Categories for Wine Awards – Tatiana Mann DipWSET

“The vision was always to create an awards dedicated to Champagne and sparkling wines that brought wine labels closer to consumers and allowed for a better understanding of what was in the bottle – You do not need to be a wine expert to enjoy wine. We needed to create a way in which wines could speak to consumers via a new style of awards and judging, here is where we commissioned Tatiana Mann to help us create a unique way to reward wines.” Christopher Walkey.

There are many wine awards out there and in most occasions they will take a set format which work for many, rewarding wines for regions and styles. Awards are great in any business sector, winning one not only boosts confidence it can also increase marketing reach and sales.

Sometimes trying something new and innovative can be a task that sees rejection or doubt until proven, so to have such an opportunity for The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly Awards we wanted to choose someone who had similar innovative views and yet a firm understanding of the traditions and history of wine, a finger on the pulse person and forward thinking too.

 

Tatiana Mann M.Che.E, Dip WSET is an award winning wine professional with 20 years experience ranging from Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux to Selfridges wine department in London. With degrees in both Chemical Technology and Psychology along with have a Sommelier Scholl Diploma, we put our vision to Tatiana to help us create easy to understand categories in which to award Champagne and Sparkling Wines.

After a few weeks of research and creative meetings the likes of awards for Sea Breeze, Summer Days, Meditation and Creamy were born. Scoring of wines for medals along with a second round where relevant consumer friendly categories were given and trophies given to the best in class for each and the overall highest point scoring wine taking the coveted prize of The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly for that year.

 

“I am pleased to see the concept working and expanding. The wine industry loves to see new ideas and creativity – This is what Glass of Bubbly are doing with the categories for wines that we put together. I am also pleased to now be seeing wineries using their winning badges with categories on their marketing material and by actual medal badges on their bottles – Importantly the wineries are seeing our vision too.” Tatiana Mann.

Now it its third year and having enabled fabulously tasting sparkling wines that were once unknown to shine as well as reconfirming the standard of many well known and respected labels, we at Glass of Bubbly popped to see Tatiana with a selection of award winning wines from the awards to show her how the award had evolved – Her tasting notes are below:

 

Villa Sandi – Opere DOC Serenissima (The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly 2018): “Chalky, mineral limestone, very delicate, citrus. Don’t feel a lot of autolysis character. Very good deepness, fantastic level of acidity, pure, clean, it opens up by layers which you do not expect from nose. There are a lot of spicy notes. The aftertaste holds a lot of spices and I love the floral notes it gives. Yes a worthy overall title winner and I can see many consumers loving this wine.”

Champagne Blin – Blanc de Noirs NV (Silver Medal Winner Sea Breeze 2018): “Very good salinity expression, nice deepness, in aftertaste slightly sea breeze so I am pleased that the judges assigned this wine to the category of Sea Breeze!”

Sanabor Kras – Pallidia (Silver Medal Winner Classic & Elegant 2017): “Fresh and citrus flavours, you can feel the autolysis character. Very pure and fresh, great level of acidity. Low level of dosage and acidity high. Good purity. Nicely delivered. Not a lot of multi layers. Like high attitude. Worthy of a silver medals and in deed very elegant and relaxing wine.”