1063 entries from 13 countries

Gold medals were awarded only for wines scoring 90 points or above, and Grand Gold medals only for wines scoring 95 points or above. Eight wines scored 95 points or above and received the most prestigious award, the Grand Gold medal. Six of these were Hungarian wines. The highest score – 98 points – was awarded to Grand Tokaj Terroir Selection Amphora Aged Tokaji Eszencia 2013, one of the most internationally successful wines of recent years. Préselő Tokaji Aszú 2016 (95 points) and Kreinbacher Egoiste sparkling wine (95 points) were the other two highly scored wines.

The jury

International “best of” wines
– Best of Romania: Carastelec Carassia Classic, Transylvania
– Best of Italy: Nativ Vico Riviera 99, 2024, Irpinia
– Best of France: Champagne Jacquart Blanc de Blancs 2016, Champagne
– Best of Ukraine: Chateau Chizay Furmint (orange wine), Zakarpattia
– Best of Spain: Visiega Cava Brut, Catalonia

 
 “Best of” Hungarian wines

– The Most Successful Winery: Sauska (Tokaj and Villány) with 7 gold medals, plus 6 silver and 2 bronze medals
– Highest score: Grand Tokaj Terroir Selection Amphora Aged Tokaji Eszencia 2013, Tokaj
– Best Sparkling Wine: Kreinbacher Egoiste 2017, Somló
– Best Dry White Wine (and Best of Hárslevelű): Holdvölgy Expression 2021, Tokaj
– Best of Olaszrizling: Dobosi Baricska-dűlő Olaszrizling 2023, Balatonfüred–Csopak
– Best Red Wine: Bock Capella 2012, Villány
– Best of Kékfrankos: Kovács Kékfrankos Válogatás 2022, Balaton Uplands
– Best of Furmint: Pelle Tokaji Furmint 2024, Tokaj
– Best of Cabernet Franc: Feind Cabernet Franc 2020, Balatonfüred–Csopak
– Best of Cabernet Sauvignon: Fivérek Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Szekszárd
– Best of Syrah: Koch Syrah 2021, Hajós–Baja
– Best of Pinot Noir: Garamvári Pinot Noir 2021, Balatonboglár wine region
– Best of Merlot: Günzer Bocor Grandior, 2021, Villány
– Best of Sárgamuskotály: Préselő Sárgamuskotály 2023, Tokaj
– Best of Szürkebarát (Pinot Gris): Gluck Szürkebarát 2024, Etyek–Buda
– Best of Zöldveltelini (Grüner Veltliner): Zachár Zöldveltelini 2024, Sopron
– Best of Irsai Olivér: Gál Irsai Olivér 2024, Kunság

 

Mikk Parre Sommelier Champion of Europe, member of the jury

How does WWA work?
The Winelovers Wine Awards uses an Anglo-Saxon-style judging system. Examples of this include several competitions held in London, such as the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) and the International Wine Challenge (IWC). This system offers greater flexibility: there is no limit to the number of medals that can be awarded, so every excellent wine can receive recognition if the seasoned international jury finds it worthy. At the same time, since there is no "mandatory number of awards" based on the number of entries, wines that do not achieve the required score will not receive a recommendation or a medal. In other words, the wines do not compete with each other, but are judged according to a general international standard.

"The competition was excellently organized, the organizers were not only hospitable but also true professionals, and the quality of the wines was truly outstanding! At Winelovers X, I managed to discover some truly great producers, and the event was flawless in every respect," said Mikk Parre, Sommelier Champion of Europe, member of the jury.

The proud CEO
"The number of entries exceeded one thousand, which is an important milestone for us," said Boglárka Ádám, managing director of Winelovers. "This growth alone confirms the serious professional work we have put into not only the organization, but also the preparations, continuous development, and incorporation of relevant, forward-looking feedback in recent years. However, what gives me the greatest pride is that we not only recognize winemakers, but also strive to provide them with real, practical support in the area of sales."



Boglárka Ádám, managing director of Winelovers Wine Awards

Elegance above all 
The competition was once again chaired and hosted by László Bálint DipWSET, lecturer at the Borkollégium ('Wine College'), who believes that elegance has become a key factor in wine evaluation, regardless of variety. "Both consumers and professional critics are looking for this in wines. This trend is particularly noticeable in white wines, where harmony, clarity and pleasantness of taste are increasingly coming to the fore instead of excessive varietal expression," said the chairman of the jury.
In his opinion, winemakers would do well to adapt their style accordingly. "The market has become saturated with an approach that seeks to emphasize the characteristics of the variety alone. The average consumer is not necessarily looking for a variety, but rather a pleasant, harmonious wine. The emphasis is on enjoyability and balance, not on the variety from which the wine is made. Recently, elegant white wines have been successful, and the jury also awarded them higher scores," emphasized László Bálint.
 

László Bálint, the chairman of Winelovers Wine Awards

The Italian connection
The largest number of entries came from Hungary, of course, while Italy submitted the most wines internationally. Thanks to the cooperation of the Italian Trade Agency, Italian wines were also presented at Winelovers X and participated in the Meet the Buyer program, as it is also extremely important for them to conquer new export markets.



Italian exhibitor at Winelovers X trade tasting