Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships 2024 Medal Results

The medal winners of the 2024 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships (CSWWC) have been revealed, with a total of 167 gold and 229 silver medals awarded this year.

Now in its 11th edition, the CSWWC received close to 1,000 sparkling wines from 20 countries, that were judged over 11 days at Goodnestone Park in Kent, England.

Italy once again dominated the rankings, securing 70 gold and 123 silver medals. France followed closely with 55 golds and 36 silvers. Australia claimed third place, trailed by Spain, with the UK rounding out the top five.

“We were thrilled with the quality of the whole range of wines that we tasted this year,” said judge Essi Avellan MW. “This has been another great year for results, once again demonstrating how exciting the sparkling wine industry is. It is not only the CSWWC’s mission to promote world class wines, but also to discover and reward new and exciting wines from established and emerging regions across the world!”

The Best in Class and trophy winners will be revealed at this year’s CSWWC awards dinner on October 24th in London.

Medal winners are found here: https://www.champagnesparklingwwc.co.uk/results-2024/

Source: www.champagnesparklingwwc.co.uk/

Ruinart Unveils Blanc Singulier: A New Champagne Based on Climate Change

Frédéric Panaïotis, cellar master of Maison Ruinart, the oldest Champagne house founded in 1729, has introduced a new cuvée, Blanc Singulier. The label describes it as “A Singular Expression of Chardonnay, Revealed by a Changing Climate.”

Ruinart is renowned for its Chardonnay, and Blanc Singulier continues this tradition with a 100% Chardonnay composition. The Edition 19 comprises 80% fruit from the 2019 vintage and 20% reserve wine, with a portion aged in oak casks and zero dosage.

Edition 19
Edition 19 is the third release in this series, following Editions 17 and 18. Despite an early harvest in August, 2017 was not as challenging as recent years, making it an experimental prototype. Panaïotis chose zero dosage for this cuvée, he states “We decided to go for it, and this was our experimental cuvée, a prototype.” He recalls that he decided to go for Zero dosage, although in his words, “it probably needed one or two grams.”

The 2018 vintage set heat records in Champagne, with summer temperatures averaging two degrees above normal, necessitating greater selectivity in vineyard choice. Nonetheless, Panaïotis achieved a balanced wine without dosage.

Edition 19 underwent full malolactic fermentation, with 77% fruit from the 2019 vintage, some oak aging, 36 months on lees, and zero dosage. Panaïotis and other Champagne winemakers regard 2019 as an exceptional vintage. Panaïotis remarks, “I think everybody in Champagne agrees that 2019 is the greatest vintage we’ve had in a number of years. You talk to growers, to other houses, all winemakers are in love with 2019; it’s like a dream vintage.”

Sustainability
Ruinart’s new cuvée highlights adaptability to climate change and a commitment to sustainability. Panaïotis defines sustainability as a balance between environmental, social, and economic factors. Ruinart ceased airfreight shipping around 2013-2014 and prioritizes carbon footprint reduction, with a focus on packaging and transportation. In the vineyards, biodiversity protection is paramount in the face of climate change.

To sum up
Panaïotis reflects on future challenges posed by warmer temperatures, expressing confidence in Ruinart’s ability to craft quality Champagnes even under extreme conditions. He acknowledges uncertainty about potential future extremes but remains hopeful.

Source: The Drinks Business

Pre-screening of “Widow Clicquot”

🎬✨ Exciting news! I had the privilege of attending an exclusive pre-screening of “Widow Clicquot,” followed by a delightful post-screening champagne toast 🍾 with Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label. The Yellow Label is Veuve Clicquot’s emblematic cuvée, the House’s signature champagne – balancing four dimensions: freshness, strength, aromatic richness & silkiness.

The film chronicles the remarkable journey of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, which commences with the untimely death of her husband, she boldly defies societal expectations by taking over the nascent wine business they had built together. Navigating through tumultuous political and financial challenges, Barbe-Nicole silences her critics and transforms the champagne industry, ultimately establishing herself as one of the world’s pioneering businesswomen. Don’t miss this inspiring tale of resilience and innovation!

Mark your calendars for the official release date: July 19, 2024

The Winners of the “Star Wine List” Announced

Star Wine List of the Year is the celebration of the great wine lists in the world and the teams behind them. The prize was awarded in ten categories, and the winners in each category got a Gold Star and qualified for the international final which will be held in June.

