Moldova Present at CMB in Yerevan
These are intense days here in Armenia, where one of the world’s most important international wine competitions – the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles – has officially begun. Over the coming days, hundreds of experts from around the world have gathered in Yerevan to evaluate thousands of wines from dozens of countries in a true marathon of blind tastings.
I have the honor of representing my country on the jury and, at the same time, serving as chairman of one of the international tasting panels. The panel I lead includes experts from the United States, France, Armenia, the Netherlands and Poland – professionals with different experiences and perspectives, brought together by the same mission: evaluating some of the finest wines entered into the competition.
The Republic of Moldova is also represented this year by Ion Luca, founder and winemaker of Casa Vinicolă Luca / Carpe Diem, as well as Snejana Zacepa of Wine.md. Their presence further confirms that Moldovan wine professionals are becoming increasingly visible and recognized on major international wine platforms.
The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is considered one of the world’s most influential wine competitions. Founded in 1994, the event annually gathers tasters, sommeliers, journalists, buyers and international wine experts, while all wines are assessed exclusively through blind tastings, without jurors knowing the identity or origin of the samples.
This year’s edition also carries symbolic importance. For the first time, the competition is being hosted in Armenia – a country considered by many historians and archaeologists to be one of the birthplaces of wine. The discovery of the Areni-1 winery complex, estimated to be around 6,100 years old, brought worldwide attention to the region, and organizers have described this edition as a symbolic return to the origins of wine culture.
In total, around 350 experts from approximately 5o countries are expected to taste nearly 6,700 wines. Beyond medals and scores, the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles remains one of the places where ideas, trends and people shaping the future of the wine world come together. For Moldova, having a seat at this table may matter just as much as any medal.
