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An unique geographical diversity
With 38 countries and 914 wines entered, Chardonnay du Monde® is the strongest concentration of chardonnay wine ever realized. It is the most significant and legitimate qualitative competition for the distinction of best Chardonnay of the World.
There was also strong participation from South Africa, Central Europe (Bulgaria, Czech Republic), Canada, Chile, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, USA, Spain, and the arrival of two new countries : Ecuador and Bosnia Herzégovine.
The country winning the most medals
The good place of France is noted: the Languedoc-Roussillon, the South Burgundy (Saone & Loire and Côtes d’Or), the Chablis region and the Champagne were rewarded by numerous and beautiful medals.
Within Europe, Switzerland, Italy and Spain stood out for their numerous medalled wines. Many sparkling Chardonnay were in competition: Champagne and sparkling wines from Burgundy, Loire Valley gains very beautiful medals. South Africa, Brazil and Switzerland received also very good notes.
Central Europe (Austria, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria) gains in 2011 beautiful medals.
Outside Europe, Canada, Chile, South Africa and Australia confirmed their successes of earlier years.
There was a high level of diversity in terms of the sensorial qualities of the wines
Each wine distinguished at Chardonnay du Monde® was judged for its individual quality. A favourable view is granted to the wines showing good typicity and intense Chardonnay aromas. Oakiness is considered a plus when it is discreet and harmonious, but this quality was marked down when it masked varietal aromas.
Expert-judge gave severe notations for the wines whose flavours of chardonnay are masked by too much wood and Sauvignon flavours; they thus privileged the Chardonnay expression
The presence of sugar at a few grams per litre has a tendency to improve scores. This tendency, already noted in previous years, was confirmed this year with a number of successes for off-dry wines. Wines made from partially dried or lateharvested grapes and those made by selective cryo-extraction received particularly good marks.
Dry wines were judged successful when they displayed harmony in the form of elegant acidity, with aromatic complexity.
Technical Enrichment
The use of a new Professional Tasting Instrument resulting from applied research. In addition to organising a flawless competition is the desire to improving the reliability of measuring instruments. This resulted in the adoption of a professional wine-tasting glass for the tasting of sparkling chardonnay wines. This new tool tested by judges of Effervescents du Monde® (www.effervescents-du-monde.com) is an INAO-type tasting glass that contains a precise number of nucleation sites. The objective of this new wine-tasting glass "Fleur d’Effervescence®" is to optimise the tasting of sparkling wines, to calibrate their degree of effervescence, to control the formation of bubbles and to enable ideal expression of the foam…
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