Shiraz World Tasting

The 5^th edition of the Syrah du Monde^® international wine competition, organised by Forum Œnologie, has just come to an end. Over the course of three days, international experts tasted 383 Syrah/Shiraz wines from all over the world. Diversity and quality are the watchwords for the 2011 winners, which comes as no surprise for a grape variety currently enjoying rapid growth. Strict quality standards and optimal tasting conditions enabled the international judges to award 128 medals (34 gold, 94 Silver) that are recognised as a reliable criterion for selection.

From the 11^th and 13^th of May 2011, in Ampuis Castle in Ampuis, France, an international wine competition - Syrah du Monde^® - recognised the world’s best Syrah/Shiraz wines, awarding reliable and representative medals. This competition is founded on a single conviction that distinctive marks of quality are the key to differentiation and to the promotion of medal-winning wines in a highly competitive and often complex marketplace. Medal-winning wineries can use their medals to develop the recognized quality of their wines.

Syrah du Monde^® 2011 brought together 383 wines from 24 countries, making this competition one of the world’s top events for Syrah/Shiraz wines. This marvellous success illustrates the impressive growth that this Rhone varietal has enjoyed since the 1970s.

Syrah du Monde^® has carved out a place of its own amongst wine competitions, thanks to its international flavour and its rigorous methods. During the three days of tasting under optimal conditions, the international expert judges awarded 130 medals in accordance with international wine competition regulations and in strict compliance with Quality Assurance requirements.

Syrah du Monde^® has progressively distinguished itself from other international competitions thanks to quality standards that are much stricter than the norm and by remaining faithful to its founding principles: diversity, quality and high standards.

Ten Syrah at the top of the best Syrah du Monde^® 2011

From the award list, we are pleased to announce the ten Syrah wines with the best notations.
The Top Ten ranking has a strong international diversity. Six countries appear among the world’s ten best Syrah/Shiraz wines 2011. France, Switzerland, South Africa occupy the first three places with Australia, Italy and Bulgaria.

Geographical diversity: With representation from 24 countries and 383 wines, Syrah du Monde^® offers a variety of Syrah/Shiraz wines rarely equalled in competitions of this level. This makes it one of the most significant and legitimate qualitative competitions in recognising the world’s best Syrah/Shiraz wines.

A strong increase in the participation of wines from Australia, South africa, Argentina, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Spain, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, the USA, Thailand and Turkey. From France, of Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence and the northerm and southern Rhone Valley is noted.

Medal-Winning Countries

Six countries are included in the 2011 Top Ten: South Africa, Australia, Bulgaria, France, Italie and Switzerland. Three French wines are among the Top Ten best Syrah wines. One new country made an appearance on the award lit, Bulgaria.

Diversity of Sensorial Expression

Each of the wines that distinguished themselves at Syrah du Monde^® did so because of their own distinctive quality, not in comparison to other wines. A favourable score was given to wines with good Syrah varietal character, and a well-balanced oak was considered to be a plus. However, oakiness was marked down if it masked varietal aromas and flavours.

Several gold and silver medals were awarded to wines with well-balanced alcohol levels and with aroma intensity and depth including a wide range from exotic to traditional. In the mouth, harmonious tannins and fine expressions of aging were favourably evaluated.

Several marks of quality were awarded to younger wines and to rosé wines whose aromatic complexity and soft tannins won over the judges.

Sparkling wines and late-harvest or ice wines also received favourable mention.

This event was a unique opportunity to bring together and discover Syrah/Shiraz wine in all its forms: red, rosé, still, sparkling, dry or sweet.