Brand – the Visiting Card of the Country

Brands (beverages and food) produced in the country of origin from 100% local raw materials can be nominated for this category. These brands should be distinguished by high quality confirmed by reputable competitions and experts, an active marketing strategy, national and international distribution, and a presentable design that attracts tourists and serves as a souvenir.

Nominees

Stakhovsky Wines 832

Stakhovsky Wines

Ukraine #173 View more Stakhovsky Wines Ukraine 90260, Ukraine, Zakarpattia region, Berehiv district, village Muzhievo +380 504 325 244 info@stakhovskywines.com http://www.stakhovskywines.com
The Shumi Winery 2811

The Shumi Winery

Georgia #153 View more The Shumi Winery Georgia village Tsinandali, Telavi Municipality, Region Kakheti, Georgia +995 551 08 04 01; +995 599 15 25 85 tourism@shumi.ge; shumi@shumi.ge www.shumiwinery.com
Awestruck Ciders 1281

Awestruck Ciders

USA #129 View more Awestruck Ciders USA 1st location: 8 Winkler Road, Sidney, NY 13838 2nd location: 34 Howell Street, Walton, NY 13856 https://www.awestruckciders.com/
Tbilvino 828

Tbilvino

Georgia #113 View more Tbilvino Georgia Sarajishvili Ave.№2, Tbilisi, 0153, Georgia +995 322 653 382 welcome@tbilvino.ge http://tbilvino.ge/
Cricova Winery 928

Cricova Winery

Republic of Moldova #87 View more Cricova Winery Republic of Moldova MD-2084, rep. Moldova, or. Cricova, str. Petru Ungureanu 1 +373 226 04 027 https://cricova.md/
Castel Mimi 923

Castel Mimi

Republic of Moldova village Bulboaca #72 View more Castel Mimi Republic of Moldova village Bulboaca Republic of Moldova, district Anenii Noi, village Bulboaca +373 265 0 1893, office@castelmimi.md https://www.castelmimi.md/en/
SE QWC “Milestii Mici” 722

SE QWC “Milestii Mici”

Republic of Moldova #68 View more SE QWC “Milestii Mici” Republic of Moldova Mileștii Mici Village, Ialoveni District, Republic of Moldova, MD-6819 +373 671 21 121 https://www.milestii-mici.md/

WTA Jury

Robert Joseph
Wine Brand Creator, Consultant, Industry Analyst
Robert Joseph is one of the most experienced and influential figures in the wine world. He is a consultant, wine brand co-creator and co-owner, associate editor, and author with over 30 years of experience in the wine industry. His mission is to share his knowledge, insights, and expertise with the global wine community and beyond. Robert Joseph is an award-winning author of more than 30 books on wine. His two most recent works are Wine Thinking and The Wine People. He also publishes weekly newsletters on LinkedIn (Wine Advocate) and Substack (Wine Thinking). As a public speaker, Robert Joseph regularly delivers keynote presentations at high-level industry events around the world and lectures at leading business schools. Robert Joseph has been a distinguished jury member of the Wine Travel Awards since its inaugural edition, a speaker at WTA events, and the host of the WTA Ceremonies.
Felicity Carter
The founder of Drinks Insider, Editorial Director of Areni Global

Based in Europe, Felicity Carter is the founder of Drinks Insider – a podcast, newsletter, and consultancy offering analysis and insight on the global drinks business. She is also Editorial Director of Areni Global, the London-based fine wine think tank, and a guest lecturer at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. Previously, she was the founding Executive Editor of The Drop at Pix, an editorial consultant for Liv-ex, and Editor in Chief of Meininger’s Wine Business International, which she built into the world’s leading wine trade publication. Her writing has appeared in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and The Guardian US. A sought-after keynote speaker on global drinks trends, wine tourism, and the anti-alcohol lobby, she has judged wine competitions across Europe and was named a 2024 Industry Leader by WineBusiness Monthly and winner of the 2025 67 Pall Mall Global Communicators Award for Audio.

