In the world of wine, the beginning of the year is always a time for shows and competitions. And for Domaine de Rocheville, 2021 starts well with a trio of winners!
Our first participation in the Challenge Millésime Bio contest
For our first participation in the 14th International Organic Wine Competition, the Challenge Millésime Bio, we presented three wines. The winners were announced at the end of February and we were delighted to learn that our three “candidates” each won a medal!
Silver medal for La Jouvencelle 2019 (Organic Saumur Blanc)
Silver Medal for Le Prince 2019 (Organic Saumur Champigny from old vines)
Bronze Medal for Le Page 2019 (Organic Saumur Champigny)
After 15 years of eco-responsible practices and after 3 years of organic conversion, started in 2016, Domaine de Rocheville obtained the Organic Agriculture certification in 2019. Our 2019 vintages were therefore the first to be eligible to compete.
The largest international organic wine contest
The Challenge Millésime Bio contest, attached to the trade fair of the same name, is organised by Sudvinbio, the Interprofessional Association of Organic Wines of Occitania, located in Montpellier. Created in 2007, it is considered to be the largest international competition for organic wines and continues to gain notoriety!
Far from being limited to Occitan wines, it has put in competition more than 1600 organic wines (exactly 1696!) from 12 different countries in 2021, from France to New Zealand, including Spain, Italy, Argentina….
A 2021 edition adapted to the health context
The coronavirus pandemic could have prevented the 2021 edition from taking place. This year, the Millésime Bio trade fair was held in a digital version. Fortunately, the Challenge Millésime Bio was finally able to take place thanks to an adapted reorganisation, the single tasting session of previous years having been replaced by eight separate sessions.
A prestigious president and a jury of passionate professionals
Each year, the contest is chaired by a personality from the wine world who carries the values of organic agriculture. This year, the president of Challenge Millésime Bio was the world-renowned British journalist and writer Andrew Jefford.
Alongside him, a professional tasting panel was made up of enthusiasts from the wine industry (oenologists, sommeliers, journalists, etc.), i.e. a total of 286 judges who awarded not less than 520 medals!
When the awards were published, Andrew Jefford said: “It was a great experience with an impressive level of sample quality. […] With each passing year, organic wine is gaining ground around the world, and this way of growing is for me a matter of course in modern viticulture”.
These are values that Domaine de Rocheville has also adopted and that La Jouvencelle, Le Page et le Prince and our other wines continue to carry into your glass!