Spain has emerged as the leader in the world’s largest competition for organic wine, winning 50 medals, followed by Germany and France.
About 600 wines were entered for the third annual Mundus Vini BioFach International Organic Wine Award, which were sampled over a two-day blind-tasting session by a jury of international wine experts.
The awards will be handed out today to help kickstart BioFach in Nuremberg, a World Organic Trade Fair that attracts about 2,500 exhibitors and 44,500 international visitors annually. BioFach wraps up on February 18.
Spain won 50 medals in total. Germany followed with 47, France 39, and Italy 38.
Australia pulled off a strong performance. Two Shiraz labels were awarded the “Special Gold” award, for being the most impressive.
These are the eight organic wines that scored the highest marks:
2009 Kalleske Eduard Old Vine Shiraz Barossa Valley Kalleske Wines Australia.
2009 Johann Georg Old Vine, Single Vineyard Shiraz South Australia Kalleske Wines Australia.
2009 Coyam Valle de Cachapoal Viñedos Emiliana SA, Chile.
2009 La Baronne Alaric AOP Corbières Château la Baronne, France.
2010 Les Ruches Mas de Quernes AOP Languedoc Peter Riegel Weinimport GmbH/Gens et Pierres SAS, France.
2007 Caiarossa IGT Toscana Caiarossa srl. società agricola unipersonale, Italy.
2007 Malvasia de Chianti/Trebbiano Toscana DOC Vin Santo del Chianti Fattoria la Vialla di Gianni, Antonio e Bandino Lo Franco, Italy.
2007 L’Angelet Crianza DO Utiel-Requena Bodegas Palmera Heiner Sauer & Co. Weinvertriebs KG, Spain.
The 2009 Shiraz from Kalleske is described as dark, inky black in colour, with powerful aromas of chocolate, fruit cake, dark plum, dried fig, cinnamon and black licorice all bound together by ripe tannins, which give the dense red a lengthy finish.