Registrations for the VINARIUM International Wine Contest – XXIII edition are open until May 10, 2026
VINARIUM International Wine Contest is the most important international wine contest in Central and South-Eastern Europe and has reached its XXIII edition which takes place between 28 - 31 May 2026, reconfirming Romania's role as a relevant validation-communication platform in the global wine industry.
VINARIUM International Wine Contest is organized by ASER Wine Consulting, VINARIUM Association, in partnership with ADAR - Association of Authorized Tasters of Romania, under the patronage of OIV - International Organization of Vine and Wine, VINOFED - International Federation of Major Wine Contests and FIJEV - International Federation of Wine Journalists and Writers, the contest operates entirely according to OIV international regulations.
Since 2026, another leading entity has endorsed the activity of VINARIUM: the Union Internationale des Œnologues (UIOE) – the International Union of Oenologists.
Founded in Milan in 1965 by Argentina, Chile, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, the UIOE represents the national oenologists’ unions worldwide and defends the professional status of the oenologist in all relevant international forums.
At the 2026 edition, VINARIUM has as its official observer on behalf of the UIOE Prof. Dr. Monika Christmann from Germany, Vice-President of the UIOE and Honorary President of the OIV.
VINARIUM International Wine Contest is organized by ASER Wine Consulting, VINARIUM Association, in partnership with ADAR - Association of Authorized Tasters of Romania, under the patronage of OIV - International Organization of Vine and Wine, VINOFED - International Federation of Major Wine Contests and FIJEV - International Federation of Wine Journalists and Writers, the contest operates entirely according to OIV international regulations.
Since 2026, another leading entity has endorsed the activity of VINARIUM: the Union Internationale des Œnologues (UIOE) – the International Union of Oenologists.
Founded in Milan in 1965 by Argentina, Chile, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, the UIOE represents the national oenologists’ unions worldwide and defends the professional status of the oenologist in all relevant international forums.
At the 2026 edition, VINARIUM has as its official observer on behalf of the UIOE Prof. Dr. Monika Christmann from Germany, Vice-President of the UIOE and Honorary President of the OIV.
Sample categories
According to the OIV, the samples admitted to the competition are part of the categories: still wines, sparkling wines and distillates of viticultural origin. Judging is electronic and will be done according to the OIV Evaluation Form.
Wine samples from all over the world are expected in the competition from operators such as producers, importers, representatives of producers, the deadline for entering samples in the competition has now been extended to May 10, 2026. Registrations can be made here.
The following are admitted to the competition, according to the OIV regulations:
According to the OIV, the samples admitted to the competition are part of the categories: still wines, sparkling wines and distillates of viticultural origin. Judging is electronic and will be done according to the OIV Evaluation Form.
Wine samples from all over the world are expected in the competition from operators such as producers, importers, representatives of producers, the deadline for entering samples in the competition has now been extended to May 10, 2026. Registrations can be made here.
The following are admitted to the competition, according to the OIV regulations:
- still wines
- sparkling wines
- distillates of viticultural origin
This year VINARIUM has specially dedicated judging sections for:
- BIO Wines
- AMBER / ORANGE Wines and QVEVRI / AMPHORAE Wines
- ALCOHOL-FREE Wines
VINARIUM Medals
According to the OIV Regulations, a maximum of 30% of the entered samples can obtain a medal.
The scores for the medals are as follows:
According to the OIV Regulations, a maximum of 30% of the entered samples can obtain a medal.
The scores for the medals are as follows:
- Great Gold Medal (93–100 points)
- Gold Medal (89–92.9 points)
- Silver Medal (85–88.9 points)
Special awards granted by international organizations and partners
VINOFED – awards for the highest-scoring dry wines (white, rosé, red, sparkling)
FIJEV – awards for the highest-scoring Romanian wines from local varieties or blends with at least 50% Romanian varieties
IPPU Prime Label & KURZ Romania – awards for excellence in design, packaging and labeling; consist of the production of 5,000 sets of labels (front and back), made to high professional standards.
VINARIUM continues the competition dedicated to wine labels, being the second year in which VINARIUM organizes the international wine label competition.
The project aims to highlight the role of visual identity in the construction of a premium product. The label on the wine bottle is the first contact, the first message and, often, the first criterion for choice.
