When the blue Frankish wine wins: Villa Vino Rača shines at the Blaufränkisch International Competition
The first annual 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 the Blue Frankish grape variety. The results were officially announced in the presence of the Governor of the South Moravian Region, and the event was held in the spirit of the declaration of a new International Frankish Day , which will now be held annually on February 12th.
Frankovka on the global map – from Rač to Bořetice
The idea of creating a prestigious international competition dedicated exclusively to Blue Frankovka is not new. For many years, this vision was also fulfilled by Rača in Bratislava, where the Villa Vino Rača company organized the International Blue Frankovka and Rosé Wine Festival. This festival served as proof that Frankovka is a variety worthy of special attention – a wine with more than three centuries of tradition in Rača, popular at the royal court of Maria Theresa and today recognized across Europe and the world. BIC is now continuing this tradition on the international stage with the ambition to connect wine regions across continents.
The interest in the premiere year of BIC surprised even the organizers themselves - a record 306 samples from 13 countries of the world entered the competition. In addition to 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 Frankovka is a truly global variety with a strong Central European background.
Conference on Frankovka – history, terroir and future of the variety
An integral part of the event was a professional conference dedicated to the blue franc , which took place on February 13. The program 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 featured renowned winemakers, academics and international experts, with special attention paid to the diverse forms of franc 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 Frankovka Blue 2019, grape selection – gold medal
🥇 Exclusive Račianska frankovka 2021 – gold medal
🥈 Theresian Franconian Championship 2021 – silver medal (only 0.3 points away from the gold medal)
These results confirm that Račianska frankovka can withstand the most demanding international competition. The variety, which Empress Maria Theresa honored with the right of donation in 1767, still carries the tradition of Rač with pride today. We are also proud to be able to represent it at the highest wine forums in Europe.
