International Wine and Spirit Competition Kvarner Trophy recognized the best wines and spirits across 21 categories, with Vergilas Craft Distillery among the award-winning producers, taking home an impressive five medals.
287 wine and spirits entries from 6 countries evaluated
Recognizing the need for an international, high-quality, objective and professional wine competition in Croatia, with a particular focus on wines produced from indigenous Croatian grape varieties, the second edition of the Kvarner Trophy wine competition was organized in cooperation with the Kvarner Wines Association (the Winegrowers’ Cooperative – the producer organization Vina Kvarnera).
Following the successful inaugural competition in 2025, which attracted an exceptional response and generated significant promotional impact within the HoReCa sector and the wider public, Kvarner Trophy 2026 was held on March 23 at Pršutana Gospoja in Vrbnik, on the island of Krk.
A total of 287 wine and spirits entries from six countries were submitted this year, confirming the event’s growing international significance and recognition. The entries were evaluated by 30 certified judges from Croatia and abroad, with renowned oenologist Dr. Ivana Puhelek serving as President of the judging panels.
When forming the judging panels, careful consideration was given to ensuring balanced representation of experts from all major Croatian wine regions — Slavonia and the Croatian Danube region, Croatian Istria and Kvarner, Dalmatia, and Central Croatia’s hilly wine-growing region. Each panel also included one international judge from a neighboring country — Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia or North Macedonia — further ensuring the objectivity and international relevance of the judging process.
This approach contributes to strengthening the credibility of the competition itself while promoting the quality of Croatian wines on both the domestic and international markets.
Vergilas Craft Distillery wins 5 medals
Vergilas Craft Distillery has been recognized as a blend of tradition and innovation, where traditional production methods are successfully complemented by modern approaches to distillation. Its quality was further confirmed by winning an impressive five medals: Pelinkovac and Gin received silver medals, while Ričina, Whisky and Hazelnut were awarded bronze.
