The VINARIUM results have been published!

VINARIUM International Wine Contest, the largest international wine competition in Central and Eastern Europe, has reached its XXIII edition.

In 2026 the event took place from 28 – 31 May 2026 in Ploiești and was organized with the support of Prahova County Council & the Ținutul Vinului Association.

The twinning between Ținutul Vinului Prahova and Échansonnerie des Papes (Châteauneuf-du-Pape) – a brotherhood with a centuries-old tradition, guardian of the heritage and identity of the wines from this celebrated appellation – was officially formalized.

VINARIUM is an international wine contest organsied under the patronage of OIV  (International Organisation of Vine and Wine) and VINOFED (International Federation of Great Wine Competitions), its activity being endorsed by Union Internationale des Œonologues (UIOE) – the International Union of Oenologists. The International Federation of Wine Journalists and Writers (FIJEV) is a VINARIUM Partner.

  • 1346 samples from 20 countries were entered: Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, South Korea, Croatia, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, North Macedonia, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Spain, Turkey, Hungary, Ukraine;
  • 233 operators (producers, importers, merchants, producers’ representatives) entered samples;
  • Still wines, sparkling wines, and grape- and wine-based spirits were entered in the competition;
  • 35.4% of all entered samples came from outside Romania – the host country.

Judging was conducted by 7 panels of 5 judges each, every panel being led by a President. The complete 2026 Jury: https://www.iwcb.ro/en/jury-2026/

The total number of judges was 41, coming from 16 countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Great Britain, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Spain, the Netherlands.

The official observers, present in Ploiești, were:

  • Prof. Dr. Monika Christmann, Germany – Vice-President of UIOE and Honorary President of OIV.
  • Marina GARCIA, Spain – Member of the Executive Committee of VINOFED
  • Janna RIJPMA-MEPPELINK – Vice-President of FIJEV

The consensual average for each sample was calculated as the arithmetic mean of the scores given by all judges of a panel, after eliminating the extreme scores (the lowest and the highest score).

  • The following awards were given:
    • 21 Grand Gold Medals (score 93–100)
    • 376 Gold Medals (score 89–92.9)
    • 19 Silver Medals (85–88.9)
  • According to OIV Regulations, only 30% of samples entered in the competition can receive a medal. The last average for medals was 88.67.

Romanian “Pelinuri” were evaluated – hors concours – as part of efforts to test the repositioning of these “aromatized beverages”.

International Wine Label Contest, ENOVART by VINARIUM, II Edition, a project supported by  IPPU Prime Label and KURZ România will announce the winners on June 15, 2026.

VINARIUM continues its competition dedicated to wine labels.

The project aims to highlight the role of visual identity in building a premium product. The label on a wine bottle is the first point of contact, the first message, and very often the first criterion of choice.

The competition brings together art, design, and visual communication specialists for evaluation, and awards the most successful graphic concepts.

IPPU Prime Label & Kurz Romania offer awards for excellence in design, packaging, and labeling; these consist of the production of 5,000 sets of labels (front and back), made to high professional standards.

The VINARIUM international jury made a selection of the best 21 visual presentations of white, rosé, and red wines (the overall packaging & labeling – in terms of aesthetics, support of the oenological message, winery personality) plus production quality.

The ENOVART jury will designate the 3 winning wineries.

The ENOVART jury is composed of:

  • Adrian BUGA – art critic
  • Costin TUDOSE – image creator
  • Miruna STEFAN – visual artist, representing the young generation

VINARIUM 2026 Results were published online on the official competition website www.iwcb.ro on June 5, 2026.

Partners 2026:  AQUA Carpatica,IPPU Prime Label, Pultex, Lemacons, Fast Partners Construct, Vectra, Da Bacco, Constantin Photography, Creative Impact, Master Graphic Media, Stolzle Lausitz, Business Grow Up, RV Travel, Agra Asigurări, La Mama.

Media Partners: Vinul.ro, Revista Fermierului, Wine Searcher, Fijev, Winesday