The International Open was held as an online event on May 6. Of the countries in the finals, both Australia and the Netherlands had the most representatives, with 20 restaurants/bars each. USA had 13 and Canada 10 venues shortlisted.

The jury for the Star Wine List of the Year International Open 2024 includes four international wine experts:

Pascaline Lepeltier
Piotr Pietras MS
Heidi Mäkinen MW
Doug Frost MW MS

“The judging process was quite a challenge and scores were really tight in most categories. The level of wine lists was high and I was impressed by their complexity, depth and a clever, creative touch,” said jury panel member Piotr Pietras MS about judging the International Open.

His fellow jury member Pascaline Lepeltier said:

“How exciting it is to see so many compelling lists from restaurants I have never heard of: it is impressive to see how so many sommeliers all around the world are creating curated beverage programs, with wit and intelligence, sometimes in areas where access to wine is complicated. I salute all their passion and hard work, and I am glad Star Wine List decided to showcase them!”

Doug Frost, both Master Sommelier and Master of Wine, joined the online celebration on May 6.

“I have looked at a lot of wine lists, and judged them, over the years. This time it was both really difficult and interesting. And it was exciting to look at so many different lists, and I learned a lot from it too. And it’s obvious that the people who sent us these lists have worked really, really hard,” he said.

Here are all the Gold Star winners:

The best list overall
[Gold Star]
De Nieuwe Winkel, Nijmegen, Netherlands

“Wow, this is crazy. I’m overwhelmed, thank you so much. I don’t know what to say, I feel very very honoured,” said Gauthier Cauwels from De Nieuwe Winkel.

“This award is not only about a list, but also how a wine selection is coherent with the whole philosophy of a restaurant. De Nieuwe Winkel is showing us what the gastronomy of tomorrow will probably be, ancred but how so diverse, and dedicated to be a local actor while responsibly offering some of the most thoughtful and delicious wines, at a fair price. Congrats!” said jury member Pascaline Lepeltier.

Best Long List
For wine lists with more than 600 references.
[Gold Star]
Restaurant Le Coureur des Bois, Beloeil, Canada

“Thank you. We are so very happy, this feels amazing. It’s a big work for every member on the team to maintain the list. It’s a tough job to keep the list year after year. The verticals and the classics, as well as the newcomers and the up-and-coming wines. My role is quite difficult, but I’m so happy for the team I work with,” said head sommelier Jean-Simon Rioux-Ranger at the event.

“A beautiful, complex list showcasing both classic and new-wave producers. The list thoroughly covers not only well-known appellations, but it also includes hidden gems and up-and-coming regions. Impressive verticals from numerous wineries are an added value,” said jury member Piotr Pietras.

Best Medium-Sized List
Recognizes the best wine list with 200-600 references.
[Gold Star]
MotherVine, Adelaide, Australia

“Thank you so much, it’s a great honour. I really didn’t expect this. Our list holds all the types of wines that we love to drink ourselves, but we also want to have wines for every kinds of tastes. Our name speaks of a clone, but we also have a love for Burgundy, which I think is reflected in the list,” said Mathieu Smeysters, sommelier and co-owner.

“This wine list highlights both national and international wines from exciting producers and manages to make the selection very diverse. The balance between different producer styles is successful and the offering is delightful throughout all pages,” said jury member Heidi Mäkinen MW.

Best Short List
Recognizes the best wine list with fewer than 200 listings.
[Gold Star]
De Nieuwe Winkel, Nijmegen, Netherlands

“Thank you, I feel very happy and honoured for the recognition. We try to do things differently, only cook plant-based for example. And our wine list is a reflection of that. We also have a beer sommelier, with an amazing list, and botanical cocktails. I want to send a big thank you to our owners who let me keep building this list, and thank you to all my colleagues,” said Gauthier Cauwels from De Nieuwe Winkel.

“Frankly, it’s easy (if expensive) to write a great wine list when you have several thousand selections. I’ve always believed that the truest mark of smarts is the ability to write a well-rounded and complete short wine list. Winkel has provided a list for every gustatory and financial appetite. Sure, there’s a focus upon cooler sites and Bordeaux is under-represented, but there are so many other wonderful options that it just doesn’t matter,” said jury member Doug Frost, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine.

Best Sparkling Wine List
Recognizes the best list with sparkling wines
This category is presented by Nyetimber
[Gold Star]
Ristorante del Lago, Bagno di Romagna, Italy

“We saw many wine lists with amazing Champagne selections; this one didn’t necessarily stand out for that but, rather, its crazy, nearly encyclopedic list of Italian bubblies. Okay, the Champagne list was great too,” said Doug Frost.

