“GRAN VINITALY 2011” FLIES TO ISRAEL TO AWARD THE “WORLD CUP” OF WINE TO GOLAN HEIGHTS WINERY IN KATZTRIN (ISRAEL) OUT OF 3720 WINES FROM 30 COUNTRIES. THE TOP ITALIAN COMPANY IS MILAZZO OF CAMPOBELLO DI LICATA (AGRIGENTO). THE WINNERS...

The best wine producer in the world is Israeli. The 2011 edition of the International Wine Competition gave the award to the Golan Heights Winery, a relatively young company, founded in 1983 in Katzrin (Israel). This is the first time that the Grand Vinitaly Special Prize is awarded to an Israeli wine producer. The prize is awarded to the producer who scored the highest result, calculated by the sum of the highest scores of two wines that won a medal in different categories.
The Golan Heights Winery had already received important awards at Vinitaly in past editions of the International Wine Competition.
The Israeli winery convinced the 105 jurors - chosen from among the most highly respected wine experts and journalists from around the world – out of 3720 bottles in “competition” (there were 3646 in 2010), and more than 1 thousand participants from 30 countries: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Republic of San Marino, Romania, Serbia Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Hungary, Uruguay, Venezuela.

The event is sponsored by the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin, the Union Internationale des Oenologues, the Ministries of Agriculture and Industry and in collaboration with Assoenologi, (association of enologists) and Ice (foreign commerce institute).

“For the nineteenth consecutive year the competition has proved to be the most selective in the world,” said Giuseppe Martelli, General Manager of Assoenologi, “and the quality of wines continues to improve. There was a strong international competition this year and it seems that foreign wines have probably recorded a higher percentage of participation than Italian, regarding the first four prizes in the competition”. Two companies won the special prize ”Vinitaly Nation” 2011, given to the producer in each country that achieved the highest score: this year the prestigious award was given to the Italian Milazzo Farm, Terre della Baronia Spa of Campobello Licata (Agrigento), who also won the prize “Vinitaly region” 2011, and to Spain, Bodegas Marques de Carrion - Cabastida - Alava.

The following wineries won the special prize “Vinitaly region” 2011, awarded to the producer in each Italian region that achieved the best score:
Veneto: Valpolicella Negrar - Negrar (Verona);
Puglia: La Mea di Maci Marco Farm - Cellino San Marco (Brindisi);
Tuscany: Banfi - Montalcino (Siena);
Sicily: Milazzo Farm - Terre della Baronia di Campobello di Licata (Agrigento);
Lombardy: Le Cantorie Farm - Gussago (Brescia);
Abruzzo: Cooperative Orsogna - Orsogna (Chieti);
Sardinia: Carpante Usini - Usini (Sassari);
Emilia-Romagna: Ceci Wineries - Torrile (Parma);
Piedmont: Vigne Regali - Strevi (Alessandria);
Lazio: Cantina Sant’Andrea Farm - Terracina (Latina);
Friuli Venezia Giulia: Collavini Viticoltori - Corno di Rosazzo (Udine); Marche: Terre Cortesi Moncaro - Montecarotto (Ancona);
Trentino Alto Adige: Cavit - Trento;

Basilicata: Cantine del Notaio - Rionero in Vulture (Potenza);
Umbria: Valentino Cirulli Farm- Ficulle (Terni).

The “Banca Popolare di Verona” special prize Doc went to Trentino Doc Vin Santo “Arele” 1999 di Cavit - Trento for having achieved the top score among all the wines from the regions of Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli and Trentino in all categories of the International Wine Competition.
According to the regulations of the competition, all the producers that have won a medal may apply a label bearing the distinction “International Wine Competition” Vinitaly 2011, on bottles of their best wines.



Focus – Honor Roll of the International Wine Competition

1993 - Marchesi di Barolo Wineries- Italy

1994 - Banfi - Italy

1995 - Banfi - Italy

1996 - Banfi - Italy

1997 - Tasca d’Almerita

1998 - Ernest & Giulio Gallo Winery - U.S.A.

1999 - Cantine Tollo - Italy

2000 - Banfi - Italy

2001 - Ernest & Giulio Gallo Winery - U.S.A.

2002 - Ernest & Giulio Gallo Winery - U.S.A.

2003 - Vineland Estates Winery - Canada

2004 - Azienda Vinicola Miceli - Italy

2005 - Cavit - Italy

2006 - Segura Viudas - Spain

2007 - Wyndham Estate - Australia

2008 - Divino Nordheim - Die Winzergenossenschaft - Germany

2009 - Inniskillin Wines - Niagara On The Lake – Canada

2010 - Gianni Zonin Vineyards - Italy