Taking advantage of the presence of 55 presidents and representatives of the member countries of A.S.I. in Bordeaux for their general assembly and Vinexpo, SommelierS International organized a beautiful tasting of wines of France, mainly from Bordeaux, but also wines of Israel. A summit meeting in the magnificent Margaux lounge at the Grand Hotel de Bordeaux & Spa.
What a beautiful opportunity to see Best Sommeliers of the World like Paolo Basso, Shinya Tasaki, Serge Dubs, Gérard Basset or Philippe Faure-Brac, but also the presidents of the member countries of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale tasting! They came to meet the wine growers who presented their cuvées and collected wise adviceand enlightened opinions. Among the eminent sommeliers present, we could also see Andrés Rosberg, vice-president for the Americas and president of the Sommeliers of Argentina, Nelson Chow, vice-president for Asia-Oceania and president of the Sommeliers of Hong Kong, Masahura Oka, president of the association of Japan, but also presidents of member countries less known by the general public for their wine culture such as Taiwan, Albania or Uruguay.
A beautiful selection of wines from the vineyard of Bordeaux mainly, from the Southwest, but also Crémant de Bourgogne, Beaujolais, Languedoc-Roussillon and Rhone Valley wines offered themselves to the expert palates of the wine tasters. Wines of Israel also met great success. Arnon Geva had had specially come to represent the wines of the Montefiore domain.
To sublimate the wines and even better highlight their organoleptic qualities, Chef & Sommelier provided the glasses of their last range developed with Julia Scavo, Reveal'Up. The peculiar shape with the vast oxygenation chamber ending with a straight chimney enables to concentrate the aromas while minimizing the perception of the alcohol.
Diam Bouchage was also present to show the wine growers as well as the sommeliers the qualities of its technical corks whose main asset is its sensory neutrality. Diam guarantees that its corks are TCA-free (at a rate lower than 0,3 ng / l). An argument that probably convinced the wine growers, in particular for their ageworthy wines.
Concentration for some, lively exchanges for others, every sommelier, by his different culture, knew how to bring a different look over the wines presented. For the winegrowers' greatest delight!
Sylvia van der Velden
Photos: Thierry Garcia / Video: Xavier Paris
