Results of Vinul.ro Excellence Awards - spring session 2025
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For 17 years, Vinul.ro has been organizing the "Vinul.ro Excellence Awards", a competition dedicated to wineries in Romania that are invited to enter their wines in the competition.
For the fifth year in a row, I had the pleasure of being part of the jury of this competition and today I come with news about the medal-winning wines.
After being divided into 2 sessions last year: one in spring (dedicated mainly to white and rosé wines) and one in autumn, the competition has maintained this format in 2025:
For the fifth year in a row, I had the pleasure of being part of the jury of this competition and today I come with news about the medal-winning wines.
After being divided into 2 sessions last year: one in spring (dedicated mainly to white and rosé wines) and one in autumn, the competition has maintained this format in 2025:
- the first in April, where mainly newly released white and rose wines were evaluated
- the second in September, where both white, rosé and red wines, as well as sparkling wines, will be evaluated.
The spring 2025 edition featured 107 wines from 22 producers located in all wine regions of Romania. The wines were analyzed by 3 panels of professional tasters and 39 Gold Medals (90-94 points) and 4 Great Gold Medals (wines that received over 95 points) were awarded.
The evaluation of the wines was carried out blindly, the bottles being covered and arranged according to a logical tasting order so that the jurors present did not know which wines they were tasting until after the judging process was over.
The competition rule states that only a third of the wines entered in the competition can obtain a medal, however, because the points awarded by the jury during the blind tasting positioned 7 wines with the same score for a Gold Medal, the final number of wines awarded with a Gold Medal was higher.
The evaluation of the wines was carried out blindly, the bottles being covered and arranged according to a logical tasting order so that the jurors present did not know which wines they were tasting until after the judging process was over.
The competition rule states that only a third of the wines entered in the competition can obtain a medal, however, because the points awarded by the jury during the blind tasting positioned 7 wines with the same score for a Gold Medal, the final number of wines awarded with a Gold Medal was higher.
In order of the total number of medals obtained at the spring edition of Vinul.ro 2025 Excellence Awards, the most awarded wineries were:
- Domeniile Sâmburești, form Oltenia (1 Great Gold Medal+ 4 Gold Medals)
- Crama Ceptura, din Dealu Mare (5 Gold Medals)
- Crama deMatei, din Dealu Mare (4 Gold Medals)
- HB Wine, din Miniș (4 Gold Medals).
Wines that obtained the Great Gold Medals:
- Traminer roz CIB 2024, dulce – Jidvei
- Chateau Valvis Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, sec – Domeniile Sâmburești
- Emissarius roșu (Cabernet Sauvignon + Merlot + Fetească neagră) 2022, sec – Vie Vin Vînju Mare
- Origini Shiraz 2021, sec – Budureasca
White Wines that obtained Gold Medals:
- Chateau Valvis Chardonnay 2024, sec – Domeniile Sâmburești
- Emissarius Chardonnay 2022, sec – Vie Vin Vînju Mare
- EXplicit Chardonnay 2024, sec – Cramele Recaș
- EXplicit Fetească regală 2024, demisec – Cramele Recaș
- Magnus Cervus Fetească regală 2024, sec – Crama Ceptura
- Motiv alb (Sauvignon Blanc + Fetească albă) 2024, demisec – Crama Ceptura
- Premium Gewurztraminer 2023, sec – Villa Vinea
- Primordial Chardonnay 2023, sec – Domeniul Bogdan
- Rosturi alb (Fetească regală + Chardonnay) 2024, sec – Crama deMatei
- Velier Sauvignon Blanc 2024, sec – Strunga Winery
Rose Wines that obtained Gold Medals:
- Carpathia rose (Cabernet Sauvignon + Merlot) 2023, sec – Domeniile Sâmburești
- Chateau Valvis rose (Cabernet Sauvignon + Merlot) 2023, sec – Domeniile Sâmburești
