The 6th edition of  this unique international contest of branded and blended wines organised by our FIJEV member, the cardiologist Martin Křístek and his K.A.H.A.N. association of Ostrava with the cooperation of the national winemaking guilds, took place on 24th April.

Wines were judged by two specialised juries under the direction of international wine-taster and another FIJEV member, Professor Fedor Malík, and renowned local winemaker and vine-breeder Miloš Michlovský in the Château at Valtice in southern Moravia.  There were a total of 78 competition samples (29 foreign, 49 Czech and Moravian) from 10 countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Spain, Brazil, Australia, Chile, Italy, Bulgaria and Portugal). Wines were marked in accordance with the 100-point system of the OIV and only category winners or wines receiving over 90 points were eligible to receive gold medals (making this one of the strictest competitions in the Czech Republic). Silver medals were awarded to wines achieving 85 to 89.9 points and bronze medals to wines with between 80 and 84.9 points. Moreover the total number of medals could not exceed one third of the total number of wines taking part in the competition.

The specialised juries awarded a total of 4 gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze medals. The title of champion white wine went to Charlotta 2006 (Víno Hort) from the Znojmo region. The red wine champion was from Priorat in Spain Giné Giné 2005, made from a blend of the Garnacha and Cariñena varieties.

After last year's premiere the Prix FIJEV was once again awarded in parallel with the Cuvée 2008 Ostrava competition. Apart from the two above-mentioned FIJEV members, Helena Baker and Richard Stávek amongst others, were present at the contest at which the wine journalists' prizes for best white and red wines went to the Moravian straw-wine cuvée Bobulky 2005 (Oldřich Drápal) and the Chilean blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon Morandé Edición Limitada 2004.

For more info contact : MUDr. Martin Křístek, tel. +0420 603 240 661, info@cuvee.cz, www.cuvee.cz

Cuvée Ostrava 2007

The 5th edition of the CUVÉE wine challenge, a contest for wines made from more than one grape variety, took place as customary in the Hotel Atom in the northern Moravian town of Ostrava in the Czech Republic on 3rd and 4th May 2007.

Two committees of tasters, licensed according to the State exams in compliance with Ministry of Agriculture rules, under Professor Fedor Malík from Slovakia and esteemed wine producer Ing Milos Michlovský CSc, judged a total of 102 wines, half of which came from abroad (Spain, France, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy and Germany).

In a parallel tasting, two lay comittees made up of wine merchants and wine enthusiasts assessed the same samples. The contest was organised by Dr Martin Krístek, a FIJEV member, founder of the K.A.H.A.N. tasting circle and Slow Food Moravia Convivium leader. The top category prizes this year went to: Asparagus 2006 Nové Vinarství, Moravia Abadal Reserva 2001, Spain Gracie White 2006, Vinné sklepy Valtice, Moravia Znovín Light Cuvée Rosé 2006, Znovín Znojmo, Moravia Cava Classic Vallformosa Rosado 2004, Spain.

For the first time this year a Prix FIJEV was awarded, judged by the five members for the Czech Republic present, as well as one from neighbouring Slovakia. Two wines were chosen: Red: Vińas del Vero Gran Vos Reserva 2002 (Cabernat Sauvignon & Merlot) White: Velkopavlovický Müller 2005, Vinium Velké Pavlovice (Müller-Thurgau & Welschriesling).