The new edition of the PAR® Wine Award International that took place on the second weekend in February was an extraordinary occasion for the dègustation boss Martin Darting and his PAR®-Team to experience an exciting and challenging tasting of 122 wines from 12 countries. Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine were for the first time on board widening the sensory horizon of the tasting due to the significant number of the uniquely indigenous grape varieties and culture imprint. According to the usual PAR practice, all submitted wines were assessed strictly analytically in relation to the origin, style and sensory features and beyond any taste customs. Thirteen wines could reach Top Gold, 37 products received Gold, 43 were decorated with Silver medals. Sixteen participants were rated with a compliment. The maximum number of points of the 2019 tasting – 97 out of 100 possible points – was awarded to the Lotem Winery from Israel, Tokaj-Hetszolo from Hungary, Ducal Wines from Slovenia, as well as Minos Cretan Wines and Estate Theodorakakos, both of them from Greece. The awarding ceremony followed by a wine tasting session guided by Martin Darting will take place on the 17th March 2019 at 1:30 p.m. at ProWein fair (Hall 15, Booth G37).
Each new edition of the PAR® Wine Award International brings its organisers a touch closer to their visions. A rising number of participants, the country portfolio expansion as well as feedback are the explicit statements to close a gap. The principal objective of this contest was to explore the fascinating product diversity of the Eastern Europe, Eastern Mediterranean region as well as the Black Sea area.
A look at the top performance list illustrates the diversity of the products to explore. For instance, in the category of red wines, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon „Vivace“ produced in the oak barrel at the Israeli vineyard Lotem in the region of Galilee (97 points). Likewise, the 2016 Cantvs Promvs, a reductively produced red from Feteasca-Neagra - the indigenous grape variety, at the Metarmorfosis Winery in the Romanian area Muntenia (96 points). Two further widely differing top nominees (96 points each) came from Hungarian region Villány-Siklós: the modern and rather reductively produced Merlot Prémium from vineyard Koch and the organically made 2015 Cabernet Franc traditionally matured in a wooden barrel and barrique at the Wassmann Winery. The latter has also performed 96 points for its 2016 oak barrel Merlot
Three very different wines could achieve the top position in the category of white wines with its 97 points each: 2016 Furmint Dry Selection reductively wooden barrel matured at organic winery Tokaji-Hétszőlő in Hungary (Tokaj-Hegyalja region), a Malvasia-Blend „M Miliarakis“ from Minos Cretan Wines, Greece, and 2015 „Sipon“, a spontaneously fermented Furmint traditionally matured in wooden barrel at Ducal Wines from the Drava area in Slovenia. Along with two further wine-growing estates from Greece – Tsoukalas Winery Rhodes and Cretan Agelakis Winery, a contender from Serbia was premiered in the 96 points white wines league: 2017 Sauvignon Blanc „Arno“ produced in a steel tank at Vinarija Aleksić from the Nišava-Južna Morava region.
Also, one rosé took the 97 points top position in the gold class: 2018 Rosé KA, a reductively in a steel tank matured blend of indigenous varieties Kidonitsa and Agiorgitiko from Greek Estate Theodorakakos.
The conclusion of Martin Darting, Head of the tasting: „Along with the wide range of terroirs represented this year; winemakers miscellaneously introduced a vast number of stylistic interpretations. The spectrum stretched from fruity „everybody’s darlings“ to highly individual varietal wines.
Due to its nativeness, the Qvevri made nominees introduced most characterful and, at the same time, contradictory wines. Another attention-getters were some examples from Israel demonstrating how modern craftsmanship makes the microclimatic differences discernible at the highest level. The situation was entirely different in the case of Eastern European countries bordering the Black Sea. A clear polarisation between international know-how and individual local imprint prevailed. The tasters were being put into a situation where they faced a real challenge because the stylistics, origin and way of production were presented in fundamentally different markedness. In order to become a runaway success on the international market, in my opinion, it is necessary to optimise the current potential – almost in all cases apparent – with emphasis on a target group approach keeping this aspect in mind while selectively bringing the products to market. Retail has a chance in terms of consulting activity. We had no average quality during the tasting this year. Those who are looking for the outstanding complexion will undoubtedly come up trumps.“
View complete Ranking including the PAR data sheet and further details about wines and wine-growers at www.par-wineaward.com
Martin Darting, a co-founder and supervisory board member of WINE System AG, is a professional winemaker, sensors expert and the initiator of the Biofach Wine Award. Besides his activities as a lecturer at the German wine and sommelier school, Martin Darting is a trainer for the professional PAR® tasters, as well as the head of all WINE System AG tastings. Also, Martin Darting provides oenological quality management consulting service to the winemakers and vineyards.www.martin-darting.de
PAR® tasting method: Thanks to the analytical and documentary approach of the sensory audit system, the dégustation team can approach the requirements of the diversity of such competition in a complex and objective way. Each submitted wine receives replicable and objective documentation of its sensory and oenological characteristics respectively its origin, climate and style. The PAR training enables the qualified jury consisting of oenologists, sommeliers and wine experts (certified by the German IHK) to assess each wine neutrally, excluding personal preferences or preconceived opinions regarding “good taste.” In the context of contemporary oenology, new international styles, likewise the traditionally made wines, experience appreciation and acceptance by applying PAR assessment. Besides attracting attention brought by this award, many producers appreciate the revealing analyses underlying the PAR assessment. They precisely show which criteria have led to matching results and provide valuable documentation for quality management. www.par-system.de
Each new edition of the PAR® Wine Award International brings its organisers a touch closer to their visions. A rising number of participants, the country portfolio expansion as well as feedback are the explicit statements to close a gap. The principal objective of this contest was to explore the fascinating product diversity of the Eastern Europe, Eastern Mediterranean region as well as the Black Sea area.
