Bordeaux showcased at 2017 Concours Mondial du Sauvignon
- Over 860 wines
- 87 gold medals
- 65 judges from 17 countries including China, South Africa and Japan
- Host region 2018: Styria, Austria
March 21, 2017 (Brussels, Belgium): The 8th Concours Mondial du Sauvignon was hosted by its home city, Bordeaux, on March 3 and 4, 2017. A total 861 wines from 22 countries were judged blind by a panel of 65 international experts from 17 countries. The judges – journalists, buyers, winemakers and producers – awarded a total 242 medals, including 8 Revelation trophies*, one of which was dedicated to the competition’s original patron, Professor Denis Dubourdieu. Medals were divided between 87 Gold (Austria, Chile, the USA, Turkey, New Zealand, Germany, Slovenia, Spain, Italy, France, Serbia and South Africa) and 155 Silver (recipients included the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Switzerland). Planète Bordeaux, the head office and wine tourism centre for the Bordeaux & Bordeaux Supérieur appellations, hosted the two-day tasting sessions.
All the major Sauvignon producer countries, both New World and Old, took part in the competition, with France in the vanguard. With the event taking place on home ground, 526 French wines competed this year. Italy came next with 85 entries, followed by Austria (78), South Africa (45), Spain (44), New Zealand and Chile (21), the Czech Republic (12), Turkey (9) and Slovakia (8)… Whilst entry numbers do not necessarily reflect the significance of each producer country, they do mirror the increasing global popularity and distribution of Sauvignon as well as the determination by a number of producer countries to make a name for themselves by focusing on the varietal.
“The Concours Mondial du Sauvignon is a fascinating event because it demonstrates how diverse wines from a single varietal can be”, says competition director, Thomas Costenoble. “Nevertheless, there is a common thread which allows judges to compare them, unlike other international competitions where they’re asked to compare apples and oranges”.
The overall standard of the wines entered in the competition, which increases every year, is also a measure of improvements in vineyard management and wine making techniques geared specifically to the varietal.
The Concours Mondial du Sauvignon provides valuable insight into the underlying trends affecting both production and consumption of Sauvignon worldwide. It does this not only through its results, but also via the resources compiled by the steering committee created in 2014. Nearly 30 articles on a wide range of Sauvignon-themed topics can now be accessed on the competition’s website. The organisers’ aim is to continue to build on international exposure for the varietal.
The next competition will take place in Graz, Austria, on March 2-3, 2018.
About the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon
The competition was launched in 2010 by the Bordeaux & Bordeaux Supérieur growers’ organisation to promote awareness of its white wine proposition. The event has now evolved into a global challenge with new producer countries entering every year and overseas venues including Fruili in Italy in 2015 and Rueda in Spain in 2016.
Technical management of the tastings is handled by the organisers of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles who bring with them over 20 years’ experience in organising major international wine competitions.
In addition to Gold and Silver medals, special Revelation trophies were awarded to wines securing the highest scores, recognising the excellence of Sauvignon blanc in the relevant categories.
For the first time this year, the Denis Dubourdieu Trophy was awarded to wines showing the purest and most refined Sauvignon expression.
* The 8 Revelation trophies went to:
2017 Revelation Unoaked Sauvignon (x2):
Vignoble Cogné, Sauvignon Blanc Terra Vitis 2016, IGP Val de Loire, France
Famille Bougrier, Abbesse Royale 2016, Touraine, France
2017 Revelation Oaked Sauvignon:
Maison Laporte, Le Grand Rochoy 2015, Sancerre, France
2017 Revelation Blend:
Despagne, Rauzan Despagne Le Grand Vin 2015, Bordeaux Blanc, France
2017 Revelation Organic Sauvignon:
Misty Cove, Misty Cove Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2016, Marlborough, New Zealand
2017 Dubourdieu Wine Trophy:
Skoff Original, Kranachberg Sauvignon Blanc 2015, South Styria, Austria
2017 Revelation Sauvignon from Spain:
Bodega Inurrieta, Inurrieta Orchidea Cuvée 2015, Navarra, Spain
2017: Revelation Sauvignon from Italy:
Cadibon, Cadibon Sauvignon 2015, Collio (Goriziano) DOC, Italy
To see the full list of winners, visit: http://results.cmsauvignon.com/
Photos of Concours Mondial du Sauvignon 2017 are available here.
Press contact: Valentina Phillips, valentina.phillips@vinopres.com
