IWSC Wine Judging in Franciacorta: Judges' deliberations
Following the inaugural IWSC Wine Judging in Franciacorta, held in partnership with the Franciacorta Consortium, we caught up with the judges to find out their highlights, noticable trends and discoveries.
Led by renowned sparkling wine expert and member of the IWSC Wine Judging Committee Essi Avellan MW, our panel of experts tasted their way through almost a hundred wines over several days, uncovering some intriguing trends and standout wines.
After the judging, the panel shared that there were "plenty of wines with delicacy and elegance, and many wines had subtle autolytic sulfides that were well expressed."
Several wines emerged as clear contenders for gold including a Brut Nature that was described as "fresh and balanced with elegant bubbles and a nice finish."
Another gold winner was an Extra Brut blend from 2019, highlighted by the panel for its "razor-sharp palate that remains generous and pure."
"At their best, the fruit characters were very enjoyable, with varietal chardonnay character most clear, but I particularly enjoyed some of the Blanc de Noirs," shared one of the judges. The flight of Blanc de Noirs performed strongly, with several solid silver medals.
Another style that stood out to the panel was Satèn, with every wine scoring at least a bronze medal, and one exceptional example receiving a gold from the judges. "Satèn was the stand-out flight, with a dramatic step up in quality with the vintage wines. These showed elegance and fine bubbles, with attractive fruitiness and gentle finish," explained the panel.
Overall, this has been a fantastic first foray into Franciacorta for the IWSC, one our judges found both enjoyable and informative. The medal results of the IWSC Wine Judging in Franciacorta will be announced next week.
Led by renowned sparkling wine expert and member of the IWSC Wine Judging Committee Essi Avellan MW, our panel of experts tasted their way through almost a hundred wines over several days, uncovering some intriguing trends and standout wines.
After the judging, the panel shared that there were "plenty of wines with delicacy and elegance, and many wines had subtle autolytic sulfides that were well expressed."
Several wines emerged as clear contenders for gold including a Brut Nature that was described as "fresh and balanced with elegant bubbles and a nice finish."
Another gold winner was an Extra Brut blend from 2019, highlighted by the panel for its "razor-sharp palate that remains generous and pure."
"At their best, the fruit characters were very enjoyable, with varietal chardonnay character most clear, but I particularly enjoyed some of the Blanc de Noirs," shared one of the judges. The flight of Blanc de Noirs performed strongly, with several solid silver medals.
Another style that stood out to the panel was Satèn, with every wine scoring at least a bronze medal, and one exceptional example receiving a gold from the judges. "Satèn was the stand-out flight, with a dramatic step up in quality with the vintage wines. These showed elegance and fine bubbles, with attractive fruitiness and gentle finish," explained the panel.
Overall, this has been a fantastic first foray into Franciacorta for the IWSC, one our judges found both enjoyable and informative. The medal results of the IWSC Wine Judging in Franciacorta will be announced next week.
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