PIWI WINE AWARD INTERNATIONAL 23: Spring tasting shows strengths and challenges of the Italian PIWI scene

Part I of the PAR® Quality Test with 106 wines from 11 countries - findings from over 30 years of PIWI expertise - the top scores from Italy

Frasdorf, May 2023 - In 1986, tasting director Martin Darting and organic pioneer Matthias Wolf initiated the first PIWI quality test. He has accompanied the new varieties and their winemakers from their absolute niche existence to the current boom. The PAR® Certified Master Jury, which has now conducted the first spring tasting of the established PIWI WINE AWARD INTERNATIONAL, benefits from this knowledge just as much as the participants. Because from their results they can derive recommendations for action for the next vintages. And PIWI knowledge is worth its weight in gold - or grand gold, as the overall winners of the ranking show: Character wines Josef Scharl in Styria received 96 points each for the 2017 'Muscaris Mond 17' and Weingut Schweder in the Palatinate for the 2020 Cabernet Blanc Fumé. The complete ranking with all sensory profiles is available at winesystem.com/piwi-wine-award/results.

"Making PIWIs market-compatible is the challenge".

While Cabernet Blanc, Regent and Co. have many fans among the ranks of the WINE SYSTEM jury, the testers - whether from viticulture, trade, vine breeding or science - agree: planting PIWI’s alone is not enough. The varieties have very different soil and climate requirements, and that is just the beginning.

Martin Darting: "The task is to make the PIWIs marketable, because although the vine nurseries are barely keeping up at the moment, the current ranking once again makes it clear that it takes a lot of experience and sensory sensitivity to elicit top wines from the PIWI vines. The pioneers of the scene have an advantage here. At the same time, they have done important preparatory work. Newcomers who seek professional advice can benefit greatly from this today."

The top scores from Italy

Red wine

• 2019 URANO from the winery LE CAREZZE in Verona, Veneto, with 94 points and Gold

White wine

• 2021 Cretos from the winery MURARO'952 in Veneto with 92 points and gold

Qvevri

• 2021 REBELLIS from the Giannitessari Winery in Veneto with 92 points and gold

Sparkling wine

• 2021 DERU' from Tenuta CrodaRossa in Veneto with 90 points and Gold

A total of 17 PIWI wines were submitted from Italian growing regions. Of these, 11 were awarded Gold and 6 Silver.

Free debriefing of individual results

In order to increase the benefit for all participants, WINE SYSTEM Quality Assurance offers a free debriefing of the individual results for each tasting. Registration at awards@winesystem.de.

Note to editors: Representatives of the press are cordially invited to have the scoring of their wine of choice from the tasting explained to them. A sample wine can be sent and an appointment arranged on request at awards@winesystem.de.

Since 1999, WINE SYSTEM - Trust your Senses has stood for expert quality testing and Wine Awards, as well as for specialist sensory training and consultancy for wineries. With the pursuit of quality, appreciation and respect for people and craftsmanship serve as the most important guiding star in all three business areas. Against this background, the company, as a competence centre for wine and sensory analysis, has co-developed the globally recognised PAR® testing scheme, which helps the PAR® Certified Master Jury in the WINE SYSTEM tastings to make valid, detailed and comprehensible assessments. Year after year, more and more winegrowers use the informative tasting data to further develop the quality of their wines.

WINE SYSTEM - Trust your Senses has been under the management of Brigitte Wüstinger and Martin Darting since 2019 and has been organising renowned wine quality competitions for many years - including the ORGANIC WINE AWARD INTERNATIONAL, the WINE AWARD INTERNATIONAL and the PIWI WINE AWARD INTERNATIONAL. www.winesystem.de