A Question of Taste? Wine Judging and Award Winning Wines
Wine judging can seem an exclusive, ego-fueled world, impermeable to the consumer. But the experienced judge is actually someone who puts personal preferences on hold when evaluating wine quality, often considering whether a wine will still drink well six months after those all-important trophies and medals are given.
So how does one judge wine quality? First, the wine should be “fresh” with no off-flavors or faults. Then you are looking for a range of aromas and flavors. The greater the range, the greater the complexity of the wine. Critical also is how these marry in the mouth and how “long” those flavors last after spitting.
The other essential quality in a wine judge is openmindedness and the willingness to revise scores when wines are discussed on a panel. The point is to achieve a reasonable consensus across a number of palates. China can now boast some serious competitions, from the China Wine Challenge (CWC) to Wine 100 to the Shanghai International Wine Challenge. All of this month’s selections won top trophies at the 2012 CWC.
SELECT SIPS
2011 Concha y Toro “Casillero del Diablo”
Chardonnay, Chile
(Pudao, RMB 135)
Available at Mare, Eudora Station
“Best Value New World White” at the 2012 CWC. Classic, reliable Chilean Chardonnay with appealing stone fruits and a lick of oak. Very drinkable.
2011 Lawson’s Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc,
Marlborough, NZ
(EMW, RMB 300)
Available at Hilton Beijing Wangfujing, 1949 (Jinbao Jie and The Hidden City)
Best New World White at the 2012 CWC. Classic varietal expression of Sauvignon Blanc with well-integrated high acidity and fantastic length.
2001 Marques de Riscal Gran Reserva (red),
Rioja, Spain
(ASC, RMB 609)
Available at Conrad Beijing
Best Old World Red at the 2012 CWC. A fantastic producer, this red, made principally from Tempranillo, has mature vanilla oak with mushroom and other aged characters. Medium-bodied on the palate with mellow tannins, medium acidity and excellent length. If you can’t find the 2001, look for more recent releases such as 2004, which are also excellent.
Edward Ragg is co-founder, with Fongyee Walker, of Dragon Phoenix Wine Consulting, China’s leading independent wine consultancy and education service. They write for the world’s wine magazines and several publications in China.
Photo: commons.wikipedia.com
