Lots of nature and quality craftmanship: the second part of the organic wine tasting impresses the PAR® Jury by the high average quality and more remarkable courage on terroir.
Frasdorf, October 2021 - The 14th ORGANIC WINE AWARD INTERNATIONAL passed over the tasting tables from 1 to 4 October with an internationally uniform name and new branding. For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, the PAR® jury was able to meet partly in presence. Flanked by the PAR® Certified Master Jurors in the now tried and tested virtual tasting room *), they examined 304 organic wines from 19 countries in the autumn edition of the competition. Thus, 26 organic wines were awarded Grand Gold, 155 Gold and 110 Silver. 12 wines received a recommendation. Taken together, the spring and autumn editions of the renowned quality competition this year count 1,116 organic wines from a total of 21 countries - a top participation that seamlessly continues the success of previous vintages.
Germany took the most vital position in terms of the number of participants submitting 101 wines, followed by Austria, Italy and Spain. As measured by Top Gold awards, Germany could take nine out of 26 ones ensuring the leading position, followed by Austria with six medals, Italy and Spain with three each. Likewise, organic wines from Australia, Argentina, Denmark, France and Portugal were among the winners.
Germany's organic winegrowers achieve 9 times Grand Gold, 50 times Gold, 37 times Silver and 5 recommendations
With 98 points each, the three highest scores of the autumn tasting all go to German producers. Thus, in the white wine category, the winners' podium is shared by: the 2019 White Burgundy 'Hohe Setz - from the Franconian organic winery Zang traditionally fermented spontaneously in tonneau barrels - as well as the reductive wine aged in steel tank and barrique. 2020 Mauchener Sonnenstück Pinot Gris from the Lämmlin-Schindler winery in Baden. The best and only Grand Gold candidate in the red wine category is the traditionally matured in wooden barrels and barriques. 2017 Mauchen Pinot Noir "Old Vinesalso by Lämmlin-Schindler.
The highest placed rosé wine of the tasting, with 91 points and gold, is the 2020 Merlin Rosé from the Württemberg winery "Im Hagenbüchle", a stylistically modern blend of Blue Zweigelt with Pinotin, Trollinger, Muskattrollinger and Regent, reductively vinified in steel tanks.
In the sparkling wine category, the best German submission achieves 90 points and also gold: The 2020 Green Pearl from the Reis-Oberbillig winery on the Moselle. The modern PIWI pearl wine was made from Cabernet Blanc vines and matured reductively in steel tanks.
High Overall Standard and „Lots of Quality Craftmanship“
The overall picture of this year Autumn edition of the ORGANIC WINE AWARD INTERNATIONAL (formerly known as the international organic wine award) was characterised by the high average level. Around 59 per cent of the submitted organic wines achieved ratings in the Gold, and even Top Gold, range. This figure is nine percentage points higher than the results of the Spring Tasting. At the same time, only one product was reported to be faulty.
Moreover, natural wine could convince not only by the quantitative increase but also by its quality. Among 26 submitted natural wines, four products received 4 Top Gold and fifteen Gold medals. Head of Tasting and Board Member of WINE SYSTEM Martin Darting: „The gamut of natural wines is getting more and more exciting. It is plainly evident how the producers are gaining experience. Yet, there are neither standards nor varietal typicity; the styles differ so much. Two technically striking examples are the 2017er Reciso coming from the Tuscan estate Beconcini, a Sangiovese made by the traditional maturation in a concrete barrel or the 2020 Silvaner – ORANGE produced in wooden and barrique barrel at the biodynamic vineyard Brothers Dr. Becker , on the Rhine.“
WINE SYSTEM director Brigitte Wüstinger continues: "There is also a lot of movement in the organic wine scene in terms of terroir. With finely tuned maceration times and high enzyme activity with high hygiene standards and sensible SO2 additions, great results have been achieved here. A prime example of craftsmanship from this group is the reductive fermentation in stainless steel tanks of 2020 Erzinger Cuvée White from the Gromann winery in Baden. It was made from the PIWI varieties Muscaris and Souvignier Gris and scored 96 points in the Grand Gold ranking."
Differentiated and Transparent Assessment, Even If It Gets Tricky
To cope with the stylistic diversity of the international organic wine scene, the PAR® Certified Master Jury has long been working with oenological parameters like oxidation and reduction, tradition and modernity, along with mainstream categories like red or white wine. Likewise, there are stylistic subcategories like natural wine, terroir wine, extract – emphasised wine comprised by filtering the ranking results online.
Supplementary Information
| *) During the hybrid tasting in autumn 2021, a part of the jury operated virtually. The submitted wines were classified in the climatic, stylistic and analytic parameters. The wines were anonymised and numbered before being unpacked and presented to the jury in the determined order. In compliance with the PAR® method, the auditors operate in a crew of two. At the first step, each wine is tasted separately. A discussion follows this process. Once a consensus is reached, the results are thoroughly documented. |
Background Information:
The WINE SYSTEM AG With its three fields of activity Consulting, Education and PAR® high-quality contests has been a competent partner for winegrowers, retailers and the specialist public in the field of wine and sensory analysis since 1999. Since 2019, the company has been under the management of board members Brigitte Wüstinger and Martin Darting and has been organising renowned wine quality competitions for many years - including the ORGANIC WINE AWARD INTERNATIONAL, the PAR® WINE AWARD INTERNATIONAL, the PiGUNDY WINE AWARD INTERNATIONAL, the International PIWI Wine Award and many smaller competitions. The WINE SYSTEM database with over 40,000 wines is the basis for the PAR® rating system developed by Martin Darting. It is appreciated in the professional world as a comprehensive information portal and serves as an important tool in many areas. www.winesystem.de
Assessment with PAR®: Thanks to the transparency of the internationally recognized sensory testing system PAR, each submitted organic wine receives replicable and objective documentation of its sensory and oenological characteristics, respectively its authenticity, origin, and style. The PAR® training enables the qualified jury consisting of „PAR® Certified Masters“, for the most part, oenologists, sommeliers verified by the CCI and appropriately qualified wine experts to assess each wine neutrally, excluding personal preferences or preconceived opinions regarding “good taste.” In contemporary oenology, new international styles, likewise the traditionally made wines, experience appreciation and acceptance. The reproducible and differentiated methodology underlying the tasting provides the added value brought by this contest to the participants, far exceeding the pure marketing benefits. The detailed PAR® evaluation sheet is a proof instrument for quality management of wine-growing production.
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