The different Categories
Wines are judged by country, region, and vintage as appropriate.
Here are the main categories, discover them all downloading this document.
| 01. STILL WINES – VINTAGE / NON VINTAGE WINES | |
| 02. SPARKLING WINES | |
| 03. FORTIFIED LIQUEUR WINES | |
Fair & Accurate
Tasting Procedure
The outstanding reputation of its selection process is one of the key components of the competition’s success.
The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles selects reputable judges renowned for their expertise. The judging panel comes from an extremely varied background: they are wine specialist journalists, tasters, wine makers, masters of wine, importers/distributors, brand ambassadors and WSET educators from around the world. This broad-ranging industry representation guarantees the professional nature of the competition. Each of them brings their own specific expertise, which is essential for a wine competition.
The judging process is extremely stringent.
- The competition is managed by communications agency Vinopres with 20 years’ expertise in wine, spirits and beer competitions (Concours Mondial de Bruxelles des vins, Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, Brussels Beer Challenge)
- A team of specialists checks arrivals of wine entries and the official accompanying documents, corrects any possible errors and turns down samples that do not comply with the rules.
- The organisers guarantee optimal tasting conditions for the judges. The judging panels are seated in a properly aired, well-lit and quiet hall where entry is prohibited to anybody not directly involved in the tasting sessions.
- The wine bottles are first placed in a sleeve that hides the shape of the bottle. The wine glasses are filled in the tasting hall in front of the judges who never see the bottles themselves. Anonymity is a fundamental principle of the competition.
- Each tasting includes no more than fifty wine samples per day.
- Each wine or spirit is tasted individually and is not compared.
- The organisers can conduct subsequent checks on award-winning entries after the competition by comparing a selection of those products with an anonymously bought sample from the same batch. The checks are designed to ensure consumers the highest level of satisfaction from wines and spirits endorsed with an ‘Asian Wine & Spirit – The Silk Route’ award.
Excerpts from Terms & Condition
Section 1 – Organisation
The ‘Asian Wine and Spirit – The Silk Route’ competition is organised by The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles – Vinopres s.a. rue de Mérode 60, 1060 Brussels, Belgium (website: www.aws-silkroute.com), hereafter referred to as the ‘Asian Wine & Spirit – The Silk Route’.
Section 3 – Products eligible to compete
The competition is open, without discrimination, to all Asian wines and to grape-based wines in accordance with the definitions of OIV’s International Code of Oenological Practices. All products must have an indication of the country of origin as well as the category of the wine on the label.
All products must be destined for sale and must be from a consistent batch of at least 1,000 litres. On an exceptional basis, a reduced volume of at least 100 litres may be authorised provided proof of boutique-scale production is supplied. All samples must be presented with labels and commercial presentation. If the product was packaged specifically for the competition, the sample shall be accompanied by explanatory documents justifying its status.
Section 12 – Overall running of the panels
1. Discipline
As anonymity is a fundamental principle of the competition:
During the tasting, judges are required to keep silent and avoid gestures or facial expressions that might give away their impressions.
Before each sample is served, the score sheets that are handed out may feature technical information pertaining to the sample. These sheets may also bear the judge’s number and name.
The staff that collects the sheets ensures they have been correctly filled out. The chairman then signs them for approval.
Judges cannot keep a double.
Judges are not allowed to know the identity of a wine, its origins, price points or awards, thus complying with the rules of total anonymity.
2. Operational mode
Once the panels have been formed, they are convened once or more prior to the tasting in order to explain the purpose of their mission. A group tasting follows so as to compare the results of each judge and set a benchmark for evaluation criteria within the panel.
The panels are seated in a properly aired, well-lit and quiet hall where entry is prohibited to anybody not directly involved in the tasting sessions. Wherever possible, the temperature is kept at between 18°C and 22°C. Smoking is not allowed.
A second hall next door, referred to as the preparation hall but kept out of the judges’ sight, is reserved for uncorking samples and ensuring anonymity. Smoking is similarly forbidden.
The wine bottles are first placed in a sleeve that hides the shape of the bottle and guarantees sample anonymity. Wine glasses are filled in the tasting hall in front of the judges.
The tasting sessions are held preferably in the mornings. Each tasting includes no more than fifty wine samples per day.
The ‘Asian Wine & Spirit – The Silk Route’ guarantees optimal conditions for judges.
3. Sample presentation
Each sample is tasted individually and is not compared
Enter the Competition
Enter your wines before July 15th, 2018 by downloading the registration form from our website and returning it by post or e-mail. Please note that there is no cost charged for this competition. All you have to do is to send the necessary bottles to Brussels, and complete the registration form.
Shipping of samples
To be eligible to take part in the competition, each participant must, before July 15, 2018, submit 4 labelled bottles of each wine sample to the following address, as well as a pro-forma invoice to avoid paying customs clearance fees:
Vinopres SA
AWS Silk Route Event
60 rue de Mérode
1060 – Brussels – Belgium
Mail : geraldine.gerard@vinopres.com
Thierry.heins@vinopres.com
Phone : +32 2 533 27 67
Each sample will also be included in the media book for this international meeting and will be presented at a large public tasting.