19th year of the International Wine Competition GRAND PRIX VINEX 2012 has its Champion

The evaluation committee met in the tasting room of the National Wine Centre in Valtice on the 7th and 8th of February to assess the quality of the wines that are possible to meet on the Central European market. The entered wines were international, as well as the wine tasting committee. The wine tasters that arrived to rate the wines were from Moravia and Bohemia, Slovakia, Hungary, and neighbouring Austria, even an Australian sat in one wine tasting chair.

323 wine samples from 12 European and non-European countries competed for the prestigious award from the competition. The domestic wines had the largest representation, then Slovak and Austrian wines, wines from Hungary, Moldova, France, Spain, Germany, Italy were presented as well, and also wines from distant Australia, New Zealand and Chile. The modern computer system for rating wines produced by the National Wine Centre provided professionalism, maximum objectivity of evaluation and comfort for the evaluators.

"The selection of the champion was very interesting and balanced. The winning Pinot Gris of Znovín was "hotly pursued," by, for instance, the Slovak Veterlín from Elesko, Hungarian Tokai and our other wines, like Chardonnay from Richard Tichý, Italian Riesling from Ondřej Havran or cuvée Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon from Jožka Valihrach," said competition director, Pavel Krška.

Based on wine reviews by the committees and subcommittees for the selection of Champion, the following awards were awarded :

CHAMPION
Pinot Gris 2009 straw wine, Znovín Znojmo, a.s., the Czech Republic

Top Rated Collection
Winery Joseph Valihrach, the Czech Republic

The winner of the category A1 - White dry wines (up to 4 g/l)
Chardonnay 2010 grape selection, Ing. Richard Tichý, the Czech Republic

The winner of the category A2 - semi-dry white wine (4.1 - 12 g/l)
Cuvée Pinot Blanc +Sauvignon 2009 Moravian wine, Winery Josef Valihrach, s.r.o., the Czech Republic

The winner of the category A3 - semi-sweet white wine (12.1 - 45 g/l)
Italian Riesling 2010 grape selection, Ondřej Havran, the Czech Republic

The winner of the category C1 - dry red wine (up to 4 g/l)
Veterlín 2009 quality branded wine, ELESKO a.s, the Slovak Republic

The winner of the category C2 - Other red wines (4.1 - 45 g/l)
Cabernet Moravia 2010 Moravian wine, Kosík winery - MUDr. Pavel Kosík, the Czech Republic

The winner of the category D - naturally sweet wines - white, pink and red (above 45 g/l)
Pinot Gris 2009 straw wine, Znovín Znojmo, a.s., the Czech Republic

The winner of the category F - Sparkling wine
Louis Girardot brut 2008 sparkling quality wine, Bohemia Sekt, s.r.o., the Czech Republic

The award "National Champion" was won by best-rated wines from countries that participated with min.10 samples:

National winner – the Czech Republic - Chardonnay 2010 grape selection, Ing. Richard Tichý

National winner - Austria - Grüner Veltliner 2010 Weinviertel DAC, Nekham Joseph Jr/Weingut Nekham

National winner – the Slovak Republic – Veterlín 2009 quality branded wine, ELESKO a.s.

This year's 19th year is the second in order organized by the National Wine Centre o.p.s. in cooperation with the Exhibition Centre Brno and the Winemakers union of the Czech Republic. Compared to last year, despite lower yields of grapes for this year's flagship competition 2010 (the wines from last year, 2011, could not attend according to the statute) the competitions were attended by more wines from more countries and more applicants.
The original prizes from the workshop of world-famous artist Bořek Šípek were prepared this year for the champion, the holder of the best wine collection and the category winners. Same as last year the newly set limit for awarding medals awarded according to the number of points (not only by wine position in the category) and their number did not exceed 30% of the attended wines. All this confirms the prestige and importance of the international wine competition, GRAND PRIX VINEX, before its 20th anniversary year next year.

It will be possible to become familiar with the wines from this year again at SALIMA/VINEX exhibition on 28.2. – 2.3.2012 at the Brno Exhibition Centre, which will include the award ceremony and awards. A catalogue with complete results, including awarded medals and other information about the competition, will be publish on this occasion.

For more information:

Ing. Pavel Krška, Národní vinařské centrum, o.p.s.
E-mail: pavel.krska@vinarskecentrum.cz
Tel.: +420 519 352 072, +420 721 414 575

Ing. Šárka Nádvorníková, Národní vinařské centrum, o.p.s.
E-mail: sarka.nadvornikova@vinarskecentrum.cz
Tel.: +420 519 352 072, +420 602 769 743

More about the wines can be found at www.vinazmoravy.cz and www.vinazcech.cz.

More information about the competition at www.grand-prix-vinex.cz.