Official tasting for the Cuvée2009 Ostrava wine competition took place again in Valtice:

The seventh edition of the unique international competition for wines of coupage, assemblage as well as branded wines took place on the 20th and 24th of April 2009 under the auspices of K.A.H.A.N (the Civic Association of Ostrava Wine Aficionados) and the collective team of the employees of the Hotel Atom in Ostrava, with the support of the Moravské vinařské závody wine producing company from Bzenec, and with the cooperation of the Guild of Czech Winemakers and Moravín, the Union of Moravian winemakers.  The specialised warranter and spiritual father of this, the only wine competition that occurs in the Moravian-Silesian region of the Czech Republic, is the guru of Czech and Moravian viti-/viniculture, Professor Vilém Kraus.  Committees composed of expert tasters awarded a total of 6 gold and 28 silver medals.  The title of champion of white wines was Patria 2007 special selection of berries, a blend of Chardonnay with Gewurztraminer, from the Patria Kobylí a.s. winery. The champion in the red category was the cuvée of Merlot, Carmenère and Cabernet Sauvignon Trio Reserva 2006 from Concha y Toro, Chile (importer Bacchus Vins et Champagnes).  The highest-rated local offering in this category was Patria 2007 late harvest (Patria Kobylí a.s.), made from grapes of the Saint Laurent, André and Pinot Noir varieties.  Morandé Pionero 2008 was the winner in the Rosé category, Sumarocca Cava Gran Reserva 2004 in the Sparkling Wines category and Leyenda Oro Sherry in the Liqueur Wines category. Concurrently with this international wine competition (governed according to the regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic) the Prix F.I.J.E.V. was awarded.  F.I.J.E.V. (Fédération Internationale des Journalistes et Écrivains des Vins et Spiritueux) is the International Federation of Wine Writers and Journalists.  For the best red wine the prize was given to the Craig's Reserve 2007 (Stapleton-Springer s.r.o.), a blend based predominantly on the Saint Laurent grape produced by this joint-venture Connecticut-Moravian winery in Bořetice.  The journalists' award for the best white wine was won by Le Livre Cuvée Blanc 2007, a blend of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris (Vinohrad CZ, s.r.o.). More information on:  info@cuvee.cz, www.cuvee.cz

Cuvée Ostrava 2008 

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