La Grande Dégustation de Montréal unveiled the 10 finalists in its annual wine competition which, for the 2017 edition, was dedicated to Rieslings. Selected by a jury of 21 professionals in the wine sector, German Rieslings captured 4 out the five finalist spots in the dry Riesling category and one spot in the semi-dry category.

Gathered in Montreal on October 5th, the jury of 21 specialists awarded these prestigious honors at the opening ceremony of La Grande Dégustation de Montréal, which attracts nearly 15,000 visitors to Place Bonaventure from November 2nd to 4th.

This year, more than 60 producers from around the world entered La Grande Dégustation de Montréal, submitting to blind tasting a total of 89 wines of this white variety which originates in the Rhine Valley and the Moselle, and is now grown on all continents. A late ripening grape variety, Riesling is used in a wide selection of wines.

With Rieslings being the focus variety this year, a total of 89 Rieslings from 10 countries answered the call and submitted their wines.

The first three finalists from each category will end up in the Cellier section of the SAQ in 2018. Le Grande Dégustation de Montréal is held at Place Bonaventure from November 2 to 4, 2017.

CATEGORY DRY RIESLING

1 – Weingut Dreißigacker, Riesling Rheinhessen (importer: Wineconsale GmbH Wunderwerk), 2013, Allemagne, Rheinhessen, 12,91% alc. 100% Riesling 

2 – Weingut am Stein Stettener Stein Riesling Franken, 2016, Allemagne, Franken, 12,00% alc. 100% Riesling 

3 – Weingut am Stein Stettener Riesling Franken 2016, Allemagne, Franken, 12,00% alc. 100% Riesling

4 – Preiss Zimmer SARL Cave de Turckheim Alsace Grand Cru Brand Riesling 2013, France, Alsace, 12,67% alc. 100% Riesling

5 – Weingut Kaufmann Hattenheim Wisselbrunnen, Riesling Trocken Rheingau 2016, Allemagne, Rheingau, 13,00% alc. 100% Riesling

CATEGORY SEMI-DRY RIESLING

1 – Ste Michelle Wine Estates Eroica Riesling Columbia, Valley 2015, États-Unis, Washington, 12,10% alc. 100% Riesling

2 – La Cave des Vignerons de Pfaffenheim Steinert Alsace, Grand Cru Riesling Pfaff 2015, France, Alsace, 13,00% alc. 100% Riesling

3 – Hiestand Asia de Cuba Cosmopolitain Riesling Rhein 2016, Allemagne, Rhein, 11,30% alc. 100% Riesling

4 – Pierre Sparr Alsace Riesling Sol Granitique 2015, France, Alsace, 13,00% alc. 100% Riesling

5 – Pierre Sparr Alsace Riesling Sol Calcaire 2015, France, Alsace, 13,50% alc. 100% Riesling

COMPOSITION OF THE JURY OF THE 2017 COMPETITION 

JURY PRESIDENT: Jean Aubry, Columnist and critic for the daily newspaper Le Devoir

MEMBERS OF THE JURY

Alain Bélanger - Sommelier, bronze medalist at the Meilleur Sommelier du monde 2000 competition,

Second place at the 1997 Sopexa Grand Prix International Final and Best sommelier of Quebec 1995.

Ian Purtell - Catering director and sommelier-wine counselor at Le Coureur des Bois / Rive-Gauche Hotel (Beloeil).

Marie-Michèle Grenier, Sommelier and columnist at La Voix de l'Est, sommelier and host of Vins au Féminin Kler-Yann Bouteiller – Second best sommelier of Quebec 2009-2011, consultant, sommelier instructor and wine columnist at Exquis Magazine.

Simon Gaudreau-Rouleau – Co-owner and head of development at Dunham Brewery.

Carl Villeneuve-Lepage - Best Sommelier of Canada 2017 and Best Sommelier of Quebec 2014, Sommelier at Toqué!

Frédéric Arnould - Journalist and blogger.

Geneviève Thibault - Sommelier and host of Vins au Féminin

Marie-Hélène Boisvert - Blogger.

Olivier Robin - Training consultant at the SAQ.

Guénaël Revel - Consultant, historian and speaker, author and presenter, specializing in sparkling wines, champagne, port and rum.

Caroline Chagnon - Sommelier and wine columnist at La Tribune, host of Lève ton verre and for Vins au Féminin

Robert Lamarre - Wine Consultant at the SAQ, retired.

François Côté – Sommelier-wine counselor and trainer.

Eric Bertoldi - Product expert at the SAQ.

Ulrike Lenhardt - Assistant Director and Project Manager at the Institute of German Wines (Deutsches

Weininstitut).

Carmine Caravaggio- Professor at the Institut du tourisme et de l’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ)

Denis St-Pierre- Sommelier-wine counselor at DSP Sommelier, management training advisor for Groupe St-Hubert, retired.

Anne Vaillancourt -Wine director at Bulles Communications and co-host at Lève ton verre, wine columnist at CIGN (Coaticook), MonToit and Les Radieuses magazines

Pascal Patron – Sommelier, author and sommelier instructor at Institut du tourisme et de l’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ)

Download (pdf) more information regarding the competion and finalists

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