Vrbnik, March 31, 2026.
International Wine and Spirit Competition Kvarner Trophy is a national, international wine and spirits judging. The Kvarner Trophy 2026 judging took place on March 23, 2026 in Pršutana Gospoja in Vrbnik on the island of Krk. 287 samples of wine and spirits from 6 countries were submitted for judging. The samples were judged by 30 exclusively certified judges from Croatia and abroad, and the president of the judging panels is the renowned oenologist Dr. Ivana Puhelek. In composing the panels, care was taken to ensure an even representation of judges from all over Croatia, i.e. representation from all Croatian wine regions: Slavonia and the Croatian Danube Region, Croatian Istria and Kvarner, Dalmatia and Central Hilly Croatia, and in each panel one international member from the surrounding countries: Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia and North Macedonia. The strong international panel, mostly composed of top experts and technologists in the production of wine and spirits, did a superb job. Wines and spirits were evaluated using the internationally recognized 100-point method, described, and a wine profile was created for each wine. 16 diamond medals, 111 gold medals, 102 silver medals, 33 bronze medals, and 7 honorable mentions were awarded.
The Kvarner Trophy is the first evaluation in Croatia where, in addition to numerical values, wines were evaluated using qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods. A wine profile was created for all samples using the international wine evaluation program Wine Compass, which is accepted by the international organization Vinofed. A web profile has been created for each wine and strong alcoholic drink, which is publicly available at https://kvarnertrophy.winecompass.eu/.
Champions were chosen in 21 categories, and this year's champions are:
Teran "Superior", 2021, Tomaz Winery
Dominus Tradition, 2023, Furjan Wines
Graševina Dekan, 2024, Trs Winery
Ružica Vinodola, 2025, Pavlomir Wine House
Malvasia Amphora, 2022, FAKIN
Dingač Vicelić, 2021, Vinaria Vicelić Boutique
Plavac mali, Tihobrače polje position, 2020, VISLANDER
Žlahtina Vrbnik, 2025, PZ Vrbnik
VISILANDER
Badel Bajadera Cream Liqueur, Badel 1862
Aura Williams, 2025, Aura Distillery
Bodulka Barrique, 2021, Ivan Katunar Wine House
Aura Gin Carbon Navy Strength, 2025, Aura Distillery
Vapore Teranino, 2025, Vapore distillery
Badel 1862
The point thresholds for awarding medals are:
Wines and strong alcoholic beverages that are rated below 71.00 points are considered rejected with a note on the rating sheet and are not included in the catalog.
The judges at the International Wine & Spirit Competition Kvarner Trophy 2026 were: Željko Andabaka, Anasztazia Balint Sabo, Tivadar Balint, Aleksandar Brodski, Marijan Čižmešija, PhD in Biotech. Kristijan Damijanić, Ivan Damjanić, Mandica Erceg, Sandra Georgievska, Dominik Gršković, Krešimir Hren, Vesna Jurak, Đurđa Katić, Renato Krulčić, Matjaž Lemut, Ivan Marinclin, Mislav Maršić, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marin Mihaljević Žulj, Nikola Mirošević, Ivana Nemet, Tomislav Pavlešić, Marina Pavlović, Katarina Peršurić Bernobić, PhD Ivan Prša, Nataša Puhelek Puština, Damir Risek, Jasminka Šaško, PhD Ivan Urošević, Zrinka Vinković Jergović and Kristian Volarić.
The International Wine & Spirit Competition Kvarner Trophy 2026 was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Municipality of Vrbnik, the Croatian Tourist Board, the Kvarner Tourist Board, the Tourist Board of the Municipality of Vrbnik, the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Italesse, Jamnica 1828, Gospoja Winery, Vrbnik Bakery, EvoCask, Srnec Barrel House, WineCompass, Miva Wine Gallery, Wine&Co.
Ph.D. Ivana Puhelek: This evaluation has a special importance on the Croatian wine scene because it is the first national and international evaluation of wines and spirits in Croatia. I am extremely pleased that out of 13 wine champions, 10 were produced from Croatian indigenous varieties (almost 80 %). This is especially reflected in the champions in Croatian wine regions, which clearly demonstrate the greatest production potential of each region. In Bregovita Hrvatska, it is sparkling wine, which, with its terroir and the direction it is taking, is becoming a region of sparkling wines. In Slavonia, our domesticated variety Graševina stood out, in Istria and Kvarner Teran, and in Dalmatia Plavac Mali. I am very pleased that the champions in the category of best organic and amber wine are also wines from indigenous varieties. Teran was rated with 99.75 points, which is a rarity and really shows that our wines produced from indigenous varieties can stand side by side with world wines and even world-famous varieties. With the ever-present climate change, it is precisely indigenous varieties that show the greatest adaptability and resilience and consistently produce good results even in extreme climatic conditions.
Assoc.Prof.Dr.Sc. Marin Mihaljevic Zulj: It was a great honor and pleasure for me to lead the judging panel for strong alcoholic beverages, for the first time this year at the Kvarner Trophy. A strong international committee, composed of top experts and technologists from the production of strong alcoholic beverages, singled out the best ones. Grape brandies stood out among fruit brandies, especially Komovica, and in the liqueur category, wine liqueurs, especially Teranino, took the lead. The large number of samples of Pelinkovac indicates the current popularity of this liqueur, which is widely consumed and is currently in demand on the market. On average, liqueurs are rated better than fruit brandies. This opens up opportunities for progress in the technology of producing fruit distillates and indicates the need for education in this area. We are very satisfied with the way the judging went, which was done very professionally and at an enviable level that is difficult to surpass. I would like to thank the organizers and the president of the judging, Dr. Ivana Puhelek, who all together believe in what they are doing and that is why the Kvarner Trophy has a bright future ahead of them.
Claudio Tomaz: We welcomed the results of the Kvarner Trophy evaluation with enthusiasm, although we believed in the quality of our wines, as well as in the Teran and Istrian Malvasia varieties as two indigenous products from Istria that are also the flagships of our winery. 99.75 points is an unprecedented success of our winery for the Teran Superior wine that we cherish with heart and soul, and a special style and character, and which, together with the diamond medal for Teran Barbarosa, and the gold medals for Malvasia Avangarde, 2025. and Sauvignon, 2025., make up the greatest success of our winery so far, which comes from a commission composed exclusively of professionals, that is, oenologists from all over Croatia and abroad, which is why this entire evaluation has great weight and significance. These fantastic results of our winery, which also include 2 silver medals, will be remembered for the rest of our lives and will certainly enter the history of Vinarija Tomaz.
Zarko Stilin: Kvarner, as the most important Croatian gastronomic scene and the first Croatian holder of the European Region of Gastronomy project in 2026, would certainly benefit from additional eno-gastronomic affirmation through projects such as the International Wine & Spirit Competition Kvarner Trophy. The Kvarner Wines Association, which is one of the four holders of the European Region of Gastronomy project and the holder of the Kvarner Tourist Board brand, is developing several separate projects that strongly position Kvarner as an unavoidable eno-gastronomic region. The most significant projects that the Association is developing in cooperation with institutions and the regional tourist board and self-government are the Kvarner International Wine Festival WineRi, the International Wine & Spirit Competition Kvarner Trophy, the Kvarner Wines Route marketing platform (and the We serve Kvarner Wines brand), Žlahtina – Kvarner Wines Queen, the Quarner Quality quality agricultural food product platform and the Kvarner Olive Oil gathering. The promotion and marketing of the best-rated wines and spirits will be directed towards the HoReCa sector, the general public and holders of gastronomic quality labels (Michelin, JRE, Gaullt&Millau, Falstaff, etc.).