The competition brings together specialists in the field of art, design and visual communication for appreciation and awards the most successful graphic concepts. The first edition was chaired by art critic Adrian Buga, setting a level of exigency and a clear direction for the development of this project supported by IPPU Prime Label and KURZ Romania.
VINARIUM Jury
As in previous years, the jury is made of foreign and Romanian jurors, the percentage of foreign jurors being higher than that of Romanians. So far, jurors from 17 countries have announced their presence. The jury is made up of experienced specialists with high qualifications – oenologists, ADAR authorized tasters, Master of Wine, doctors in enology, WSET graduates. The list of jurors for the 2026 edition can be found here.
VINARIUM – WineSearcher.com Partnership
VINARIUM award-winning wines are listed on the leading wine search platform WineSearcher.com (over 5 million monthly active users and over 240 million searches annually), which gives wines added visibility and credibility on the international market. Thus, producers who are found on this platform benefit from a strong commercial argument.
You can find here the results of the VINARIUM competition from 2011 to 2025.
A7 - Vineyard Highway: A road to the collective good
In parallel with the organization of the competition, VINARIUM continues to promote the A7 - Vineyard Highway concept.
The initiative aims to transform this infrastructure axis into a development corridor for wine tourism and creative industries, connecting vineyards, communities and cultural heritage with the tourist flow.
A7 means fast and safer circulation, but also openness to "slow" tourism - in-depth exploration of wine regions, beyond conventional routes, encouraging mobility with motorhomes / camper vans - an alternative to a hotel infrastructure for wine tourism ... almost non-existent.
Find out more about A7 - Vineyard Highway here.
Stay tuned, the results of the 2026 edition will also be published here in the Winesday App.
Carmina Nițescu
Winesday.ro & Winesday App
VINOFED – awards for the highest-scoring dry wines (white, rosé, red, sparkling)
FIJEV – awards for the highest-scoring Romanian wines from local varieties or blends with at least 50% Romanian varieties
IPPU Prime Label & KURZ Romania – awards for excellence in design, packaging and labeling; consist of the production of 5,000 sets of labels (front and back), made to high professional standards.
VINARIUM continues the competition dedicated to wine labels, being the second year in which VINARIUM organizes the international wine label competition.
The project aims to highlight the role of visual identity in the construction of a premium product. The label on the wine bottle is the first contact, the first message and, often, the first criterion for choice.
The competition brings together specialists in the field of art, design and visual communication for appreciation and awards the most successful graphic concepts. The first edition was chaired by art critic Adrian Buga, setting a level of exigency and a clear direction for the development of this project supported by IPPU Prime Label and KURZ Romania.
VINARIUM Jury
As in previous years, the jury is made of foreign and Romanian jurors, the percentage of foreign jurors being higher than that of Romanians. So far, jurors from 17 countries have announced their presence. The jury is made up of experienced specialists with high qualifications – oenologists, ADAR authorized tasters, Master of Wine, doctors in enology, WSET graduates. The list of jurors for the 2026 edition can be found here.
VINARIUM – WineSearcher.com Partnership
VINARIUM award-winning wines are listed on the leading wine search platform WineSearcher.com (over 5 million monthly active users and over 240 million searches annually), which gives wines added visibility and credibility on the international market. Thus, producers who are found on this platform benefit from a strong commercial argument.
You can find here the results of the VINARIUM competition from 2011 to 2025.
A7 - Vineyard Highway: A road to the collective good
In parallel with the organization of the competition, VINARIUM continues to promote the A7 - Vineyard Highway concept.
The initiative aims to transform this infrastructure axis into a development corridor for wine tourism and creative industries, connecting vineyards, communities and cultural heritage with the tourist flow.
A7 means fast and safer circulation, but also openness to "slow" tourism - in-depth exploration of wine regions, beyond conventional routes, encouraging mobility with motorhomes / camper vans - an alternative to a hotel infrastructure for wine tourism ... almost non-existent.
Find out more about A7 - Vineyard Highway here.
Stay tuned, the results of the 2026 edition will also be published here in the Winesday App.
Carmina Nițescu
Winesday.ro & Winesday App
