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Lisa Senior: blog from Femmes et Vins du Monde (Women and Wines of the World) event in Monte Carlo, April 29

Published:  04 May, 2011


Aside from its rising skyline of hotels and apartment blocks that seem to bump into one another, on the verge of tumbling into the Mediterranean, I noticed the sinuous streets of Monte Carlo were also facing stacks of wide black tyres in preparation for the annual Grand Prix that would take place in three weeks time.

Aside from its rising skyline of hotels and apartment blocks that seem to bump into one another, on the verge of tumbling into the Mediterranean, I noticed the sinuous streets of Monte Carlo were also facing stacks of wide black tyres in preparation for the annual Grand Prix that would take place in three weeks time.

A buffer for cars racing at lightning speed but also, I thought, a useful support for any of the dégustatrices stumbling from the fifth annual "Femmes et Vins du Monde" (Women and Wines of the World) tasting competition held at Le Méridien Beach Plaza Hotel on April 29. However, my first experience in a wine tasting competition proved to be much more disciplined than I had imagined.

This is a unique concept in that only women, representing twenty-four nationalities, tasted the 300 wines submitted from around the world and judged them for the Nova prize - diamond, gold or silver- not only in taste but in packaging. President and co-founder, Regine Le Coz, explained that, "I always thought that only men or monks could make wine! When you ask people involved in the trade how they got there, they are usually male descendents of wine-making families or they stumbled upon it by chance. It wasn't till later in life [when I studied oenology] that I realised that women play an important role and this competition serves to shed some light on the matter."

Each jury was composed of an eclectic mix of collèges: oenologists, producers, commercial representatives, media and education, where an amateur would fit it to give her opinion in an attempt to rate the wine, not just from a professional's point of view, but from one who buys wine and appreciates it for what it is. Each of the eleven juries tasted two series of selected wines to better concentrate on the task at hand.

The 27 I tasted were rosé, sparkling rosé, and red. And how opinions do differ even among women - evidence of our different cultural backgrounds and tasting experiences. Feeling a bit like a black sheep, the wines that the "experts" deemed good, I was happy to dump into my crachoir.

The wines I really enjoyed for their smoothness and fruitiness were given lower scores from those "in the know." Straddling the media and amateur side, I was seated next to a nurse whose scoring married mine on a majority of the wines within a few points.

It became a bit of a joke for us to compare how close we came in agreement on the results after tabulating the criteria for each wine: look (visible proprieties, brilliance, clarity, and for sparkling - the size of the bubbles rocketing upwards and the cordon-the layer of bubbles ringing the surface), smell (intensity, flaws) and, of course, taste (strength, intensity, how longs it lasts in the mouth, quality).

Laurence Desse, oenologist and Maître de chais, or cellar master, from Domaines Ott in Côtes de Provence, who presided over our jury, explained that promoting wine is a "50/50 affair" because of the fact that women buy wine at the same rate as men (I, personally, buy all the wine at home) and that with this competition: "We are able to express ourselves entirely, pass a verdict on wine without submitting to male opinion. Often women are assumed to prefer a particular type of wine - light, subtle - but in fact, many prefer stronger red wines that are considered masculine."

To illustrate that point, the wine which received the highest gold Nova rating was Wakefield's Jaraman Shiraz 2009 from the Clare Valley in Australia.

And in terms of packaging, how often is it that a label first meets our eye and entices us to take a closer look at the bottle? Just like stepping into a Waterstones to select a new book, a woman's aesthetics and sensibilities come into play when discovering a new wine: 'hmmm..interesting title...I like these colours on the cover...what's this about? A mystery?...[picks up bottle and turns it around]...ah! a true story composed of this grape or that...looks good...the price?...ok, I'll buy it'.

In her mission to promote women in the industry, Le Coz also identifies female oenology students studying in France inviting them to the competition to meet with their confrères, or rather, their "con-soeurs," spearheading this change in the male-dominated wine production trade.

Hearing her speak passionately about the association is a bit like riding in the backseat while Jenson Button manoeuvres his car past several points of interest that blur along the ride. Her aim for the association is to create an international network for women and men alike, professionals and amateurs, to share their love of wine and exchange information. Such an exchange is possible through their website www.clubfemmesetvinsdumonde.com, where winning wines are paired with food and eventually can be bought online such as the 2005 white Samos Anthems Grand Cru from Greece, this year's only winner of the top diamond Nova.

For the first time in the competition's short history, a spirits category was introduced with two diamond Novas awarded to a rum from Martinique (Domaines Thieubert E.A.R.L., Distillerie Neisson) and a dry gin from Scotland (Islay Gin, Bruichladdich Distillery).

There is hope that this concept will extend outside the French-speaking principality of cosmopolitan Monaco. With support from the Association of Business Women in Monaco and an injection of seasoned organizers, this united front for women in wine may yet see its nova shine a bit brighter.

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