Among all the wines contests in France, the “Independants Wine-growers” is one of the most important ! To formalise my alcoholism, I wanted to be juror and pass through on the other side to enter in the secret of the medals…

Prerequisites: I am 18 years old over (I clarify for the younger ones…:-) and I know some notions about the wine vocabulary. It seems stupid but in my first table, someone didn’t know the word “empyreumatic”, which is an essential family of aromas. Then, if you don’t know yet, no panic and read the excellent Miss Glouglou’s article about it.

1st stage: I join on the official website of the Contest: http://www.vigneron-independant.com/concours/ Here, they ask me a short CV, my favourite area for the tasting and my availability, knowing that there are 3 sessions (morning, beginning and end of afternoon) on Friday and 2 on Saturday. Then…I have to wait the notification by the organiser.

2nd stage: Got it ! I am selected, it’s GREAT ! I am officialy alcoholic ! And I receive an official notification with a number…official as well.

3rd stage: the D-day is coming. On the morning, breakfast not too late, the brushing of the tooth as well, no coffee of lats-minute, no perfume (I know, it looks like a meeting of dirty person !) and no lipstick (great, I rarely put it…except in the Bois of Boulogne, but it’s an other story…;-). I turn up there 15 minutes before the tasting, and I go toward the entrance to see my assigned table.

4th stage: Here, 2 scenario. The first one, you have a table with a numero, so no problem and you go there. The second one, you are reserve juror, as the first and the third tasting for me. In that case, I am waiting that everybody sits down and I do my stand-in. Some looks the paper on the table to choose the wine which they want to taste, or some sits down without to regard. I am one of them: I don’t want to know, I am here also to learn and to discover.

5th stage: at random, for the 1st session, I come accross the Pineau des Charentes. A little bit disappointed at the beginning because it’s not my kind of wine, it was a delicious sucession of 11 samples ! For the morning, honey, orange blossom and almonds, it’s really nice ! That’s why I don’t want to look where I sit down when I am a reserve juror: like that, I discover some wines which I wouldn’t deliberatley choose…We are 5, the atmosphere is relaxed, the tasting excellent and the choice of the medals very quick. Each session lasts between 1h30 and 2 hours. Remark that not all the Pineau are presents, but only its which want to join for the Contest…paying registration !

6th stage: now, the reknowed medals ! Obviously, it’s a blind tasting, and even to the end, we won’t know which we gave medals. Depending to the number of the samples, there is a limited number of medals: for 11 bottles, we have the right to give 3 medals. But you have to be attentive: 3 medals doesn’t necessarily mean one of each colour but it can be 3 gold medals, or even no one ! Here, for example, we awarded 2 gold medals because 2 Pineau distinguished itself but with different style, for different customers. So, be careful with the medals, it’s not like a podium ! As such, I advice you the instructive article of Revue des vins de France about the medals in the contests.

7th stage:  Everybody agree with the awards, I go out, I get back my gift (a bottle of wine) and buffet lunch really copious. That’s the moment to exchange with people from different horizon and to share about wine. Then, either you wait for the next session if you are enroling, either you go…As for me, I was to the red Côtes de Provence’s table, with an atmosphere even more relaxed and 2 gold medals !  And for the last one, reserve juror again with white Côtes du Rhône…I should quickly forget it with only 1 silver medal ! We did a ranking of the worst wine.to finish the day, it’s disappointing !

8th stage:  a great experience, a really receptive organiser (Anne Claudel), a meticulous organization, a very relaxed atmosphere (except the old lady who clearly forgot to spit out…) and a delicious Savennières 2010 nuts and walnuts of Petit Métris in the evening, to drink to the health of a superb day…