In a world filled with numerous wine competitions, including local ones with limited panels and international ones predominantly featuring English panels, the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) stands out by offering the most extensive international exposure.
Recognized as a robust international institution, the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles awards are highly sought-after by distributors and valued by consumers. The competition attracts key buyers and opinion leaders who participate as judges.
Reputable judges, internationally renowned for their wine assessment abilities, are carefully selected for the competition. These judges include international buyers, merchants, sommeliers, oenologists, journalists, specialist wine writers, critics, wine scientists, and wine industry representatives. In 2023, 350 international judges representing 50 nationalities participated, contributing to the event's uniqueness and ensuring greater objectivity in the results.
To manage the success and maintain assessment quality when evaluating over 10,000 wines, the CMB is divided into four different sessions. This ensures that each style of wine can be professionally judged blindly. Experts, chosen for their ability to taste wines based on specific features, are tasked with judging.
Celebrating its 30th year of excellence, the CMB travels to different locations annually and selects truly international panels of judges, providing unparalleled global exposure to medaled wines. The competition's reputation has been built on transparency, impartiality, and rigor since 1994, making it one of the very few global competitions that adhere to strict EU regulations and OIV rules, awarding less than one-third of entrants.
Focused on the future, the CMB guarantees a full description of your wine upon entry, which can be used for your sales initiatives and marketing approaches. An aroma wheel and a detailed description of your wines, compiled by artificial intelligence based on the panel’s tasting notes, can also be downloaded – offering valuable tools for your marketing team.
South Africa has consistently performed well at the CMB. In a time where some traditional markets appear saturated, a CMB medal serves as a seal of approval valued in broader markets, from São Paulo to Beijing, by buyers and consumers alike.
For many years, the CMB has appointed Jean-Vincent Ridon, the current best sommelier of South Africa, as the local ambassador. His team is ready to assist you in entering your wines. A special flat fee of R250 per bottle has been negotiated with Vineyards Connection to have your samples delivered and customs cleared to Europe, facilitating entry for small wineries.
Registrations are now open, and Robyn Bester is available to assist you at 021 422 5206 for any questions. More information and registration are available directly at www.concoursmondial.com.
The deadline to enter depends on the wine category, but the main competition for still red and white wines closes on 12 April 2024, with the shipping flat rate available until March 15, 2024, for added convenience.