For the sixth year in a row, the Women on Wine (WOW) association has been successfully organising the now affirmed and expected wine rating, titled What Women Want. WOW members are actively engaged in the dining culture area, with a special accent on the promotion of mostly Croatian wines, especially female winemakers and continuously encourage moderate enjoyment of wine.
This activity of voting for the WOW wine of the year serves for excellent Croatian wines to become a brand of Croatia and an important factor in Croatian tourism promotion. The What Women Want activity sees members of the association choosing their favourite wine tasted in the previous year. The selection includes a wine curator choosing wines tasted in the previous year, compiling an authored wine list in four categories: white, pink, red and dessert. The winner of each category receives a wonderful sculpture designed by the famous Grupa from Zagreb, while the overall winner receives a journey to a global wine region.
In previous years, winners of the WOW Grand Prix were Gianfranco Kozlović who travelled to Bordeaux, Saša Senjković who was in Champagne, Moreno Coronica flew to Barcelona and Penedes, Luka Krajančić went to Burgundy, and Frano Milina Bire to Austria. Previous curators were Karin Rupena-Perdec, Alena Stuparić, Siniša Lasan, Mario Meštrović and Roko Bekavac, with WOW members voting via e-mail.
This year the nominations were prepared by sommelier Jelena Šimić-Valentić, and after all members voted, ten finalists were announced. Three white, three red, two pink and two dessert wines.
Entering the finals were:
Whites:
• Epicuria Chardonnay Domaine Koquelicot 2013
• Dubrovnik Malvasia Tezoro Crvik 2015
• Rhine Riesling Tomac 2016
Pinks:
• Rose Pinkert 2016
• Teuta Prović 2016
Reds:
• Plavac Mali Great Tomić 2011
• Teran Benvenuti 2011
• Meneghetti Red 2011
Dessert:
• Bodren selective harvest of grapes 2009
• Kozlović Sorbus 2012
In the third and decisive part of the competition, the blind tasting, winners in all categories were chosen by the three-person female jury from WOW members more adept in the wine sense. This year the jury was composed of Jasna Mohor from MIVA Wine Gallery, oenologist Ivana Valić and Daniela Drčec, WSET Level 2.
The award ceremony and winner announcement in Balon restaurant in Zagreb offered for tasting nominated wines and Kolarić sparklings. The winners per category are:
Whites
Dubrovnik Malvasia Tezoro Crvik 2015
Pinks
Rosé Pinkert 2016
Reds
Meneghetti Red 2011
Desserts
Kozlović Sorbus 2012
The overall winner and WOW Grand Prix recepient is the Meneghetti Red 2011, so someone from the Meneghetti winery will be accompanied by WOW President Sanja Muzaferija on a trip to a world wine region in this fall.
