The ‘Lágrima de Vitalis’ triumph at Catavinum World Wine and the ‘Tiramulos’ and ‘Esencia 33’ from Meóriga, together with the ‘Babia’ from Vinícola Valmadrigal, at the Lyon competition

Two of the first major international wine competitions of the year resulted in an extraordinary six medals, all of them gold, for the wines certified by the Regulatory Council of the León Designation of Origin. The Lágrima de Vitalis white and rosé, the former made from Albarín and the latter from Prieto Picudo, both from the 2024 vintage and from the Vitalis winery (Villamañán), won this high recognition for quality at the Catavinum World Wine & Spirits Competition-2025.

For its part, Meóriga (Mayorga de Campos) added another gold medal to its rosé Esencia 33 -it had already won two gold medals and a silver medal at the same competition- at the Concours International de Lyon, adding to its excellent track record with another two gold medals for its latest oenological novelties, the Tiramulos white and rosé, both from the 2024 vintage and from the reference varieties in these classes for wines from the León Designation of Origin.

The sixth medal, also of the highest value, ratifies the quality of a red wine that has been highly acclaimed by critics and consumers since it was first made: the Babia from Vinícola Valmadrigal (Castrotierra de Valmadrigal). It is also the latest addition to the catalogue of Agustín Paniagua’s winery, an organic wine from the 2022 vintage, made from the Prieto Picudo variety and limited edition.

The Catavinum World Wine & Spirits Competition, a contest that was born in 1998 and that gains prestige from year to year, has as its main objectives to inform international consumers and professionals about the excellence of the awarded products, facilitating its diffusion and communication in the global market, to provide a reliable guide for the 80% of consumers who look for international references about wines, to promote the production and elaboration of high quality articles, encouraging innovation and continuous improvement in the industry and promoting the diffusion of quality products and encouraging a responsible and appreciative consumption of exceptional beverages.

The Concours International de Lyon is supported by renowned partners such as Les Toques Blanches Lyonnaises, the Association des Sommeliers de Lyon and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the city of Lyon and Only Lyon. The tasting panel examines thousands of products from various countries and rewards the world’s best wines, beers and spirits, as well as the best cheeses, dairy products, cold meats and charcuterie from around the globe. In its 2025 edition, the French competition had the pleasure of tasting 10,385 samples submitted by 54 countries. Since its creation, the competition has awarded millions of products with its highly acclaimed medals.

DO León