prigorje and Moslavina provided a good cross-section of what is being made in Zagreb County and Bregovita Hrvatska today. The judges' first impressions were very positive, and for many this wine scene was a real discovery.

The winery's sparkling wines particularly stood out. Jagunić, Braje, Šember and Korak, while the wines of the winery Kos from Zelina left a strong impression on several reviewers. One of the most notable wines was singled out Jagunić Blanc de Blancs, which won 94 points out of a possible 100.

Experts will also convey their impressions of wines to a wider audience, as many of them are also wine journalists and authors, which is an additional opportunity for the visibility of Zagreb County, says Alilović.

This introductory program is part of the wider international Sauvignon Selection by CMB competition, which this year brings together around 1.000 samples of Sauvignon from 25 countries, and is evaluated by a panel of 55 judges from 23 countries.

The arrival of this competition in Croatia is the result of cooperation between the Croatian Tourist Board, the Croatian Chamber of Economy, the Zagreb County Tourist Board, the Varaždin County Tourist Board, the City of Varaždin, the Međimurje County Tourist Board, the Bregovita Croatia Association, the Hortus Croatia Association and VINART.

Events like this further open up space for Zagreb County to present itself even more strongly as a destination for top wines and authentic experiences.

Photo: Zagreb County Tourist Board