News released: 01/12/2014
France tops medal chart at International Wine Challenge, but Australia and New Zealand are
hot on its heels
France holds tight at the top of the leader board with 295 medal winners
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France tops total medal count with 295 wines receiving gongs.
Champagne proves to be the biggest jewel in France’s winemaking crown, producing
seven Gold medal winners.
No stranger to success, France topped the medal chart once again at Tranche One of the 2016
International Wine Challenge (IWC), winning a whopping 295 medals, building on last year’s medal
count of 277.
However, France is facing stiff competition from rivals Australia and New Zealand. In a competition
first, Australia received the most Gold medals with 19, beating France to joint second place with
New Zealand for their haul of 18 Gold medals each. Despite Australia’s challenge to France’s
throne, French winemakers still clocked up the highest number of Silver and Bronze medals with
108 and 170 respectively.
Champagne is once again France’s most successful wine producing region at the IWC, claiming
seven Gold medals at the prestigious competition. Oudinot earned a pair of Gold medals for its
Marks & Spencer champagnes. Its Marks & Spencer Oudinot Brut Vintage 2007 and its nonvintage Marks & Spencer Oudinot Rosé both scooped Gold.
Three more non-vintage champagnes also struck Gold at the competition, proving you don’t need to
pay a vintage price tag to get beautiful bubbly. Champagne De Venoge’s Princes Rosé NV,
Champagne Gonet Sulcova’s Grand Cru Extra Brut NV and Lanson Noble Cuvée Brut Rosé NV all
won Gold at Tranche One of the tasting. Champagne J. De Telmont’s Cuvée O.R 1735 2004 also
scooped a Gold medal, as did Champagne Jacquart’s Blanc de Blancs Millésimé Brut 2009.
Cooperative wine producer Cave de Roquebrun received more Gold medals than any other French
vineyard, picking up four top prizes. Among these, three of the producer’s red wines impressed the
IWC judges and struck Gold, the Les Fiefs d'Aupenac 2013, the Eclats de Schistes 2013 and the
Col de Lairole 2014. Cave de Roquebrun also produced a Gold medal winning white wine with its
Grand Canal 2014. The producer also received four Silver medals and three Bronze.
Alsace based producer Wolfberger also scored highly, picking up a pair of Gold medals for its
Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr 2014 and Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives 2012.
The world-famed producer also received five Silver medals and six Bronze medals in this round of
the competition.
All International Wine Challenge news can be found at our Digital Newsroom
A trio of wines produced in Burgundy also received Gold medals. Labouré-Roi Gevrey Chambertin
La Futaille 2013 struck Gold, as did the Auvigue Pouilly-Fuissé Le Clos 2014. The Union Des
Viticulteurs De Chablis created the Morrisons Signature Chablis 1er Cru 2013, which also received a
Gold medal.
Elsewhere, in the Loire Valley, Fournier Pere et Fils produced a Gold medal winner for Tesco with
Tesco finest* Sancerre 2014 showing that exquisite French wines are readily available in UK
supermarkets.
Charles Metcalfe, Co-Chairman of the IWC commented:
“Yet again, French winemakers have demonstrated their prowess across different styles in this
tranche of the competition. France may have lost out to Australia in the Gold medal count, but the
country’s producers are unbeatable in terms of variety, producing more medal winners in more
styles than anywhere else in the world. Australia is hot on its heels though, and this latest result
makes me very excited to see what happens in tranche two of the competition in April next year.”
Visit the IWC website for the full list of winners: http://www.internationalwinechallenge.com
--- ENDS --What is the International Wine Challenge?
In its 33rd year, the International Wine Challenge is accepted as the world’s finest and most meticulously
judged competition. The IWC assesses every wine ‘blind’ and judges each for its faithfulness to style, region
and vintage. Each medal winning wine is tasted on at least three separate occasions by a minimum of 10
different judges including Masters of Wine. Awards include medals (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and Commended
awards. The IWC is committed to helping consumers discover great wine, and the medals displayed on
winning bottles offer a trusted guarantee of quality.
For more information please contact:
Manifest London
IWC
Helen Kenny & Caroline Are
t. 0203 1379270
m. 07712 877 972
e.IWC@manifest.london
Chris Ashton
t. 07884 063405
e. Chris.Ashton@wrbm.com
All International Wine Challenge news can be found at our Digital Newsroom