Shiraz World Tasting

The 3^rd edition of the Syrah du Monde^® international wine competition, organised by Forum Œnologie, has just come to an end. Over the course of two days, international experts tasted 397 Syrah/Shiraz wines from all over the world. Diversity and quality are the watchwords for the 2009 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 132 medals (35 gold, 97 Silver) that are recognised as a reliable criterion for selection.

On the 28^th and 29^th of May 2009, 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^® 2009 brought together 397 wines from 27 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 two days of tasting under optimal conditions, the international expert judges awarded 132 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^® 2009

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, among which the ten world’s best Syrah/ Shiraz wines come from South Africa, Australia, Canada, Chile, France, Switzerland, USA and Italy.

The first two places are occupied by South African Syrah, with France and Australia, also confirming the quality of their productions. Italy joins the top ranks for the first time reaching a high level on the award list. Chile, USA and Canada continue to reaffirm their good standing.

Participation rate: For this third edition in 2009, participation is growing (more than 4 % of samples and 6 new countries) and has reached an exceptional level, showing that there is real interest in international, quality-based competitions: 27 countries and 397 wines.

Geographical diversity: With representation from 27 countries, 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, Chile, Switzerland, USA, Spain, Italy and Greece. From France, the presence of Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence and the southern Rhone Valley is noted.

Six new countries took part in the competition: Germany, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand and Tunisia.

Medal-Winning Countries

Eight countries are included in the 2009 Top Ten: South Africa, Australia, Canada, Chile, France, USA, Switzerland and Italie. Three French wines are among the Top Ten best Syrah wines. In Europe, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and France distinguished themselves with several medals. Outside Europe, Chile, USA, Australia and South Africa stood out. Four new countries made an appearance on the award list: Germany, Israel, Lebanon and New Zealand.

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.

Technical Enrichment: The Use of a New Professional Tasting Instrument Thanks to Applied Research

In addition to organising an exemplary competition, this event also aims at improving the reliability of its measuring instruments. Thanks to applied research, a professional tasting glass has been developed for the evaluation of sparkling Chardonnay wines. Tested by judges at Effervescents du Monde^®, this new tool is an INAO-type tasting glass that contains a precise number of nucleation points. This glass, named Fleur d’Effervescence^®, optimises the tasting of sparkling wines, calibrates their degree of effervescence, controls the formation of bubbles and enables ideal expression of the foam, amongst other important factors.