06. June 2008.

Initiated by the Pannon Bormíves Céh (Winemakers’ Guild), the first Bormustra (Wine Judging Competition) was held in 2000. As in the past, the wine judging event was hosted for the ninth year in a row by the Pannonhalma Abbey and the award ceremony took place at Gundel Restaurant on June 4, 2008.

Foreign and Hungarian wine experts sampled a selection of wines and at the end of the competition the country's 60 top wines were identified and the winner of the Grand Prix was announced. The panel of experts noted with satisfaction that young winemakers were well represented among the winners – a promising sign for the future.
This year the panel of judges awarded the top 25 wines each in the categories of white and red wines, and the top 10 wines in the sweet wine category. This means that the top 60 wines received the 9th Pannon Bormustra Top Wine award. The Tibor Gál ‘Bikavér’ Memorial Competition was held for the fourth time, entitling the winners to use the Top ‘Bikavér’ title. The Grand Prix and an exclusive oversize Herend decorative bowl were presented to Árvay és Társa Winery for its 2006 Tokaji Istenhegy Furmint. Category winners are, in the red wine category: Takler Winery; the sweet wine category: Pauleczki-Vin Kft.; the sparkling wine category: Garamvári Vineyard; the Bikavér category: St. Andrea Vineyard and the Pinot Noir category: Etyeki Kúria Kft. The best-selection prize was awarded to Jásdi Winery and the prize for the best first entry to Dénes Hegybirtok.
The Wine Competition featured only bottled wines available in commercial outlets. Producers had to provide a list of their distributors as well as information on the volume of the original stock and the current inventory stored in cellars.

The Herend Porcelain Manufactory has sponsored the competition from the start, offering exclusive and unique hand-painted bowls for top winemakers and the oversize decorative bowl with the special design referred to above to Grand Prix winners. (See competition results and additional information at www.pannonbor.hu.)