The selections of the 19th International Mountain Wines Competition took place in Courmayeur from 7th to 9th July, where about 530 wines from 10 European countries participated.
The tastings were conducted blindly, according to the strict rules of the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine) whose Director General, Federico Castellucci, attended the event for the opening remarks and have lead to very important results: a total of a hundred and sixty-two medals were awarded; three wines received the Grand Gold Medal by scoring higher than 94.00 points, a ‘Muskateller Kabinett’ from the Baden Württemberg region (Germany), a ‘Riesling Auslese Trocken’ from the Rhineland-Palatinate region (Mosel –Germany) and last a ‘Passito di Pantelleria’ from the island of Sicily which bears the same name.
64 gold medals were awarded, 24 of which scored higher than 90.01 points and 41 of which scored between 89.01 and 90 points. Lastly, 95 silver medals were awarded. The high excellence of the wines submitted took the lower limit for medal awarding, in accordance with the limit of 30% of awarded wines, from 84 points as stated in the rules to 87.00 points.
“This underlines the exclusive nature of this contest, but most of all the high level of the wines presented. The results are a consequence of the passion, effort and hard work that the producers of ‘heroic wine-growing’ carry out daily. The high number of medals awarded – states Roberto Gaudio, President of Cervim – and the high votes obtained are a true testimony to this, a reason for pride and an excellent presentation towards the markets”.
As far as the countries participating in the competition, many were the international representatives with 42% of the wines submitted. The largest group of representatives was the Spanish one with 65 tasting samples, followed by Germany with 55 and Switzerland with 51 and then, in the following order, by France, Greece, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia and Luxembourg. Germany stood out above all regions with 2 grand gold medals, 19 gold medals and 5 silver medals; then Switzerland with 5 gold medals and 15 silver medals; France with 4 gold medals and 2 silver medals and Spain with 3 gold medals and 7 silver medals.
As far as Italy is concerned, Aosta Valley stands out with 8 gold medals and 14 silver medals out of 100 wines enrolled in the competition, followed by Sicily with 1 Grand gold medal, 6 gold medals and 10 silver medals; Lombardy with 6 gold medals and 11 silver medals; Trentino with 3 gold medals and 9 silver medals; Veneto with 2 gold medals and 7 silver medals and last, in the following order, by Alto Adige, Campania,
Abruzzo and Tuscany, Piedmont and Calabria.
The award ceremony will take place at the ‘Salone ducale’ in the Town Hall of Aosta, in Chanoux square, on Saturday 20th August at 10:15. Besides, during Saturday 20th August (after the award ceremony) from 11 a.m. to 11.30 p.m., and Sunday 21st August from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., all the award-winning wines will be available for tasting at CERVIM dedicated tasting area, specially set up for the event.
During the ceremony, the following prizes will also be awarded:
The "2011 Cervim Grand Prize”, to the wine with the highest overall score;
the Prize for Excellence, to the best wine of each participating country with at least 8 wineries enrolled in the contest;
“Cervim 2011 Special Prize", to the company of each participating country with the best score, calculated by summing up the top scores of three wines, entered into three different categories, which received at least 80 out of 100 points;
“Cervim Futuro 2001 Prize", to the company whose owner or associate member is a wine producer of 35 years old or younger and whose wine received the highest score.
Download the official classement in attached.