A look at the top performance list illustrates the diversity of the products to explore. For instance, in the category of red wines, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon „Vivace“ produced in the oak barrel at the Israeli vineyard Lotem in the region of Galilee (97 points). Likewise, the 2016 Cantvs Promvs, a reductively produced red from Feteasca-Neagra - the indigenous grape variety, at the Metarmorfosis Winery in the Romanian area Muntenia (96 points). Two further widely differing top nominees (96 points each) came from Hungarian region Villány-Siklós: the modern and rather reductively produced Merlot Prémium from vineyard Koch and the organically made 2015 Cabernet Franc traditionally matured in a wooden barrel and barrique at the Wassmann Winery. The latter has also performed 96 points for its 2016 oak barrel Merlot
Three very different wines could achieve the top position in the category of white wines with its 97 points each: 2016 Furmint Dry Selection reductively wooden barrel matured at organic winery Tokaji-Hétszőlő in Hungary (Tokaj-Hegyalja region), a Malvasia-Blend „M Miliarakis“ from Minos Cretan Wines, Greece, and 2015 „Sipon“, a spontaneously fermented Furmint traditionally matured in wooden barrel at Ducal Wines from the Drava area in Slovenia. Along with two further wine-growing estates from Greece – Tsoukalas Winery Rhodes and Cretan Agelakis Winery, a contender from Serbia was premiered in the 96 points white wines league: 2017 Sauvignon Blanc „Arno“ produced in a steel tank at Vinarija Aleksić from the Nišava-Južna Morava region.
Also, one rosé took the 97 points top position in the gold class: 2018 Rosé KA, a reductively in a steel tank matured blend of indigenous varieties Kidonitsa and Agiorgitiko from Greek Estate Theodorakakos.
The conclusion of Martin Darting, Head of the tasting: „Along with the wide range of terroirs represented this year; winemakers miscellaneously introduced a vast number of stylistic interpretations. The spectrum stretched from fruity „everybody’s darlings“ to highly individual varietal wines.
Due to its nativeness, the Qvevri made nominees introduced most characterful and, at the same time, contradictory wines. Another attention-getters were some examples from Israel demonstrating how modern craftsmanship makes the microclimatic differences discernible at the highest level. The situation was entirely different in the case of Eastern European countries bordering the Black Sea. A clear polarisation between international know-how and individual local imprint prevailed. The tasters were being put into a situation where they faced a real challenge because the stylistics, origin and way of production were presented in fundamentally different markedness. In order to become a runaway success on the international market, in my opinion, it is necessary to optimise the current potential – almost in all cases apparent – with emphasis on a target group approach keeping this aspect in mind while selectively bringing the products to market. Retail has a chance in terms of consulting activity. We had no average quality during the tasting this year. Those who are looking for the outstanding complexion will undoubtedly come up trumps.“
View complete Ranking including the PAR data sheet and further details about wines and wine-growers at www.par-wineaward.com
Martin Darting, a co-founder and supervisory board member of WINE System AG, is a professional winemaker, sensors expert and the initiator of the Biofach Wine Award. Besides his activities as a lecturer at the German wine and sommelier school, Martin Darting is a trainer for the professional PAR® tasters, as well as the head of all WINE System AG tastings. Also, Martin Darting provides oenological quality management consulting service to the winemakers and vineyards.www.martin-darting.de
PAR® tasting method: Thanks to the analytical and documentary approach of the sensory audit system, the dégustation team can approach the requirements of the diversity of such competition in a complex and objective way. Each submitted wine receives replicable and objective documentation of its sensory and oenological characteristics respectively its origin, climate and style. The PAR training enables the qualified jury consisting of oenologists, sommeliers and wine experts (certified by the German IHK) to assess each wine neutrally, excluding personal preferences or preconceived opinions regarding “good taste.” In the context of contemporary oenology, new international styles, likewise the traditionally made wines, experience appreciation and acceptance by applying PAR assessment. Besides attracting attention brought by this award, many producers appreciate the revealing analyses underlying the PAR assessment. They precisely show which criteria have led to matching results and provide valuable documentation for quality management. www.par-system.de
