Updated: 09 April 2006
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14^th CONCORSO ENOLOGICO INTERNAZIONALE 
40^th VINITALY, Verona-Italy
28 March – 02 April 2006

 a pictorial report of the proceedings by a member of the JURY from Singapore

THE COMPETITION RULES

This is a competition of 22 wine categories with 3,483 valid entries from 30 different countries. Only 252 wines made it to the final selection (representing just 3% of valid entries), where ONE medal each for Grand Gold Medal, Gold Medal, Silver Medal and Bronze Medal is awarded. All other finalists receive a Merit Award.

105 Jurors form into 21 Panels are cared for by 21 individual members of the Italian Sommelier's Association. Each individual Panel of Jurors consist of 2 international wine writers, 1 international member of the Union Internationale des Eonologues and 2 Italian members of the Union Internationale des Eonologues. In the final selection, from the 12 highest scoring wines in each of the 22 categories, 3 Panels of 5 Jurors each, assess and confirm the Medal winners.

The sommeliers walked a total of 60 kilometers throughtout the Competition. A total of 700 decanters were used to for wines 3 years and older, more than 23,000 glasses were washed and cleaned and poured with wine samples. A total of 50 hours were spent on tastings by the Jurors. From these tastings, almost 21,000 evaluation score sheets were written up and recorded by the appointed Notary and her staff.

The organisation of assessments is co-ordinated by the Italian Oenologists Association, that represents winemaking technicians in Italy. This is the largest Wine Competition recognised by the International Federation of Major Wine Competitions, supported by various organisations, including the Organisation International de la Vigne et du Vin, the Union Internationale des Eonologues and the Italian Ministries of Agricultural and Forestry Policy and Industry.

Now, in its 14th year, this International Wine Competition is being recognised as the premier Wine Competition that is fully transparent in its organisation and approach to assessment of samples. The detailed assessment sheets used is approved by the Union Internationale des Eonologues and allow for categorial assessment of each aspect of the wine sample. The highest score is 100 and to qualify into the final 12 samples, the wine must obtain a minimum score of 80 points. This score is the average of 3 scores from the judging panel after dropping the highest and lowest score. Thus, scores of 90, 88, 85, 80, 75 will give the sample a score of 84.33.

Each year, the wine consumer is subjected to hundreds of results from Wine Competitions held throughout the wine world. Bottles with a whole list of medals stuck along the labels, confuse as well as entice the consumer. What do all these medals mean and in which Competitions did they obtain them? ARE the listed Competitions of prestige or simply regional winemakers patting each other on the back with the support of vested interests of their wine merchants?

A good comparative article on the scoring and medal award systems of the various Wine Competitions around the world may be read HERE. The article is written by one of the first members (about number 25) of The Institute of Masters of Wine, Count John Umberto Salvi , an Englishman with Regal Italian heritage, living in the lovely town of Margaux, right in the centre of famous Bordeaux in France. At a ripe old age of about 68 years, John continues to travel the globe, instructing about wine and on wine competition committees ensuring that fair assessments are given to wines, the product of man's yearly labour. His passionate expertise is the effect of weather on each vintage. Being in the heart of Bordeaux, he is now acknowledged as the foremost authority on the health and quality of the grapes of each Bordeaux vintage. Whether the winemaker blotches the winemaking is well beyond his control, of course.

John has no vested interest in any winery undertaking, so his comments are his passionate own with a very strong bias towards his own viewpoint. He brings forth the "traditional" viewpoint towards wine culture as practised in Europe but with an international outlook due to experiences across the globe, including endearing stints in Asia, during his younger days as a Bordeaux Wine Merchant.

John Salvi has been involved in the organising committee of this International Wine Competition, from the start. There is no more transparent and more objective International Wine Competition of its size. Every MEDAL and MERIT award is well-earned.

HappyVines.com Wine Selections

CAVALLOTTO BAROLO RISERVA VIGNOLO 1999, Piemonte-ITALY S$115.00 nett
"Clove, red cherry, mute now but fresh. Complex and deep, real promise. Chocolate, spice, good mouthfeel and superb freshness. Huge length." (DECANTER 4-STARS)

One of the finest, yet, low-keyed "traditional" estates in Piemonte, come this precise Barolo from an excellent vintage. The estate is, surprisingly, managed by siblings Laura (marketing), Alfio (winemaking) and Guiseppe (viticulture), whose average age is just ~35 years. Aged in Slovenian oak casks of 30hl & 50hl, this wine comes from a relatively small vineyard plot called Vignolo that offer exceptional fruit that is distinctive from the other great Cru, San Guiseppe.

Currently, it offers delicious ripe red fruit flavours with well-integrated oak. With patient cellaring, more complex nuances will emerge, showing off its terrior characteristics of faded rose, tobacco and tar. Treat it with a herb-tinged ossobucco or a lightly dressed steak of top quality. This wine deserves the best!

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