The Finger Lakes competition held in the largest wine-growing region in the federal state of New York, is considered one of the largest competition, with the participation of vintners from all over the world with almost 4,000 samples of wine.

Also this year the selection of wines by Slovenian vintners was made by the renowned international wine critics Marin Berovič from Ljubljana Biotechnical Faculty and Andrejka Gažovič, sommelier at the Miami Le Cordon Bleu College, and director of VinoFeel, Slovenian Institute of Wine Tourism. They were both the only chosen representatives of Slovenia as members of the jury made of 54 judges from all over the world.

Slovenia participated with almost 100 choice samples of Slovenian wines produced by almost all renown Slovenian vintners. 81 Slovenian wines received medals, 22 of which were gold medals. Three wines were awarded the large golden medal - Prestiž sparkling wine Extra Brut from the Vina Istenič cellar in Bizeljsko, Silveri Nature Zero sparkling wine (Silveri from Goriška brda), and Jakob sweet wine (JNK wine production, the Vipavska valley); Čebelarne Novak mead received the same award.

This time Pullus from Ptujbecame the most successful wine cellar, winning three gold medals for Blue Franconian (modra frankinja) and two for Sauvignon, five silver and one bronze medal.

Also this year the award ceremony will be held in Ljubljana; the medals will be bestowed by the USA Ambassador in Ljubljana.

K. S.; translated by G. K.