Stories of the nominees

114th edition of Tastevinage: judging the Burgundy wine quality so that pleasure awakens

France

Author: Oleksandra Hryhorieva

On Friday, September 6, the 114th edition of Tastevinage was held at the Château du Clos de Vougeot. This session welcomed 155 jury-tasters, professionals from the wine industry for the tasting of 430 Burgundy wines. Oleksandra Hryhorieva, local Drinks+ correspondent, joined the selection to share the progress of events with our readers.

“Enjoy your tasting! This means relax, don’t put too much pressure on yourself, judge honestly and truthfully” – with these words, addressing the jury of tasters, Philippe Faure-Brac, the Best Sommelier of the World 1992 and the Best Craftsman of France Honoris Causa 2015, opened the 114th edition of Tastevinage.

Château du Clos de Vougeot

Philippe Faure-Brac became the parrain (French for godfather) of the autumn session of Tastevinage traditionally held at the Château du Clos de Vougeot. In his opening speech, he also emphasized one of the reasons why such competitions are important: “Judge the quality so that pleasure awakens! Wine is the drink that brings people together. People who will taste the cuvées that have been selected here will enjoy them.”

In addition to recognizing quality Burgundy wines and rewarding the best wines presented, Tastevinage aims to make it easier for consumers to choose when they are in front of the wine shelf in a supermarket or wine shop. Tastevinage is a label of trust that consumers can follow, as it is backed by the work of 155 professionals. The jury of the competition include sommeliers, winemakers, négociants, wine union leaders, brokers, oenologists, restaurateurs and wine journalists.

During a blind tasting, judges should ask themselves the following questions:

  1. Is this wine worthy of its appellation and vintage?
  2. Is it representative and does it have good aging potential?
  3. And is this a wine that I would be happy to have in my private cellar and would recommend to my friends?

In total, 430 Burgundian wines were presented during the autumn session. Among them, only 138 received the Tastevinage distinction, or 32.09% of the lots presented, with 53 regional appellations, 49 village appellations, and 36 Premier Cru and Grand Cru appellations.

To view the list of laureates, click here.

Recently, the Château du Clos de Vougeot made a revolutionary move regarding the wines selected in Tastevinage. Now tourists and guests of the castle will be able to buy these wines in the boutique. Maintaining its neutral position and promoting the history and heritage of the whole region, Château du Clos de Vougeot does not produce its own wines and did not sell any other wines. However, this recent decision will definitely leave a mark in history. Although it is worth noting that the labels of the wines sold in the château’s boutique will not contain information about their producers, but about their appellation and vintage.

Once at the Château de Clos de Vougeot, don’t hesitate to discover the different flavours and aromas of this beautiful and prestigious region!

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Photos: tastevinage.fr