Yang Shen
Estate Director of Cloudy Bay

Mr. Yang Shen (China, New Zealand) – Estate Director of Cloudy Bay (one of New Zealand’s most outstanding wineries, part of the LVMH group – the world leader in the luxury industry). Born in China, he studied oenology at the University of Montpellier and wine marketing at the Montesquieu University Bordeaux, although his introduction to fine wine had begun long before that, in his native Chengdu. Throughout his career, Mr. Shen held top positions at Moët Hennessy, Diageo and Chandon China. “My mission at Cloudy Bay is to create wines of exceptional quality that highlight and express New Zealand’s distinctive terroir.” For the second year, Mr. Yang Shen has been an honorary member of the WTA jury.

www.cloudybay.com

Per Karlsson
Co-founder of BKWine, wine writer, wine tour operator and editor of BKWine Magazine
Per Karlsson (Sweden and France) – is an an internationally awarded, professional wine and travel writer and photographer. As co-founder of BKWine, together with Britt Karlsson, he is a wine journalist on BKWine Magazine and Forbes.com, editor of BKWine Magazine, and co-owner of BKWine Tours, one of the world’s leading specialist wine tour operators active across Europe, South America, South Africa and New Zealand. With Britt he has co-authored thirteen wine books (including the award winning “Biodynamic, Organic and Natural Winemaking: Sustainable Viticulture and Viniculture” and the 2026 forthcoming “The Wine for the Future” on sustainability). Per Karlsson is also a consultant and speaker on wine tourism and a wine competition judge and taster in many international and national wine competitions. Per Karlsson has been a distinguished jury member of the WTA since its inaugural edition.
Prof. Dr. Prof. h.c. Gergely Szolnoki
Professor of Market Research at Geisenheim University
Gergely Szolnoki (Germany, Greece) – Professor of Market Research at Geisenheim University (Germany) and honorary professor of Wine and Beverage Management & Marketing at the University of West Attica (Athens/Greece). His research fields cover consumer behaviour, communication and social media, organic wines, market analysis and wine tourism. In addition to his scientific activities, Gergely is a delegated expert in the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), where he leads an expert group, as well as in Great Wine Capitals Global Networks. Since the beginning of the unique Wine Travel Awards project activity, Professor Szolnoki has been its respected judge.
Stéphane Badet
Lecturer at ISVV – Institute of Vine and Wine Science at the University of Bordeaux
Professor, wine economist and expert for AgroCampus Bordeaux Gironde Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty. Lecturer at ISVV – Institute of Vine and Wine Science at the University of Bordeaux, one of the world’s leading educational institutions, as well as a lecturer at such a prestigious university as Bordeaux Sciences Agro. He specializes in wine economy, industry management, business, marketing and tourism for many years, has extensive experience as an expert and consultant in various cooperation and sustainable development programs in the field of winemaking around the world, together with Interco Nouvelle-Aquitaine, UN-FAO, Ministry of Agriculture and Food of France, French and German embassies… Since the first year of the WTA’s founding, Stéphane Badet has been an honorary member of its jury.
Paul Wagner
Senior Wine Tourism Consultant for Expedia Cruise Ship Centers. Co-host at "Bottle Talk With Rick and Paul". Adjunct Instructor, MacPherson Distinguished Teacher at Napa Valley College
Paul Wagner (USA) – Distinguished leader in the wine industry, celebrated for his strategic acumen, marketing innovation, and extensive involvement in wine tourism and education. He has been an instructor for Napa Valley College’s Viticulture and Winery Technology Department for more than thirty years.  He is also a guest lecturer at many universities, such as the Wintour MBA program in Europe, OIV Wine Marketing Master Class at UC Davis, and the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Paul Wagner now works as a Senior Advisor, Wine Tourism for Expedia Cruise Ship Centers. As the founder of Balzac Communications & Marketing, he was highly influential in boosting global wine brands through creative promotional campaigns. His book, “Wine Marketing & Sales,” co-written with Liz Thach and Janeen Olsen, addresses the complexities of a saturated market and sets industry benchmarks.
Richard Bampfield MW
Wine expert and consultant Lidl, Albert Bichot (Burgundy), Santa Rita Estates (Chile) and Château Brown (Bordeaux)

