Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026 drew more than 550 exhibitors to Belgrade Fair

More than 550 exhibitors from over 30 countries presented wines, spirits and gastronomic products at the Belgrade Fair when the fifth edition of Wine Vision by Open Balkan concluded after three days of tastings, competitions and business meetings. The event ran from 10 to 12 October 2026 under the slogan "One place. Whole world" and gathered producers, distributors, professional buyers and food‑service specialists from Serbia, the wider region and abroad.

Competitions, buyers and thousands of B2B meetings

The fair hosted more than 3,000 trade and hospitality professionals, including 275 professional buyers from 48 countries. Organisers say several thousand B2B meetings took place both in a dedicated B2B zone and directly at exhibition stands, helping participants to open new markets and sign commercial agreements.

Over 50 sommeliers worked on the professional execution of tastings, masterclasses and behind‑the‑scenes logistics. During the Open Balkan Wine Trophy tasting alone, more than 3,500 wine bottles passed through their hands.

More than 800 samples were entered in the Open Balkan Wine Trophy, with trophies awarded in nine categories. A 25‑member jury decided the awards; the panel included six holders of the Master of Wine title and one Master Sommelier. The jury was chaired by Caroline Gilby MW; other members included Rod Smit MW, Petar Moser and Bet Vilard.

National trophy winners from the region included Kantina Fani (Albania), the family winery Peshkov (North Macedonia) and Đurđevića Legat (Serbia). Style and variety category trophies went to Aleksić, Zvonko Bogdan, La Gora, Jović, Arianiti, Tarpoš, Chateau Kamnik, Bikicki and Kosović.

The Rakija Trophy brought together more than 60 producers from Serbia and the region with roughly 130 samples. A 15‑member international jury working in three panels awarded top prizes to distilleries Kamnik, Zarić, Cherry Hill, Hubert, Emperus and RB Global, as well as the winery and vineyards Botunjac. Ulrih Nice, director of Spirits Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, highlighted rising international interest in rakija, while Aleksandar Janjić, director of the Association of Rakija Producers, stressed quality and dedication as keys to stronger positioning on global markets.

Alongside wine and spirits, the Food Vision segment showcased food producers, restaurants, hotels and hospitality professionals. The programme included the Open Balkan Culinary Challenge for young chefs and culinary teams, exhibition zones for the food industry and professional equipment supported by METRO Cash & Carry, numerous masterclasses and the Southern European semi‑final of the Global Chefs Challenge. Organisers thanked exhibitors, buyers, experts, partners, media and visitors, and announced that Wine Vision 2027 will take place from 9 to 11 October 2027.

Photo: press material from the event