Definition: Wine competitions and tastings

The organisations specialising in the main wine competitions and tastings in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Slovenia are:

International competition for the world's best Chardonnays:

Chardonnay du Monde® is an organisation belonging to the Forum Œnologie association. This international competition for wines made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes aims to select the best in terms of quality. On 21 January 1997, Chardonnay du Monde received official approval from the French DGCCRF (Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control) and is therefore authorised to award quality labels. Website: http://www.chardonnay-du-monde.com

Effervescents du Monde®

Effervescents du Monde® is an organisation of the Association Forum Œnologie. Effervescents du Monde® is organised by the Association Forum Œnologie with the participation of the Revue des Œnologues and the centre for the evaluation of sensory performance of the expert jurors, the École Hôtelière du Lycée Le Castel (Dijon), where the event takes place. This international competition for sparkling wines aims to select the best in terms of quality. Website: http://www.effervescents-du-monde.com/index.fr

Concours des Grands Vins de France

Concours des Grands Vins de France: in 1954, a few members of the Comité de la Foire Nationale des Vins de France, who were passionate about everything to do with wine and its promotion, launched the idea of a competition to judge the wines of our country. They drew up a set of rules and circulated them with a call to producers to participate in this event. Website: http://www.leparcmacon.com

Bordeaux Competition - Aquitaine Wines

Bordeaux Competition - Aquitaine Wines: the Bordeaux Competition is the only wine competition certified ISO 9001 - version 2000 for its organisation and promotion, which have been judged effective and efficient by an independent certification body. Every year, the team challenges itself to better satisfy consumers. Website: http://www.concours-de-bordeaux.com

Independent Winegrowers Competition

Independent Winegrowers Competition: browse the website of the Independent Winegrowers of France to discover their estates, products and activities. The Independent Winegrowers of France movement is a union that defends the profession of independent winegrowers. Website: http://www.vigneron-independant.com

Concours Général Agricole – Paris

Concours Général Agricole – Paris: the aim is to provide consumers with a quality benchmark for their purchases. To enable producers to assess the quality of their products by comparing them with those of their competitors. To enable new producers to gain recognition and establish themselves in a market for high-quality products. Website: http://www.cga-paris.com

International Wine Challenge

International Wine Challenge: the International Wine Challenge is one of the most important and renowned competitions in the world. It is a competition organised in the form of tastings, open to all wines and spirits of wine origin, regardless of vintage and ready for sale (bottled). This competition has been approved by the European Community since 1986 and is governed by the rules of the "International Code of Oenological Practices for Vine and Wine". Website: http://www.challengeduvin.fr

Mondial du Pinot Noir

Mondial du Pinot Noir: this competition takes place in Sierre (Valais – Switzerland). The originality of the Mondial du Pinot Noir is that it is the only competition of this level dedicated to a single grape variety. This unity of material, enhanced by the finesse and subtlety of Pinots from around the world, is an asset in terms of communication. For producers, it is an opportunity to showcase the quality of their products. As for consumers, the competition's winners provide a guarantee to guide them in their choices. Website: http://www.mondial-du-pinot-noir.com

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles: organised since 1994, the competition brings together more than 200 wine and vineyard experts from around the world each year to judge, under optimal conditions, nearly 5,500 wines and spirits produced on five continents. After three days of careful tasting, medals, precious labels of quality, are awarded to the best wines. Website: http://www.concoursmondial.be

Ljubljana International Wine Competition

Since its inception, the Ljubljana International Wine Competition has been organised under the patronage of the three largest organisations responsible for the sensory analysis of wine: the International Organisation of Vine and Wine in Paris (OIV), the International Union of Oenologists in Paris (UIE) and the World Federation of International Wine and Spirits Competitions in Montreal (VINOFED).International tasters, selected for their experience and references, come from all continents every year. The modern digital evaluation system guarantees the highest level of professionalism, objectivity and seriousness of the Ljubljana competition. The latter is a unique sensory challenge with an international tradition. Website: http://www.ljubljanafair.com

International Gamay Competition

Inter Beaujolais has decided to promote the Gamay grape variety by organising the "International Gamay Competition". The aim of the "International Gamay Competition" is twofold:

- to introduce consumers to the Gamay grape variety and encourage them to appreciate it,

- to encourage winegrowers in France and around the world to plant Gamay for the production of high-quality PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) wines.

During the first edition of the "Place des Vins" trade fair, which took place from 22 to 26 January 2011 at the SIRHA, Inter Beaujolais published the results of the first "International Gamay Competition". Website: http://www.concoursgamay.com/

Further information on international competitions in Spain, Germany, Canada, Hungary, Argentina and Italy can be found on the VINOFED website, under the "Links" section: http://www.vinofed.com/FR/accueil.asp