Of these, 87 entries were from South Africa, and four South African tasters invited to serve on the judging panels, namely Maryna Calow, Helena Melis, Anton Swarts and Heidi Duminy.
Coming out tops with the only Grand Gold medal awarded to a South African producer, was Kleine Zalze’s Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2024, followed by 15 Gold medals awarded to Spier (four medals), KWV (three medals), Koelenhof Winery (two medals), and one gold medal each to Saronsberg, La Motte, Beau Constantia, Surfers Choice, Hasher Estate and Knorhoek.
A total of 24 Silver medals were awarded to Spier (four silver medals), KWV and Kleine Zalze (three silver medals each),Cederberg, Koelenhof Winery, Babylonstoren and Quoin Rock (two silver medals each) and one silver medal each to Beau Constantia, Rust en Vrede, Knorhoek, Weltevreden, Saronsberg and My Liefste Wyn by the Lameire-Strobbe Family.
7 165 wines tasted by judges from 56 nations in Yinchuan, in the heart of China’s Ningxia wine region
Over three days in June a total of 7 165 wines from 49 countries were blind-tasted by 375 tasters from 56 nations. Of these, 87 entries were from South Africa. This unparalleled diversity confirms CMB’s status as the world’s most far-reaching international wine competition! Medals were awarded to producers in countries around the world, including France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, South Africa, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Bolivia, China, Bulgaria, Lebanon, Mauritius, Mexico, Romania and Turkey.
A toast to our South African tasters
“It is an honour to be involved in a company and a competition of this magnitude and status,” says Lorraine Immelman, director of the South Africa Selection by Concours Mondial. "Our South African judges are world-class and each of which was selected to represent our country on this global stage, deserved to be there! It also gave them the unique opportunity to mingle with tasters and industry stakeholders, opening networks and broadens horizons!”
Representing South Africa on the tasting panels were WOSA Communications manager, Maryna Calow, Cape Wine Master Anton Swarts, Cape Wine Master and Marketing Manager/Buyer at Big Five Duty Free, Helena Melis, and Cape Wine Master, Heidi Duminy. All of them agree that their participation at this global event was an amazing experience.
Says Anton Swarts, “Judging at this world-class event was nothing short of extraordinary and an unforgettable experience. As one of only four South African judges among 375 international experts, I was both humbled and incredibly proud to represent our corner of the wine world. Our panel was a beautiful blend of cultures, personalities and perspectives with fellow judges from Brazil, Italy, Luxembourg, China, and South Africa all at one table. It felt like a mini United Nations of wine!
“The judging process was super impressive, structured, transparent, and backed by detailed feedback that gives wineries real insight into how their wines are performing internationally.So, if you’re wondering whether to enter the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, here’s my advice: do it, it is a no-brainer!
“It’s not just about chasing medals, though let’s be honest, a Silver, Gold, or Grand Gold can do wonders for your brand. It’s about benchmarking your wines, getting expert feedback, and putting your label in front of a truly global audience.If there’s one thing I have learned, it’s this: your wine deserves a passport!”
To this, Helena Melis, marketing manager and buyer at Big Five Duty Free adds: “For me, as a wine buyer, participation in such a large completion allowed me to –
- observe market and industry trends while learning which styles of wines or regions currently get more recognition from experts;
- get exposure to expert feedback which improves my purchasing decisions. In addition this gave me networking opportunities with industry leaders from different countries, and finally I got valuable exposure to a huge amount of wines from different regions,which in turn allows me to refine my quality assessment when tasting new wines.
So all in all – an outstanding and extremely valuable experience!”
Wines of South Africa (Wosa)’s Communication manager, Maryna Calow, who has been judging for Concours Mondial de Bruxelles since 2017, this year visited China for the second time as CMB panel judge. “The experience did not disappoint!” she says. “With over 7 100 wines judged over three days, it was an honour to once again fulfil my role as panel chair. Wonderful and valuable opinions from other the members of my jury - hailing from France, Peru, China, Georgia and Austria – this showed once again that the world of wine unites us all.
“With CMB hosting more than 350 judges from around the world, we experienced an immersion into the Chinese culture, food and hospitality. To round it all off, our daily judging sessions were supported by visits to local wineries and tourist attractions, making this an unforgettable experience!”
Medal breakdown
Spain walked off with the highest number of medals, namely 361, which included 16 Grand Gold medals, followed by Italy with 343 medals of which 15 were Grand Gold Medals, France (377 medals – 15 Grand Gold Medals), and Portugal (290 medals – 14 Grand Gold Medals). South Africa’s 87 entries resulted in 40 medals, including one Grand Gold for Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2024
Congratulations to all our South African producers who won medals, confirming that our wines are equal and often superior to the offerings from its counterparts in other countries.