Vinalies Internationales

Vinalies Internationales, a vector of international recognition

In these times when globalisation and standardisation are reducing variety of expression in the wine world, the aim of the Union des Œnologues de France is to provide winegrowers with an opportunity to promote the quality of their produce. Our awards and the tasting notes that go with them are much appreciated among professionals in the sector, because:

• To win a medal at Vinalies Internationales is to gain recognition in the eyes of wine market purchasers. The tasters chosen for the Vinalies Internationales are personalities from the international bodies, the perfect advocates to promote the quality of your products.

• To win a medal at Vinalies Internationales is also to benefit from an opportunity to boost your sales efforts. The reputation, image and know-how of the Union des Œnologues de France will provide you with additional arguments to promote your WINE.

Vinalies Internationales, wine in all its expressions

Held by the Union des Œnologues de France, the 2009 edition will bring together almost 3,500 samples from all the world’s wine regions. The task given to each panel of judges composed of 7 professionals (the rules set down by the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin, the Union Internationale des Œnologues, and the Fédération Mondiale des Grands Concours Internationaux de Vins et Spiritueux require that each panel must include 2 French judges and 3 from other countries, while the President must be a French oenologist) is to give each sample a score and a tasting note. After the individual blind tasting, the President of the Panel records the notes in real time (using a computerised system) and, if necessary, there is a debate to come to a general consensus. It does happen that different palates with contrasting affinities may diverge radically in their appraisals.
A genuine trip around the world’s taste buds for the winegrowers taking part! Today, the Union des Œnologues de France is sure of one thing: faced with supermarket shelves offering an increasingly diversified, sometimes complex choice of wines, consumers are in search of signs and guarantees that they recognise. Our intention is that the prizes awarded at the Vinalies Internationales should bring added value to the winning wines. As professionals dedicated all year round to preparing vines, making and maturing wines, who could be better placed to judge and appraise wines on behalf of the consumer? Today, we are the guarantors of the traceability of your wines!

Promoting the quintessence of our terroirs is our aim, by offering all the winegrowers taking part the highest possible profile: winners are entitled to stickers in the name of the competition (under the supervision of the French Fair-Trading Department) - a genuine sales argument for a “product certified and guaranteed by a college of professionals”. 

We have always been very much aware that medals can only really mean something if they are backed up by promotion among professional purchasers and the general public, and the Union des Œnologues de France therefore organises a media relations campaign and, promotes the competition internationally among importers, distributors, wholesalers and wine merchants. The Union des Œnologues de France has also turned to Hachette Pratique to publish and distribute the 1000 Vins du Monde guide in bookshops, including the tasting notes for 1,000 of the wines taking part, in order to promote a selection of the wines from this professional competition to consumers.