Best of Budapest & Hungary

Hungary was the best performer at the Grow du Monde competition (also known as the World Italian Riesling Championship), with Hungarian wines winning 8 platinum, 48 gold, 54 silver and 47 bronze medals in Balatonfüred from Monday to Friday this week.

    More wines than ever before were entered for the third Grow du Monde, with the international jury judging 349 wines from seven countries, said the organizers.

    Winners were announced in five categories. The best young Italian Riesling was awarded to Vino Gaube Laski Rizling 2023 (Slovenia), the best matured Italian Riesling was awarded to Vinartsví No. 44 Dunajovsky Vlasák Pasák 2022 (Czech Republic), the best sweet Italian Riesling was Galic Grasevina Mateo Izborna berba 2018 (Croatia), the best orange/lauric wine was Vina Joannes Natura 2021 (Slovenia), while the best Italian Riesling-based blend was the winery Figula Pincészet Olasz&Furmint 2021 (Hungary).

    In the national medal table, Hungary came first, with the Czech Republic second (3 platinum, 7 gold, 5 silver) and Slovenia third (3 platinum, 1 gold, 4 silver, 5 bronze), but Croatian, Serbian, Slovakian and Italian producers also won a number of medals.

     Organized by the Balaton Wine Region, all the Balaton wine regions had the opportunity to present their wines to the judges from 10 countries, including several Master of Wine and Master Sommelier wine experts.

     During the five days of Grow Balaton, the jury members visited several wine regions and took part in 5 masterclasses, where they got to know the wines of about 70 Balaton wineries. The event, co-organized by the Balaton Wine Region, the Rizling Generation, the Balaton Circle and the Pécs Wine Magazine, was made possible mainly thanks to the support of the community and enthusiastic sponsors.

     The Grow du Monde is an international wine competition that brings together wines made from the Italian Riesling, Grasevina, Grasac Beli, Laski Riesling, Welschriesling and Ryzlink Vlassky grape varieties.

     Starting this year, the Rizling Generation initiative will also allow 'grow' to be used as a synonym for Olaszrizling (‘Italian riesling’) on bottles (even as an additional designation), which could give it an advantage and better recognition on international markets, according to the statement.