Best By the Glass List
Recognizes the best by the glass list.
[Gold Star]
Ten Minutes by Tractor, Main Ridge, Australia

“Thank you so much. I can only thank the wine team and the chefs, as well as our owners. Of course, people come to our restaurant to enjoy our own wines, but we want people to be able to enjoy a full restaurant experience, and enjoy other fantastic wines apart from ours,” said Kyle Barton from Ten Minutes by Tractor.

“Anyone entering this venue will be delighted by the offering by the glass, as it allows delving deep into different wine styles from around the world. Each choice, whether local or from further afield, is chosen carefully, so it would be a real struggle to choose what not to drink!” said jury member Heidi Mäkinen.

Best Newcomer List
Recognizes a venue that recently opened
[Gold Star]
Enoteca Boccaccio, Melbourne, Australia

“Thank you so much, such a great honour for us. Enoteca Boccaccio has been a dream project for my bosses, the d’Anna family. We’ve been open a little less than a year, and it has been such a lovely journey to build this list,” said wine director Elena Leardini.

“They may be newcomers but they offer a fantasy of some of the sexiest names in wine: Selosse, Krug, Raveneau, J.J. Prüm, Emidio Pepe, Rinaldi, and Borgogno, all with remarkable vertical selections. The largest of all the verticals? One of the greatest values in Italian wine: Produttori del Barbaresco,” said jury member Doug Frost.

Sustainable Wine List
For the Sustainable Wine List category, not only the wine list is evaluated, but also the stated actions of the venue, as described through a questionnaire in the application.
[Gold Star]
Esters Wine Shop & Bar, Santa Monica, USA

“It is always so inspiring to see more and more places looking for solutions to make a restaurant a more sustainable place, especially when it goes beyond just the selection of committed farmers and winemakers. This is what set Esters apart; actions and support not only to education and promotion of sustainable farming, but an involvement in the local community to help the needed environmental and social changes to happen,” said the jury’s Pascaline Lepeltier.

Here is the link to the winners:
starwinelist.com/wine-story/the-winners-in-our-international-open-with-competing-wine-lists-from-19-countries

Source: Star Wine List

5 reasons why Champagne remains optimistic for 2024

This week at a press conference held at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, David Chatillon and Maxime Toubart, co-Presidents of the Comité Champagne, expressed their optimism for the future. Collectively, Champagne winegrowers and houses have taken strategic decisions and have launched numerous projects to ensure balance within an appellation that continues to sparkle across the globe. Initiatives include the commitment to regulation and social responsibility, the introduction of a new framework for contractual relations between winegrowers and houses, an increase in the reserve level, as well as the construction of Qanopée and a new research and development centre in Epernay; all of which bear witness to the industry’s ongoing commitment in ensuring Champagne remains desirable, available and exemplary.

1) A committed and responsible industry

To address the challenges linked to the employment of grape-pickers, Comité Champagne has asked public authorities to severely condemn the unacceptable behaviors that occurred during last year’s harvest.

It has also launched a strategic plan for the following four pillars:

Accommodation;
Working conditions, health and safety of harvesters;
Securing the supply of service providers; and
Facilitating recruitment.
Initial progress will be shared before the 2024 harvest.

“We are committed to providing a better framework during this crucial period, and to dealing with the fundamental issues. The aim is to ensure the smooth running of the harvest, which mobilizes 100,000 grape-pickers every year,” says Maxime Toubart, President of the Syndicat Général des Vignerons and co-President of the Comité Champagne.

In addition, the contractualization agreement governing the Champagne grape market has been renewed for a 5-year period. It secures market supply and consolidates the sharing of value.

2) An innovative industry

Champagne has a long-standing tradition of innovation, adapting to new challenges and evolving climates.

As part of the national plan to combat vine decline, the Comité Champagne is continuously involved in fighting against new diseases, including the flavescence dorée, and has equipped itself with tools to ensure the long-term survival of the vineyard, and preserve the distinctiveness and excellence of Champagne wine:

Construction of an “insect-proof” greenhouse: This new-generation greenhouse, built as part of the QANOPÉE project including Champagne, Beaujolais, and Burgundy wine-growing regions, is designed to secure the production of vine plants in north-eastern France. Inauguration is scheduled for summer 2024.

