CERVIM, Mondial des Vins Extrêmes 2026: the awards ceremony flies to Catalonia

After the last edition held at Forte di Bard (Aosta), the Mondial des Vins Extrêmes awards ceremony returns to a foreign country. The final event of the 34th edition will be held on November 21, 2026, at the VINSEUM – Museum of Wine Cultures of Catalonia in Vilafranca del Penedès (Spain) , strengthening the dialogue between wine regions united by challenging production conditions. This competition, dedicated to heroic viticulture and organized by CERVIM – Center for Research, Studies, Safeguarding, Coordination and Promotion of Mountain Viticulture – further enhances its international standing , marking a strategic step in its global growth. Tastings of the competing wines will be held on Tuesday, August 25, and Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at the new location, the Châtillon Convention Center in the Aosta Valley. The dates and new features planned for the next edition were presented on Monday, April 13, at Vinitaly by Nicola Abbrescia , President of CERVIM, along with Speranza Girod , Councilor for Agriculture and Natural Resources of the Valle d'Aosta Region, Nicolas Bovard , President of the Valle d'Aosta Wine Consortium, and Alberto Levi , President of AIS Valle d'Aosta. On the institutional front, further growth was seen with the presence at the press conference of three regional Councilors for Agriculture —Dario Bond (Veneto), Giancarlo Righini (Lazio), and Stefano Zannier (Friuli Venezia Giulia)—a concrete demonstration of support for CERVIM and the strategic value of heroic viticulture. The promotion of award-winning wines is also being strengthened: CERVIM will be present at the Merano WineFestival , scheduled for November 6-10, 2026, with a dedicated room, where the wines awarded the Gran Medaglia d'Oro will be featured at the tasting tables, creating a direct connection with the event created by Helmuth Köcher. "The Mondial des Vins Extrêmes was born with an international vocation that is further consolidated today: bringing the awards to Catalonia means strengthening a global network of territories that share challenging but extraordinary production conditions, enhancing their identity and uniqueness," states Nicola Abbrescia . "At the same time, attendance at the Merano WineFestival represents a fundamental step in giving award-winning wines qualified visibility and new opportunities to meet with highly select wine lovers and industry professionals." The Mondial des Vins Extrêmes was created to promote and safeguard the production of small island or mountainous wine-growing areas , on steep slopes or terraced, where mainly native grape varieties are grown. Councilor Speranza Girod emphasizes: "Heroic viticulture represents a fundamental protection for the territories: not only does it produce excellence, but it contributes to the protection of the landscape, the prevention of hydrogeological instability, and the response to climate change. The participation of regional institutions is an important political signal, recognizing the strategic value of the sector for the sustainable development of local communities." The tasting panels , each composed of five members including oenologists, wine technicians, journalists, and expert tasters, will evaluate the samples according to the rules of the OIV – Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin . At the end of the tastings, the Grand Gold Medal, the Gold Medal, the Silver Medal and additional Special Prizes will be awarded according to the regulations available on the website: www.mondialvinsextremes.com .