Blind-Tasted Competitors Surveys the Riesling Market, with Australia the Large Winner

February tenth – A latest blind-tasting competitors in London evaluated Rieslings from everywhere in the world, highlighting top quality manufacturing and traits out there. From the 12 nations represented, Australia and Germany got here residence with the majority of prime medals – 60% of Gold and Grasp medals between them.

The International Riesling Masters 2022 was the ultimate competitors of the 12 months within the International Wine Masters sequence, run by industry-leading publication the drinks enterprise. A panel of unbiased, skilled judges – together with 4 Masters of Wine  – have been tasked with evaluating a spread of varietal Riesling wines. They awarded medals based mostly solely on high quality to drink, with Bronze, Silver and Gold medals out there, in addition to Grasp medals for the perfect.

Australia demonstrated its suitability for the variability, significantly in cooler, greater altitude areas of Clare Valley and Eden Valley. These two areas gained the highest accolades, two Gold and two Grasp medals, although no Australian wine gained lower than a Silver. The Australian entries, predominantly dry and with loads of attribute zesty citrus, made a powerful case towards the Riesling stereotype of candy European wines.

Specific credit score goes to Gatt Wines, who secured two Grasp medals for his or her Eden Valley bottlings, and Aldi, whose Clare Valley Riesling secured a Gold medal regardless of retailing underneath £10.

Germany was not far behind within the rankings. Though the grape’s homeland gained no Grasp medals, Germany completed with 4 Gold medals and a clutch of Silvers. With just a little extra residual sugar – all however considered one of their 11 wines sat within the medium dry class – the choice confirmed {that a} contact of sweetness is not any barrier to creating world-beating wines.

Trying again to the tasting, Chair of Judges Patrick Schmitt MW spoke of cheering refreshment and the judges’ broad smiles at this competitors. He was significantly eager to focus on the wonderful high quality at decrease costs, commenting ‘the delights of at the present time’s sampling might be skilled with out main expense, with most of the prime scoring wines promoting for under £30.’ Aldi’s ‘distinctive’ £8 providing was proof that high quality and worth can sit hand in hand.

Nonetheless, it was veteran decide Jonathan Pedley MW who finest summarised the day’s temper: ‘Riesling, with its crystalline purity and style, reminded us why we love wine a lot.’

Gold and Grasp medal winners are listed right here, alongside a breakdown of medals by nation.

Grasp and Gold medal winners:

Outcomes by nation:

About The International Wine Masters Competitions

The International Wine Masters have rewarded excellence in winemaking since 2013, serving to high quality manufacturers to face out and customers to drink with confidence. By its distinctive construction – defining classes by grape selection or type fairly than area – the competitors sequence lets the best wines on the planet compete towards one another. Each competitors is judged by the perfect palates on the planet: Masters of Wine, Grasp Sommeliers and senior consumers.

The International Wine Masters award wines with Bronze, Silver and Gold medals, and Grasp medals for the perfect entries:

• Bronze (85-88): A well-made wine that qualifies for our seal of approval. This wine is pleasing and meets buyer expectations.
• Silver (89-92): A high-quality wine that clearly demonstrates good winemaking whereas serving as a powerful instance of its type, supply or dominant grape.
• Gold (93-96): An excellent wine that may be a benchmark for its kind. This wine has lasting enchantment and exhibits nice steadiness, complexity and depth.
• Grasp (97-100): An impressive instance of its kind, displaying impeccable winemaking. This wine delights for its fantastic texture, excellent steadiness and broad vary of scrumptious, persistent flavours.

The outcomes of every competitors are revealed in the drinks enterprise journal and web site (circulation of 13,000 print copies and 1.9 million webpage visits monthly). This massive attain ensures that entrants’ medal wins are seen to a really worldwide and industry-focused viewers.