An expanded research, development and innovation centre at the future Maison de la Champagne in Epernay. Announced last year, construction is just about to begin. This centre will reinforce the industry’s initiatives for quality and sustainable development, with state-of-the-art equipment.
Raising the reserve level: a crucial tool for regulating Champagne production, the reserve enables a portion of the wines produced during good harvests, to be kept for future use in any deficit years. To guarantee a stable marketable yield each year and further improve the resilience of the
sector, the reserve level has been raised from 8,000 kg/ha to 10,000 kg/ha.

3) A strong appellation

For over 120 years, winegrowers and Champagne houses have been working together to protect the appellation and ensure its worldwide influence.

In line with ambitions to expand its network of embassies around the world, a new Champagne Office will open in Stockholm next April, representing the industry in the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark). It will be the local point of contact for media, wine professionals, importers and government authorities in Scandinavia. This expansion is justified by the growing importance of these markets, with demand steadily rising over the last ten years (+67%).

Wine professionals around the world express a strong enthusiasm for Champagne. A recent qualitative study revealed their deep emotional connection with the product, highlighting its unique character. To further cement their connection to the appellation, training is crucial. That’s why the Comité Champagne is launching “Champagne Education”, a comprehensive, certified programme designed to train wine professionals and reinforce their role as ambassadors. This programme is already being rolled out, in partnership with renowned schools around the world (including the Ecole du Vin in Paris, the Napa Valley Wine Academy in the USA, the Cordon Bleu in UK and the Deutsche Wein und Sommelierschule in Germany).

Finally, the battle for recognition and protection of the Champagne appellation continues. In 2023, after several significant wins against misuses of its name – notably in Canada and Italy – Champagne was granted “notorious name” status in China, a first for a foreign appellation in China. This proves to be a huge step forward, providing further protection against any fraudulent use of the name Champagne, for any product, including any writing in Chinese characters.

“The continued investments and commitments we are making for the industry’s resilience are an absolute priority to give us the means to ensure long-term market balance, as well as ensure that Champagne remains an exceptional wine,” comments David Chatillon, President of the Union des Maisons de Champagne and co-President of the Comité Champagne.

4) Champagne remains THE benchmark

Champagne remains an undisputed benchmark for consumers. According to an IPSOS study in 2023, Champagne still embodies luxury, prestige and elegance. Consumers associate this wine with unique memories and emotional connections, making it the ideal choice to mark important moments and special occasions.

5) Renewed consumption and markets

The final reason for Champagne’s optimism lies in the renewal of consumption and markets.

Confined to “non vintage brut” for a long time, consumers are now looking for greater diversity in blends and dosage.

Demand for rosé Champagne abroad has increased 5-fold in 20 years. By the end of 2022, it represented over 10% of export sales, with 20 million bottles.

Low dosage wines (extra brut and zero dosage) are also on the rise, with volumes increasing almost 70-fold in the space of 20 years (6.4 million bottles exported in 2022).

Exports now account for almost 60% of total sales (171.7 million bottles), compared to 45% ten years ago, but many markets remain to be conquered. While 80% of Champagne is still sold in 8 countries, new markets such as Canada, South Africa and South Korea are showing growing interest in Champagne and have recorded remarkable growth in recent years.
Sustainability Update

With the Champagne region located at the northernmost portion of prime grape-growing latitudes, growers have spent more than a century thinking about climate and its impact on weather. As the world grapples with climate change, it’s no surprise Champagne is at the leading edge of sustainability practices.

Champagne in 2003 became the first wine-growing region in the world to conduct a carbon footprint assessment, identify the main sources of emissions, and enact a plan to curb those emissions. Since then, Champagne producers have cut CO2 emissions generated by each bottle of Champagne by 20 percent. The region aims to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2050.

While honoring our traditions, Champagne also embraces the science of viticulture. Over the years, that has meant adopting new techniques to protect our vines from disease, create optimal yields, and husband our resources. The region is experimenting with soil management, growing practices, vine spacing, grape ripening, harvesting techniques and fermenting practices to prepare for the effects of climate change.

In 2014, the Champagne region planted new varietals to determine how they would fare in an era of extreme weather. Comité Champagne is continuing to evaluate these varietals to ensure the quality and yield meets the high standards for which Champagne is known, a process that takes at least 15 years. If new varietals are chosen, they will need to be registered in the French catalogue of vine varietals and added to the Champagne protection denomination of origin specifications.

Source: Comité Champagne