Richard Bampfield MW (UK) – Master of Wine with a rich background in international wine education and consultancy. He is a profound expert, writer and is regarded as an influential figure in wine commentary and evaluation. His early career in retail paved the way for a deeper involvement in the wine business, especially when he was managing Brown Brothers’ European operations. Richard advises numerous clients, including wine producers and retailers. He is a fervent advocate for sustainability, contributing to global initiatives such as the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, which aims to foster more collaboration between all links in wine’s value chain.

Dr. Ricardo F. Nunez
Head of the international group of companies Vinos de La Luz
Dr. Ricardo F. Nunez, Head of the international group of companies Vinos de La Luz, which unites wineries in Argentina, Spain, Italy, the United States and Ukraine. He was born in Argentina. As a grandson and son of winemakers, he grew up in the vineyards of the Andean Cordilleras and explored every corner of the Uco Valley. Dr. Nunez is an investor participating in the development of the wine-growing market of Ukraine, also thanks to his new company Big Wines. Dr. Nunez participates in the world’s leading annual conferences and international wine competitions and is actively involved in the development of winemaking. In 2025, he received the OIV Merit Award for his work in strengthening ties and integrating Ukrainian winemaking into the global professional community.
Dr. Matthew Horkey
The renowned wine expert, author, and founder of a popular YouTube wine channel
Dr. Matthew Horkey (USA) is the author of three books on wines, hundreds of articles, and thousands of videos, which regularly attract dozens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of views from wine lovers around the world. His motto is “Bringing FUN back to the world of WINE!” He serves on the juries of many international wine competitions and tastes thousands of wines from across the globe each year. He is currently traveling the world full-time, continually discovering new regions, wineries, grape varieties, and wine styles for himself and his followers. An experienced public speaker, he’s been a guest speaker at the American University of Rome, Life University, and various companies, including Microsoft, TripAdvisor, Norton Rose, and JP Morgan.
Marinela Ardelean
Executive MBA and PhD in Marketing. Global wine and spirits expert

Marinela Ardelean (Romania) – One of the most prominent promoters of Romanian wines. The owner of an efficient MBA and a PHD in Marketing and of various certifications in wine and business. The organizer of RO-Wine, the International Wine Festival of Romania, which is the first Romanian autochthonous wine festival exclusively oriented towards premium and luxury wine markets. Marinela Ardelean`s book compares Romanian wines with the Italian cuisine, demonstrates innovative approach to cross-cultural culinary pairings and underscores her deep appreciation for Italian culture. Her awards include: Winner of “Best Romanian Sommelier” Award in 2014; Gourmand Drinks Awards in 2015; the CONAF Gala “Women in Economy – Day by day Heroes” in 2023 and others.

www.marinelaardelean.com

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEwXYuCAq8g

Christian Zechmeister, MA
Managing Director, Wein Burgenland

Christian Zechmeister, MA, is the Managing Director of Wein Burgenland, the official wine marketing organization of one of Austria’s leading regions. Under his leadership, Burgenland has boosted its global visibility and strengthened its reputation for high-quality red, white and sweet wines, including renowned Blaufränkisch. With a background in communications and over 20 years of experience in wine marketing, regional promotion and international relations, he has built strategic partnerships with major wine events, tourism boards and professional associations, positioning Burgenland as a key player in European wine tourism. He is an active member of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board network, a speaker at international conferences and a jury member at global wine competitions, promoting innovation, sustainability and excellence in the wine sector.

zechmeister@weinburgenland.at

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