“AT THE ORIGINS OF WINE”: 7,378 WINES IN COMPETITION FROM 40 COUNTRIES AND 310 INTERNATIONAL TASTERS. The Calabrian territory is preparing to host the most important traveling wine competition. An unmissable opportunity to rediscover the origins of Italy’s wine heritage.

A total of 7,376 international wines are entered in the competition, including 5,083 reds and 2,293 whites, coming from around 40 countries. This year, registrations for the 29th edition of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles place Italy in second position with 1,396 entries, after France (1,645) and ahead of Spain (1,368).

Within the high number of Italian wines competing — alongside regions traditionally well represented at the competition such as Sicily (202 labels in competition), Tuscany (186), Puglia (185) and Veneto (105) — the participation of Calabria stands out with 143 labels, thanks to the important awareness and promotion work carried out by the Calabria Region and ARSAC – Regional Agency for the Development of Calabrian Agriculture.

Rende, in Calabria, will host from May 19 to 22 a total of 310 professional tasters from 45 nations, who will be divided into tasting panels to evaluate the thousands of international samples entered in the competition. The organization and the Region will also offer the international tasters an intense program of activities, including thematic masterclasses, following the official welcome organized by the Consorzio Terre di Cosenza at the historic Villa Rendano.

“For nearly 30 years our international competition has helped guide consumers in choosing high-quality wines worldwide,” underlines Baudouin Havaux, President of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. “It is a well-established organizational ‘machine’ that this year returns to Italy, to Calabria, with great enthusiasm and the desire to present new perspectives on the Italian wine landscape. We are convinced that this beautiful region will not fail to surprise all the actors involved in the competition and will represent an added value to the prestige of the event, which continues to grow both in terms of international producer participation and the image and market benefits that companies obtain thanks to the medals.”

Rende will serve as the operational base, but tours and excursions will reach many areas of the region: the province of Cosenza, Vibo, Pizzo, Lamezia, as well as the wine territories of Cirò, Melissa, Reggio Calabria and Bivongi. A true cross-section of Calabria — from the Sila mountains to the sea — offering the opportunity to appreciate a land rich in culture, history, nature and a remarkable gastronomic heritage.

“We are proud to host such an important international competition in Calabria,” declares Roberto Occhiuto, President of the Calabria Region. “Many entrepreneurs will arrive in our region, and above all the protagonists of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles: thousands of wines of the highest quality. And there will also be the Calabrians. After the success achieved at Vinitaly, we will once again demonstrate that we have realities that have nothing to envy from the rest of the country or the world, producing true excellence. Calabrian wineries are making great progress, investing heavily in quality, experimentation and expertise. Our goal is to create more and more growth opportunities in this sector, which is crucial for the economic development of the territory. Best of luck to all participants, and welcome to Calabria — a welcoming, passionate and authentic land.”

“The choice made by the organizers of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles fills us with enthusiasm and pride,” adds Gianluca Gallo, Regional Councillor for Agriculture. “Calabrian producers responded with great enthusiasm and, within the regional group of 143 entries, we have 11 PDO and PGI denominations represented, including Calabria IGT (82), Terre di Cosenza DOC (24) and Cirò DOC (18). The competition represents a great opportunity for visibility for our beautiful region, while allowing us to offer a concrete and authentic experience in a territory rich in diversity. It is also a promotional action for our wine sector, which boasts a unique distinction: being the ‘land of the origins of wine’, thanks to the arrival of the vine from the East 2,500 years ago, when it acclimatized in Calabria before spreading throughout Western Europe with renewed characteristics.”

“At the Origins of Wine” is the theme that will accompany the tasters during this short but intense journey. It will also be the guiding thread for a wide range of side events aimed at consumers, exploring the region’s historical, cultural, folkloric and gastronomic heritage: from the carnival masks of Alessandria del Carretto in the Pollino area, to the medieval Festival of Bread in Altomonte, to the songs and dances of historic brigands, and finally to the sea with the stories of the traditional tuna fisheries. Throughout the four days, wineries and town squares will host tasting stands and local product tastings.

Finally, thematic meetings will take place on Friday May 20 and Saturday May 21 at the Sala Nova of the Province of Cosenza headquarters.
On May 20 at 5:30 pm: Wine tourism as the stage of “Extraordinary Calabria”, followed at 7:00 pm by Health: when wine can extend life.
On May 21 at 5:30 pm: Autochthonous grape varieties of Calabria, a timeless journey.

“It is not only my city, but the whole of Calabria that is hosting this important event,” concludes Marcello Manna, Mayor of Rende. “An event that helps promote fundamental aspects of our territory such as food and wine culture, tourism, our roots and our history. This land has the ambition to assert itself, to be known, to show its treasures that are still not fully discovered. The opportunity that presents itself today is truly unique.”

From May 19 to 22 – Rende (Cosenza)
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