Trilobites in gold and a record-breaking cider from Chyliczki: official results of the ENOEXPO 2026 competition

ENOEXPO 2026 gold medals travel to the primeval sea

This was achieved by Winnica z Gór Pieprzowych, which, according to its own accounts, is situated within a nature reserve near Sandomierz. The Pepper Mountains themselves are composed of shales deposited on the bed of a Middle Cambrian sea roughly half a billion years ago. Two of the three gold-winning bottles, Paradoxides (92.75 points) and Agnostus (90.75 points), bear the names of trilobite genera, marine arthropods that inhabited that very sea. It is hard to imagine a more intriguing coincidence: the vines have taken root in an ancient seabed, whilst rare fossils of such creatures have been uncovered in the local shales. The third and highest-scoring gold went to their bottle named Herse, achieving a score of 93.75 points.

Triumph for Cider from Chyliczki

The absolute record for the entire competition, 94.5 points, did not go to a wine, however. It was claimed by the gold medallist in the cider category, Cydr Lodowa Beczka from the 2018/2019 vintages by Cydr Chyliczki. The producer crafts it from freshly pressed juice, which is subsequently frozen to concentrate it. This process captures the noble essence of the apple in a single bottle, proving that, in skilled hands, the apple can dethrone the grape.

Other award winners

In the sparkling wine category, the solitary gold was claimed by the Saint Vincent vineyard for its Pinot Noir Blanc de Noir - a white bubbly pressed from dark grapes, to which the producer also added a silver for Cœur de Cuvée.

In this edition, the jury conferred a total of 9 silver and 15 bronze awards. Piwnice Antoniego fielded a strong presence in the still wine category, securing no fewer than four medals: silvers for Julita and Idylla, and bronzes for Monarcha and Nestor. Winnica Mituś did not come away empty-handed either, earning two bronzes for Subtelny balans and Zmysłowa słodycz. Meanwhile, Winnica z Gór Pieprzowych cemented its dominance in the competition by adding a bronze for Agrestis to its three major trophies. Further down the podium were Winnica Jura (chardonnay) and Winnica Niemczańska (Basteja), amongst others.

Amongst the meads, by contrast, it was virtually a one-man show. Maciej Łucjan dominated the field, taking five of the six medals awarded in this category, including the only gold for a rosehip tipple.

The medal ceremony is scheduled by the organiser for 4 November, on the opening day of the ENOEXPO trade fair at EXPO Krakow. The wine fair for the hospitality industry will run until 6 November.