The excellence of Portuguese wine is once again in the spotlight! The 12th edition of the Wines of Portugal Challenge brings together nearly 1,300 Portuguese wines to compete for the sector's most prestigious titles. Organized by ViniPortugal / Wines of Portugal, this annual competition distinguishes the quality and diversity of national wine production, with a panel of renowned experts evaluating the candidates. The Best of the Year will be revealed at the eagerly awaited Awards Dinner and Ceremony on May 9th in Viseu.

The competition will take place in two stages. The first will take place on May 5, 6 and 7 at CNEMA in Santarém, where a panel of 72 national and international experts, including winemakers, sommeliers, journalists and wine educators, will evaluate the candidate wines in technical tasting sessions between 9am and 1pm.

Among the international judges, there are leading names in the world of wine, such as Adam Odor, ambassador for the School of Port in the UK; Dong Yeon Ko, elected Korea's 8th Sommelier of the Year in 2024; Ketil Sauer, sommelier, journalist and wine critic in Denmark; Luke Flunders, digital wine influencer in the UK; Jon Berg, sommelier and author of five books on travel, gastronomy and wine, as well as resident writer for one of Norway's largest wine websites; Gabriela Monteleone, São Paulo's Best Sommelier 2024, curator and columnist on Novabrasil FM radio and Spotify; Natalie Richard, renowned television personality and Canadian journalist; Michał Drozdowski, Poland's Best Sommelier 2024; Yoshiko Senju, JSA Certified Senior Sommelier and trainer at Okyo Aoyama; and Ronald Wortel, editor and columnist of the Netherlands' leading wine magazine, Perswijn.

The decisive 2nd phase will take place on May 8th and 9th in Viseu, where the Grand Jury will choose the Great Golds and the Best of the Year, which will be revealed at the awards ceremony.

More than just an award, the Wines of Portugal Challenge is a seal of quality and a platform for international promotion. The wines awarded the Grand Gold and Gold Medals guarantee their presence at prestigious international events, reinforcing the visibility and credibility of Portuguese wine in foreign markets.

More information about the Wines of Portugal Challenge and the full list of judges, here https://concursovinhosdeportugal.pt/index.php