The 16th edition of Sauvignon Selection by CMB will take place in Burgas, Bulgaria
For the first time in the 16-year history of the Sauvignon Selection by CMB, Bulgaria will be the host country of the prestigious competition dedicated to world-class Sauvignon Blanc. The 2025 Sauvignon Selection by CMB will take place from 11 to 13 April in Burgas. The competition is hosted by the municipality of Burgas in partnership with Probegex, local and international partners.
Over the past decade the competition has taken place in winegrowing regions all over Europe including Bordeaux, Touraine, Styria, Rueda, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Torres Vedras. Sauvignon Blanc has in recent years become an extremely popular varietal in the international marketplace.
The official announcement of the 2025 edition took place this Wednesday 11 December in Burgas.
Mr Dimitar Nikolov, Mayor of Burgas
“It is an honor and a privilege for the city of Burgas to host the international wine competition Sauvignon Selection by CMB. We are delighted to welcome such a prestigious event to our shores and introduce the international wine experts to our rich culture, traditions and modern wine production.
Quentin Havaux, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles’ CEO
“ The main objective of the competition is to highlight Sauvignon producers from around the world who craft high-quality wines from this very popular grape variety, while also providing consumers with a seal of quality they can trust. However, Sauvignon Selection by CMB goes beyond that. As a traveling competition, we also promote the gems of the host region in terms of winemaking, gastronomy, and tourism. The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles previously organized a competition in Plovdiv in 2016, and we are delighted to return to this beautiful country, still too little known for its exceptional wine production! “
Probegex – Meglena Mihova & Christophe Sepulveda
“ Hosting the prestigious wine competition Sauvignon Selection offers to the Bulgarian producers the unique opportunity to showcase the exceptional quality of their wines to the international wine experts, traders and journalists. Participating in Sauvignon selection will boost the international visibility of the Bulgarian wine producers.
About the host region
Wine production in the Burgas region dates back to antiquity. It was made by the Thracians, and was the main livelihood of the inhabitants of these lands during the Roman Empire.
The Burgas region stands out as a vibrant center of viticulture and winemaking, with a total vineyard area of 8,194 hectares. This includes 5,740 hectares dedicated to white wine varieties and 2,454 hectares for red wine varieties, making white grape varieties dominant in the region with approximately 70.05% of the total vineyard area.
The primary varieties for white wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Ottonel, Red Muscat, Chardonnay, Rkatsiteli, Traminer, and Tamianca, which account for 90% of the region’s white grape area.
In the 2023 vintage, wineries in the region processed 41,335,591 kilograms of grapes. Preliminary data for the 2024 harvest shows 36,500,000 kilograms of grapes processed, with final figures expected after January 2025.
Burgas boasts 28 registered wine producers who collectively produced 29,659,253 liters of wine from the 2023 vintage. Of this total, 20,888,502 liters were white wines, highlighting the region’s dedication to high-quality white wine production.
The Burgas region also proudly produces wines with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), reflecting its commitment to preserving traditional winemaking practices. These PDOs include: PDO “Pomorie”, PDO “Slavyantsi”, PDO “Sungurlare”, PDO “Karnobat” and PDO “South Black Sea”.
With its rich history, diverse grape varieties, and outstanding wines, Burgas is a true gem of the winemaking world, offering an exceptional blend of tradition and innovation.
About the competition
Sauvignon Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (formerly Concours Mondial du Sauvignon) is currently the largest competition in the world for Sauvignon blanc wines. Established in Bordeaux in 2010, Sauvignon Selection by CMB, has rapidly become the flagship event for Sauvignon blanc. What makes the event unique is that it is held in a different region every year. The competition has already travelled to seven different regions in France, as well as Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal and South Africa. Last year, the competition returned to Austria, six years after being hosted by Styria in 2018.
How can you participate as Sauvignon producer? Registration is open https://sauvignonselection.com/en/registration
Press contact
Benoît Carion
benoit.carion@vinopres.com
003225332766
