Elizabeth Gabay MW, famous expert on rosé wines, points out growing importance of regional rosé identity as well as the growth of premium and ultra premium rosé segment as the leading trends on the wine scene as far as rosé wines are concerned. Since 2002 until today, global consumption of rosé has increased by 40% and this growth continues. The fact that rosé wines are gaining more and more importance among producers and consumers is confirmed by the specialized competition of rosé wines within Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, which is being held in Valladolid (Spain).

(Valladolid, photo © T. Brandl)

At this year's edition of the competition, almost 1,200 samples of rosé wines from 30 countries will compete. In Europe, if we talk about rosé wines, producers from France, Spain and Italy dominate, but the judges will have the opportunity to taste rosé wines from all over the world, as well as countries such as South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, China and Australia.

The most represented wine regions in the competition are: Languedoc Roussillon with 105 samples, Provence with 98 samples, Castile and Leon with 89 samples, Abruzzo with 50 samples and the Loire Valley with 50 samples of rosé.

Rosé wines will be judged by a team of 60 wine judges from 25 countries, who were selected primarily due to their skills and experience in judging rosé wines. They are wine journalists, oenologists, sommeliers, scientists, etc but they all share common love for rosé wines.

Panel of judges (photo © T. Brandl)

The competition is held in Valladolid, the capital of the province of Castile and Leon. Oscar Puente, the mayor of Valladolid, emphasizes that only in their region on the Iberian Peninsula there are 5 appelations (D.O.) covering more than 27,000 hectares of vineyards and almost 20 grape varieties. Rosé wines are especially important for the region because Cigales appellation is recognizable both by the quality and the quantity of rosé wines produced there. This is especially true of wines made from grapes from old vineyards. Rosé wines are also found in the appellation of Ribera del Duero, which is recognizable by its dark-colored roses, which they call "ojo de gallo" (rooster's eye). Conrado Iscar, President of the Valladolid Regional Council, points out that the competition of rosé wines within the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is an ideal opportunity to promote the quality of local rosés. Two roses from Valladolid have already won awards for the best rosé at the CMB competition in 2017 and 2018. The hosts also want to present Valladolid as a top destination for wine and gastronomic tourism.

Photo © T. Prange-Barczynski

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