International Wine Experts Set for Macedonia

Terroir.mk Exclusive: Voices of Vranec

October in Skopje will have an international accent this year. As terroir.mk exclusively reveals, a select group of prominent wine experts will travel to Macedonia to celebrate the 7th edition of Vranec World Day. They represent the first confirmed names from a wider circle of global media voices who are set to join. Additional participants will be revealed in the weeks ahead, underscoring the growing international curiosity around Vranec and Macedonian wine.

This hand-picked group of writers, critics, and communicators, coming from Poland, the U.S., Germany, Spain, France, and beyond, will spend several days exploring the Vardar River Valley. Their itinerary is more than a press trip, it’s a journey into the layers of Macedonian culture, the history carved into stone monasteries, the rhythm of traditional cuisine, and the passion of winemakers shaping Vranec into a modern classic.

Among the highlights will be the Taste of Awards 2025, where they will experience the country’s medal-winning wines in one place. This year, nearly 60% of the internationally awarded Macedonian wines scoring over 90 points were made from Vranec, a powerful signal of how this variety is redefining the country’s wine reputation.

From the historic terraces of Tikveš and the rolling hills of Veles to the urban cellars around Skopje, the journalists will encounter Vranec in all its expressions, elegant, bold, and deeply rooted in its terroir. They will also attend the Vranec Wine Salon on October 4th at the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, a fitting stage for both tasting and storytelling.

Meet the Wine Experts

Mr. David Furer – Californian writer, educator, and consultant with contributions to Decanter, Wine Business Monthly, and Sommelier International. Author of Wine Places.

Mr. Charlie Arturaola – Celebrated wine communicator, sommelier, actor, and TV personality. Known for The Ways of Wine and El Camino del Vino. Winner of the 2012 Wine & Spirits Communicator of the Year Award.

Ms. Elizabeth Smith – Award-winning wine writer and Certified Travel Advisor. Contributor to Napa Valley Life and Food Wine Travel Magazine. Passionate advocate for Croatian wines and U.S. ambassador for Croatian Premium Wine Imports.

Mr. Tomasz Prange-Barczyński – Veteran Polish critic, editor, and educator; Editor-in-Chief of Ferment. Pismo o winie and author of several wine books. Recognized as a “Riesling Fellow” and awarded Croatia’s Golden Pen.

Ms. Birte Jantzen – Paris-based journalist writing for Vinum, Fine Das Weinmagazin, and Vigneron Magazine. Known for her elegant, cultural approach to wine and advocacy for biodynamic practices.

Ms. Alice Gundlach – German freelance journalist focused on winemaking, retail, and tastings. Her work highlights German and Italian producers with clarity and insight.

Ms. Ruth Troyano Puig – Catalan journalist, sommelier, and author of the acclaimed Retrats de Vi series. Recognized with the BlocDOC at prize for wine communication.

This is more than a press visit. It is an opening of doors and cellars, an invitation to let the world’s storytellers taste, reflect, and share why Vranec is no longer just a Balkan secret but a variety ready for the global stage. And with more international names soon to be revealed, the story of Vranec is only beginning to unfold—promising an even louder echo from Macedonia’s vineyards to the world’s wine capitals.

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