Val di Cembra: 64 wines competing in the 23rd International Müller Thurgau Competition

Great anticipation awaits the outcome of the 23rd International Müller Thurgau Wine Competition , whose tasting panel took place on June 19th. Sixty-four wines were entered , 22% of which were from abroad. Trentino, naturally, takes the lion's share, joined by two extremes of the Italian peninsula: Alto Adige and Sicily, which is represented with one sample. On the international front, the wines being tasted come from other important areas dedicated to growing Müller Thurgau: Germany, the grape's native land, and the Czech Republic, where it is among the most widespread white grape varieties and a consolidated presence in the winemaking tradition. In terms of vintages, 47 samples were from 2025, 11 from 2024, 3 from 2023, one from 2022, one from 2021, and one from 2020. Two sparkling wines were also entered.

Divided into three tasting panels, each composed of six members—oenologists, journalists, and sommeliers—the judges conducted blind tastings to analyze each label through four steps according to the Union Internationale des Oenologues method: sight, smell, taste, and taste-smell. Each wine was tasted by two panels, and once the highest and lowest scores were eliminated, the average was determined for the final score.

The awarding of medals was defined here, with a limit of 30% of winners out of the total number of registered participants and a maximum of 10% of Gold Medals , which will be presented on Thursday 2 July , during the inauguration of the 38th edition of Müller Thurgau: Mountain Wine .

The surprise of the tasting was the 2025 vintage . Despite a harvest 7-10 days earlier than usual, a condition generally unfavorable for Müller Thurgau because it leads to higher temperatures in the final stages of ripening and therefore a potential drop in acidity and aromatic finesse, the wines showed great balance , expressive precision , and notable elegance , often proving preferable to previous vintages. This result takes on even greater significance when considering the climatic complexity of the 2025 season. Obtaining wines of this caliber in such a delicate year demonstrates how the wineries have achieved a high level of precision in production management, from choosing the optimal harvest time to the winemaking decisions. This is a very encouraging sign also for the future: if, as it seems, the 2026 harvest will be even earlier, the technical level achieved by the wineries suggests a growing ability to best interpret even increasingly extreme seasons . The distinctive traits of contemporary Müller Thurgau thus emerge: fresh, direct, and dynamic wines, well-structured, with aromas ranging from vegetal notes to hints of Sauvignon, always perfectly balanced, and a complexity built on savory, tension, and elegance rather than power. For older vintages, several wines stood out, capable of developing interesting evolutionary nuances, with hints of Riesling and a remarkable ability to maintain freshness, depth, and flavor tension. The comparison also revealed how today's Müller Thurgau perfectly meets the demands of the market , which is oriented toward fresh, aromatic but never overbearing white wines, highly drinkable and moderately alcohol-rich, ideal for both restaurants and aperitifs. The variety's strength lies in its ability to express these characteristics at full grape ripeness, without resorting to early harvests, which, in other varieties, can compromise balance and naturalness and require greater intervention in the cellar. Finally, it was emphasized that today's Müller Thurgau has very little in common with that of ten years ago. The real challenge, then, is communicating this profound evolution to consumers : today, Müller Thurgau is a modern, refined, and anything but simple wine, capable of combining immediacy and depth. Its complexity comes not from power, but from balance, flavor, tension, and depth of flavor. A perfect wine for today's market. Older vintages, aimed at specific market niches, can play an important role in communicating this new level of Muller Thurgau, thus also serving as a driving force for sales of the current vintage.