In the frame of the London Wine Fair, the results of the International Wine Challenge and of another competition of big relevancy, the Decanter World Wine Awards, were revealed. Argentine wines obtained four Trophies. Malbec and Torrontés, were the two most rewarded varieties. Below, all the winners.
Steven Spurrier and Sarah Kemp, Publishing Directors of Decanter, opened the ceremony, highlighting that the main objective of this competition was the consumer.
"We believe a tasting should not be an academic exercise, but instead its purpose should be to influence the people who matter the most; the consumer, the people who buy the wine ", said the publishers during the opening of the contest.
Argentina obtained four trophies, the most awards won by one country. One corresponded to Peñaflor. Rodolfo Sadler, creator of Opi Malbec a.k.a. 2008. He mentioned that this was a team project, a wine prepared for England and the United States.
Also, Fabián Valenzuela, winemaker of Tapiz winery , spoke about his Trophy, Tapiz Torrontés 2008. He said that the vineyards from which the grapes were obtained are at 3.280 mts of altitude in La Rioja, more precisely in the Famatina Valley. " 2008 is our third crop. It is a young wine, wine of the year, without oak aging. We export it to the United States, and it has captured a great interest worldwide, in fact in term of sales volume, it has equaled our Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc ".
Guillermo Banfi, CEO of Sur de los Andes Winery, said that Infinito is their iconic wine of limited production. "We started in 2005 with a blend. The idea was to do the best blend of our winemaker, with a predominance of Malbec."
The fourth Trophy corresponded to Norton Privada 2006.
Winners of the International Wine Challenge
Among the Argentineans, Bodega Toso was the big winner of the contest of International Wine Challenge 2009 (IWC). Toso obtained two Gold medals in the category Red wines with Pascual Toso Malbec 2008 and Magdalena Toso 2006 Malbec, a wine which is commercialized on the English market. Also, the winery obtained four Silver medals in the IWC in the category red wines of Argentina: Pascual Toso Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2007; Pascual Toso Alta Reserva Malbec 2007; Pascual Toso Alta Reserva Syrah 2007 and Pascual Toso Finca Pedregal Single Vineyard 2005.
In this contest, Argentina obtained 38 Silver medals and 50 Bronze medals in the category Red wines, giving place to many small wineries. Being in the podium gives them better chances to commercialize their wines in United Kingdom. One of the winners of the bronze, Gustavo Caligiore with his Caligiore Malbec 2008 mentioned that the wine came from 80 year-old vines, grown according to standards of organic production.
International Wine Challenge
Gold medals – Red Wines
-Pascual Toso Malbec 2008, Mendoza, £7.99
-Magdalena Toso 2006, Malbec, Mendoza, £59.99
-Jean Bousquet Malbec 2007 Mendoza, £7.50: Malbec
-Jean Bousquet Malbec Reserva 2007 Mendoza, £9.90
-Waxed Bat 2008, Syrah, Mendoza, £6.99
-Fabre Montmayou Patagonia Barrel Selection Malbec 2007, Río Negro, £8.99
-Trivento Reserve Malbec 2006 Mendoza, £6.99
-Felino Malbec 2007 Mendoza, £9.36
-Santa Julia Reserva Tempranillo 2008 Mendoza.
-Chakana Reserve Malbec 2007 Mendoza.
-Silver Medal – Red Wines
-La Mascota Malbec 2007 Mendoza.
-Santa Ana Malbec Reserve 2007 Mendoza, £6.99
-Alta Vista Grande Reserve Terroir Selection 2006, Malbec, Mendoza.
-Alta Vista Atemporal Blend, 2007 Malbec, Mendoza
-Dedicado 2006, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza, £16.99
-Bodega del Fin del Mundo, Gran Reserva Malbec 2006, Neuquén.
-Bodega del Fin del Mundo Reserva Malbec 2007 Neuquén.
-Finca El Portillo Malbec 2008 Mendoza, £6.99
-Pascual Toso Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2007 Mendoza, £12.50.
-Pascual Toso Alta Reserva Malbec 2007 Mendoza, £22.99
-Pascual Toso Alta Reserva Syrah 2007. Mendoza, £22.99
-Pascual Toso Finca Pedregal Single Vineyard 2005, Mendoza
-Caro, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Mendoza, £25.00
-Vineyard Selection Reserva Altos Las Hormigas Malbec 2007, Mendoza, £17.49
-Salentein Numina Gran Corte 2005, Mendoza, £14.99
-Graffigna Centenario Syrah 2006, San Juan
-Fabre Montmayou Reserva Malbec 2007, Mendoza, £7.99
-Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2007, Mendoza, £9.99
-Umbral De Los Tiempos 2006, Mendoza, Cabernet Sauvignon
-Pampas Del Sur Reserve Malbec 2007, Mendoza
-Estilo Pampas Malbec 2007, Mendoza, £5.99
-Gran Pampas Malbec 2006, Mendoza
-Misterio Malbec 2008, Mendoza, Argentina, £4.99
-Las Moras Black Label Syrah 2006, San Juan, Argentina, £9.99
-Las Moras Black Label Cabernet Cabernet 2006, San Juan, £9.99
-Bramare Lujan De Cuyo Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Mendoza, £18.25
-Andean Vineyards Malbec 2007, Mendoza, £5.99
-Finca El Origen Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 2007, Mendoza
-Viñalba Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Mendoza, £9.99
-La Puerta Reserva Bonarda 2007, La Rioja, £6.99
-Black River Reserve Malbec 2007,Patagonia, £9.99
-Zuccardi Q Tempranillo 2006, Mendoza
-La Consulta Malbec 2007, San Carlos, Mendoza
-Doña Paula Estate Malbec 2008, Mendoza
-Chakana Malbec 2008, Mendoza
-Nieto Senetiner Reserva Malbec 2007, Mendoza, £7.90
-Colomé Estate Malbec 2007 Salta, £12.99
-Afincado Malbec 2006 Mendoza, £29.99
Gold Medals - White Wines
-Asda Argentinian Torrontés 2008 Mendoza, £4.24
-Las Moras Black Label Viognier 2006 San Juan, £9.99
-Finca El Origen Torrontés Reserve 2008 Mendoza.
-Alamos Selección Chardonnay 2008 Mendoza.
-Doña Paula Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Mendoza.
Ver el resto de los premios
Decanter World Wine Awards
Trophy
- OPI Malbec a.k.a. Rodolfo Sadler 2008, Mendoza
- Bodega Norton Privada 2006, Mendoza.
- Bodega Tapiz Torrontés 2008, Mendoza.
- Sur de los Andes Infinito Malbec 2006, Mendoza.
Gold Medals
- Altos Las Hormigas Vineyard Selection Reserva Malbec 2007, Mendoza.
- Andeluna Malbec 2007, Mendoza.
- Bodega Colomé Malbec Estate 2007, Valle Calchaquí - Salta.
- Bodega Ruca Malen Malbec 2007, Mendoza.
- Nieto Senetiner Cadus Malbec 2.005, Mendoza.
- Pampas del Sur Gran Pampas Malbec 2006, Mendoza.
- Pascual Toso Finca Pedregal Single Vineyard 2005, Mendoza.
Source: Area del Vino - Gabriela Malizia