The competition which started in 2001 with 2235 wine samples has become the largest official wine competition which is in compliance with strict OIV rules. Tastings are done over two weekends by an international panel of judges invited from 44 countries.
Entries for the competition are welcome from throughout the world though over a fourth are entered from the home country, Germany. A substantial numbers of labels are entered from both New World and Old World wine producers including Italy, France, Spain, Mexico, South Africa and Australia. Recently newer producers like Thailand and Netherlands have also started entering their wines.
The competition is held strictly under the supervision and the rules laid down by the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) in Paris. For example, each jury must have a mix of international judges with a minimum number from Germany. No more than 45 wines may be tasted by each panel in a day. The panel also must have a balanced mix of experts, drawn from the wine industry, the media, on-trade and off-trade wine dealers.
The competition rules also limit the total number of awards to 30% of wines entered. Best wines in each category receive Great Gold, Gold or Silver medals. This helps the quality tasted wines stand out in the market through the medals awarded and it becomes a creditable marketing tool.
Organised by Meininger Verlag, the publishers of Meininger's Wine Business International magazine and several other publications from Neustadt, it is managed independent of the publishing company with wines stored in temperature controlled wine cellars specially erected for the competition.
The second leg of the competition will be carried out during this week-end, starting on September 5. The official results will be announced in mid-September. The winning wines will be available in the Saalbau hall, Neustadt in November for the general public to taste.
The editor of delWine, Subhash Arora has been invited as a part of the international panel of judges again this year. Due to the pre-commitment at the South African Airways Selection 2009 last week, he would be participating in the tasting during the second leg this week-end. |