Now in its 22nd year, the VINARIUM International Wine Contest is the most important international wine competition in Central and Southeastern Europe.
The contest is organized by the VINARIUM Association (The Wine Institute), in partnership with ADAR – the Association of Authorized Wine Tasters of Romaniaand held under the patronage of the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine) and VINOFED (the World Federation of Major International Wine and Spirits Competitions). Since 2020, FIJEV – the International Federation of Wine and Spirits Journalists and Writers – has also joined as a partner.
Official observers attending in Ploiești during the contest include:
- Mr. Manuel Capote (Spain), VINOFED Board Member
- Mr. Richard Pfister (Switzerland), OIV Observer
- Mrs. Janna Rijpma Meppeling (Netherlands), FIJEV Vice-President
The contest is expected to receive over 1,300 entries (wines and wine-based spirits) from more than 26 countries.
Judging will be carried out by 8 panels, each composed of 5 judges – 3 from abroad and 2 from Romania. Each panel is led by a Chairperson. So far, judges from 20 countries have confirmed their participation.
The jury consists of highly qualified professionals – oenologists, certified ADAR tasters, Masters of Wine, PhDs in oenology, and WSET diploma holders. Some judges are also respected wine communicators.
The full list of VINARIUM 2025 judges is available at: https://www.iwcb.ro/juriu-2025/
According to OIV rules, no more than 30% of the total entries can receive medals.
The medal thresholds are as follows:
- Grand Gold Medal: 93–100 points
- Gold Medal: 89–92.9 points
- Silver Medal: 85–88.9 points
In addition to the standard medals, the following special awards will be granted:
- VINOFED Prizes for the highest-scoring dry wines in the categories of white, rosé, red, and sparkling wines.
- FIJEV Special Awards for the top-scoring Romanian wines made from native grape varieties or blends where local varieties make up at least 50%.
IPPU Packaging & Kurz Romania Awards
will sponsor the production of 5,000 label sets (front and back) for each of the three winners.
The VINARIUM jury will select the top 3 best-designed entries – based on overall presentation, packaging and labeling, aesthetic appeal, how well they communicate the wine’s story, and production quality. IPPU Packaging and KURZ Romania will sponsor the production of 5,000 label sets (front and back) for each of the three winners.
Importers’ Awards
To help award-winning imported wines find new markets, VINARIUM and vinul.ro will organize a post-competition event that introduces these wines to Romanian importers. Wines looking for Romanian representation will be showcased, along with their medals, prices, packaging, and producer contact information.
Results of VINARIUM 2025 will be published on the official website www.iwcb.ro on 30 mai 2025.
"VINARIUM shines a light on a valuable resource that can benefit Romania.
Wine also means identity and a cultural key – it holds history.
It can drive prosperity through wine tourism, wine-based pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.
We tend to talk too much about how little we have, when in fact we could be proudly sharing a wealth of excellence (!)"
Cătălin Păduraru, President of VINARIUM
Main Partner: Corteva
2025 Partners: Smurfit Webstrock, Aqua Carpatica, Agri Alianta, IPPU, La Mama, Constantin Photography, Creative Impact, Master Graphic Media, Stolzle Lausitz, Sentia, Business Grow Up, OEVE, Enomatic
Mobility Partner: Suzuki
Media Partners: Vinul.ro, Revista Fermierului, Wine Searcher, Fijev, Winesday
