When the blue Frankish wine wins: Villa Vino Rača shines at the Blaufränkisch International Competition

The first Blaufränkisch International Competition – the Villa Vino Rača winery scored with two gold and one silver medal

In February 2026, in the heart of the Blue Mountains, at the Kraví hora hotel in Bořetice, a turning point in the history of Central European winemaking took place. The first ever Blaufränkisch International Competition (BIC) was held here, an international competition dedicated exclusively to Blaufränkisch. The results were officially announced with the Governor of the South Moravian Region present, and the event marked the declaration of a new International Blaufränkisch Day, which will now be held annually on February 12.

Blaufränkisch on the global map – from Rača to Bořetice

The idea of creating a prestigious international competition dedicated exclusively to Blaufränkisch is not new. For many years, this vision was also kept alive by Rača in Bratislava, where Villa Vino Rača organised the International Blaufränkisch and Rosé Wine Festival. That festival was proof that Blaufränkisch is a variety worthy of special attention – a wine with more than three centuries of tradition in Rača, favoured at the royal court of Maria Theresa and today recognised across Europe and the world. BIC now continues this tradition on the international stage, with the ambition to connect wine regions across continents.

Interest in the inaugural year of BIC surprised even the organisers – a record 306 samples from 13 countries entered the competition. Alongside the traditional wine-growing powers – the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany – wines from Serbia, Croatia, Spain, Italy, Poland and even faraway Australia were also presented. The competition confirmed that Blaufränkisch is a truly global variety with a strong Central European background.

Conference on Blaufränkisch – history, terroir and the future of the variety

An integral part of the event was a professional conference dedicated to Blaufränkisch, held on February 13. The programme covered topics in a broad historical and international context – from geological and soil specifics through the origin and development of the variety, to working with oak barrels and building Grand Cru vineyards. The conference brought together renowned winemakers, academics and international experts, with special attention paid to the diverse forms of Blaufränkisch across European regions.

Our results: 2× gold and 1× silver medal

Villa Vino Rača entered this historic competition with full commitment – and the results speak for themselves. Among 306 samples from all over the world, we won three prestigious awards:

🥇 Palugyay Blaufränkisch 2019 Grape Selection – gold medal

🥇 Exclusive Blaufränkisch from Rača 2021 – gold medal

🥈 Theresian Blaufränkisch 2021 – silver medal (only 0.3 points away from gold)

These results confirm that Blaufränkisch from Rača can hold its own in the most demanding international competition. The variety, which Empress Maria Theresa honoured with the right of donation in 1767, still carries the tradition of Rača with pride today. We are also proud to be able to represent it at the highest wine forums in Europe.