In May of this year, the 2019 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships (CSWWC) returned to Salomons Estate in Royal Tunbridge Wells. The elite tasting panel met everyday for two weeks to take on the mammoth but enviable task of tasting more than two thousand sparkling wines from nearly 30 different countries.
In July 2019, the team revealed that this year’s competition was the most successful yet. A total of 185 Gold medals and 212 Silver medals were awarded to 18 different countries, reflecting a huge increase in entries and a continuing rise in base-line quality. This was also the first year in which France failed to take home the most medals, topped by Italy with 71 Golds and 92 Silvers. Champagne though once again proved the best region, claiming 61 Golds and 49 Silvers.
However, the Gold and Silver medal winners are of course only half the story. Once the medals have been awarded, the panel re-taste the highest performing Gold medal winning sparkling wines in order to decide upon the Best in Class, Regional Champions, National Champions, World Champions (by style) and finally the Supreme World Champion. The trophy winners and World Champions were announced in front of a gathering of over 200 international winemakers, producers and journalists at the annual CSWWC Awards Dinner at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London on 4th November 2019.
A total of 41 Trophies were presented, including 14 National Champions and 9 World Champions by Style. Once again, Champagne proved its dominance, picking up 4 of the 9 World Champion trophies. The World Champion and Best in Class winners from Champagne are listed below. The full list of award winners can be viewed here.
Founder and head judge Tom Stevenson addressing a packed Merchant Taylor’s Hall for the CSWWC 2019 awards ceremony
| CHAMPAGNE WORLD AND NATIONAL CHAMPION WINNERS 2019 | |
| Award | Champagne |
| Supreme World Champion | Dom Pérignon 2004 Magnum |
| The Chairman’s Trophy | Palmer & Co Grands Terroirs 2003 Magnum |
| World Champion Classic Brut Vintage Blend | Louis Roederer Brut Vintage 2012 Magnum |
| World Champion Classic Blanc de Blancs | Palmer & Co Blanc de Blancs NV Magnum |
| World Champion Library Vintage | Louis Roederer Cristal Vinothèque Rosé 1995 Magnum |
| Best French Sparkling Wine | Dom Pérignon 2004 Magnum |
| CHAMPAGNE BEST IN CLASS WINNERS 2019 | |
| NON-DELUXE CHAMPAGNES (not prestige cuvées) | |
| Award | Champagne |
| Best Champagne Future Release | Laurent-Perrier Vintage 2008 |
| Best in Class Champagne Brut Nature | Deutz Amour de Deutz 2009 |
| Best in Class Champagne Brut NV | Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut NV Magnum |
| Best in Class Champagne Brut Vintage | Louis Roederer Brut Vintage 2012 Magnum |
| Best in Class Champagne Magnum | Louis Roederer Brut Vintage 2012 Magnum |
| Best in Class Champagne Blanc de Blancs NV | Palmer & Co Blanc de Blancs NV Magnum |
| Best in Class Champagne Blanc de Blancs Vintage | G.H. Mumm RSRV Blanc de Blancs 2012 |
| Best in Class Champagne Blanc de Noirs NV | Canard-Duchêne Charles VII Blanc de Noirs NV |
| Best in Class Champagne Blanc de Noirs Vintage | Pannier Blanc de Noirs 2014 |
| Best in Class Champagne Rosé NV | Devaux Cuvée D Rosé NV Magnum |
| Best in Class Champagne Rosé Vintage | Louis Roederer Rosé 2010 Magnum |
| Best in Class Champagne Demi-Sec | Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Sublime NV |
| DELUXE CHAMPAGNES (prestige cuvées) | |
| Award | Champagne |
| Best Deluxe Champagne Future Release | Dom Ruinart Rosé 2007 |
| Best in Class Deluxe Champagne Brut MV | Moët & Chandon MCIII NV |
| Best in Class Deluxe Champagne Vintage | Dom Pérignon 2004 Magnum |
| Best in Class Deluxe Champagne Magnum | Dom Pérignon 2004 Magnum |
| Best in Class Deluxe Champagne Blanc de Blancs | Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2004 |
| Best in Class Deluxe Champagne Rosé | Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé 2007 Magnum |
| Best in Class Single Vineyard Champagne | Taittinger Folies de la Marquetterie NV |
This year saw Champagne battle it out with Italian sparkling wine regions Trentodoc and Franciacorta for the World Champion Trophies. In the end, Dom Pérignon 2004 in Magnum was crowned Supreme World Champion, while Ferrari Trentodoc took the gong for Sparkling Wine Producer of the Year. The Chairman’s Trophy was presented to new release Palmer & Co Blanc de Blancs NV Magnum, while the recently renamed Tony Jordan Rising Star Trophy went to Bulgarian producers Midalidare.
Champagne was further recognised with three veterans of the region receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards for the effort, dedication and sheer brilliance that each have contributed to the history, development and success of the sparkling wine world as it is today. Recipients included Michel Fauconnet of Laurent-Perrier (who will retire at the of the year), Régis Camus of Rare Champagne (and formerly of both Piper & Charles Heidsieck), and Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon of Louis Roederer.
Founder and head judge Tom Stevenson commented: “Every year the standard of Champagnes and sparkling wines entered just keep on getting better and better. The bar was set high from day one and the Trophy count certainly reflects this. However it is not only our mission to promote world class wines, but also to discover and reward new and exciting wines from established and emerging regions across the world, so I was particularly pleased to present Midalidare from Bulgaria with the Tony Jordan World Champion Rising Star trophy. Straight out of the starting blocks with magnums of every single cuvée produced.”
He continued: “Exciting finds like this is one of the reasons why the CSWWC exists. Another is keeping track of all the established greats, seeing if they come through the totally blind process with Golds, Best in Class and then on to Trophy’s, and they certainly proved it this year.”
Another successful year for Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon and Louis Roederer
Supreme World Champion 2019: Dom Pérignon 2004 Magnum
A total of 41 trophies were awarded, including 14 National Champions and 9 World Champions