- Jiana (Merlot + Pinot Noir), sec – Crama Oprișor
- Magnus rose Merlot 2024, demisec – Crama Ceptura
- Motiv rose (Cabernet Sauvignon + Merlot) 2024, demisec – Crama Ceptura
- Scrisori rose (Fetească neagră + Cabernet Sauvignon + Busuioacă de Bohotin) 2024, sec – Crama Hermeziu
- Spumant Rose Celest Pinot Noir – Villa Vinea
Red Wines that obtained Gold Medals:
- Boian roșu (Fetească neagră + Cabernet Sauvignon) 2023, sec – Crama de Piatră
- Chateau Valvis Fetească neagră 2022, sec – Domeniile Sâmburești
- Cuvee Dimitri (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească neagră) 2022, sec – Domeniile Caraman
- Rupes Nobilis, Cuvee Simply Red, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Fetească Neagră, Pinot Noir 2023, sec – HB Wine
- Grand Reserve Cuvee Bordignon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Fetească Neagră, 2023, sec – HB Wine
- Destin Fetească neagră 2023, demidulce – Strunga Winery
- Gramofon Wine Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, demisec – Gramofon Winery
- Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, sec – HB Wine
- IMplicit Fetească neagră 2024, sec – Cramele Recaș
- La Cetate Merlot, sec – Crama Oprișor
- Migală Cuvee 25 (Fetească neeagră + Merlot + Cabernet Sauvignon) 2019, sec – Crama deMatei
- Motiv roșu (Syrah + Cabernet Sauvignon) 2023, demisec – Crama Ceptura
- Noble 5 (Shiraz + Merlot + Fetească neagră + Cabernet Sauvignon + Pinot Noir) 2022, sec – Budureasca
- Patima Merlot 2020, sec – Crama deMatei
- Pătrar Syrah 2019, sec – Domeniul Bogdan
- Pietroasa Research & Innovation Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, sec – Stațiunea de Cercetare Pietroasa
- Prince Vlad Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, sec – Vie Vin Vînju Mare
- Regina nopții Fetească neagră (private label a wine barului Corks) 2023, sec – Stațiunea de Cercetare Pietroasa
- Rosturi roșu (Merlot + Cabernet Sauvignon + Fetească neagră) 2022, sec – Crama deMatei
- Rupes Nobilis Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, sec – HB Wine
- Trilogie în roșu – Via Viticola Sarica Niculițel
The 3 evaluation committees were composed of wine professionals: Prof Univ Dr Arina Antoce, Dr Ing Dana Pop, Diana Pavelescu (ADAR, ONVPV), Mirela Mateescu (Profa de vin, A4), Carmina Nițescu (Winesday App), Lector Univ George Cojocaru, Drd Cornel Baniță, technical director of Stațiunea de Cercetare Pietroasa, Valentin Ceafalău and Radu Rizescu (members of Team Romania, World champion in blind tasting in 2023), DipWSET Liviu Gheorghe, sommeliers Marian Timofti (FNDA), Sergiu Nedelea (WineTaste), Daniel Vrănescu (organizer of the blind tasting Marea degustare), Constantin Drăgan (Jidvei), Teo Runceanu (Cotnari), Răzvan Stoenescu (founder of Winelover România Association, organizer of the National Rose Wine Contest, ADAR member), Ovidiu Logigan (Corks Cozy Bar owner).
Partners of this edition were: IPPU Packaging, Casa Timiș, restaurantele La Mama, Agenția de Proprietate Intelectuală Weizmann Ariana & Partners.
The complete list of wines that obtained medals in the spring session of the contest can be found here.
The competition will be completed with the autumn edition that will take place on September 23, 2025, with the results to be announced on October 5, the first Sunday of October when "Romanian Wine and Gastronomy Day" is celebrated in Romania.
Carmina Nițescu
Winesday.ro & Winesday App
Partners of this edition were: IPPU Packaging, Casa Timiș, restaurantele La Mama, Agenția de Proprietate Intelectuală Weizmann Ariana & Partners.
The complete list of wines that obtained medals in the spring session of the contest can be found here.
The competition will be completed with the autumn edition that will take place on September 23, 2025, with the results to be announced on October 5, the first Sunday of October when "Romanian Wine and Gastronomy Day" is celebrated in Romania.
Carmina Nițescu
Winesday.ro & Winesday App
