Australian winemakers have triumphed at the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships, taking home 10 Gold medals and nine Silver medals.
The CSWWC is the most respected, comprehensive and rigorous international sparkling wine competition in the world, judged exclusively by renowned fizz experts Tom Stevenson, Essi Avellan MW and Dr Tony Jordan.
2018 was a ground-breaking year for the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships in terms of the increase of entries from US, UK, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Eastern Europe, Hungary and South Africa which averaged in excess of 75% of all entries. A total of 25 trophies were awarded from 68 Best in Class winners, including 9 National Champions, 7 World Champions by Style and the Chairman’s Trophy, presented this year to Dominique Demarville, Chef de Caves of Veuve Clicquot.
The Gold medals went to Blue Pyrenees Estate 2011 Midnight Cuvee, Chandon NV Brut, House of Arras 2001, House of Arras 2002 E J Carr Late Disgorged Vintage Museum Release Blanc de Blancs, House of Arras 2008 Grand Vintage, Howard Park NV Petit Jete Sparkling, Nocton Vineyard NV Sparkling Rosé, Stefano Lubiana Wines 2008 Grande Vintage Derwent Valley and Taltarni Vineyards 2013 Blanc de Blancs.
Chandon Brut (NV) was also crowned Best Australian Sparkling Wine.
“It is a rarity in wine shows for a non-vintage sparkling to take a trophy,” said Dan Buckle, Chandon Senior Winemaker. “So, this is not only incredible news for us but also for people who want to drink Australian sparkling wine that is both affordable and high quality.”
Competition founder and judge Tom Stevenson added: “It says a lot about Chandon Australia that its entry level wine has the core-quality to beat the cream of Australia’s sparkling wine and win the National Trophy.”
The Silver medallists were Chandon 2013 Whitlands Blanc de Blancs, Clover Hill 2013 Cuvee Exceptionnelle Vintage Rose, House of Arras 2007 Grand Vintage, House of Arras NV A By Arras, Jansz Tasmania 2012 Premium Vintage Cuvée, Jansz Tasmania NV Premium NV Cuvée, Nocton Vineyard NV Sparkling, Taltarni Vineyards 2013 Brut Victoria & Tasmania, Taltarni Vineyards 2013 Tache Victoria & Tasmania, and Voyager Estate 2016 Project Sparkling Chenin Blanc.
House of Arras winemaker Ed Carr was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony last night for his contribution to the development and success of the sparkling wine industry.
Carr was the only non-champenois winemaker to receive the award; an important recognition of the quality of wines from the House of Arras and its proven world-class credentials.
Carr said it was a great honour to receive the award among his peers at the ceremony in London.
“Getting up on stage to accept this particular award is extremely special because to me, it represents the pinnacle of recognition for our wine quality that we could scarcely envisage back in 1995,” Carr said. “Hence why this is so immensely gratifying and exciting.”
Tom Stevenson, Founder and Judge of the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships gave out nine Lifetime Achievement Awards last night and praised each and every winner for their efforts, dedication and sheer brilliance.
In addition to Carr, the other recipients were Thierry Roset of Champagne Charles Heidsieck; the late Michel Salgues, Sparkling Wine Consultant; Thierry Gasco of Champagne Pommery; Jean-Paul Gandon of Champagne Lanson; Hervé Deschamps of Maison Perrier-Jouet; Richard Geoffroy of Champagne Dom Perignon; Loïc Dupont of Champagne Taittinger; and François Domi of Champagne Billecart-Salmon.
Full details of the Trophy, Best in Class and Medal winning wines are available from www.champagnesparklingwwc.comAUSTRALIA
