A landmark blind tasting event organised by the drinks business took place on Sunday 16 March at ProWein in Düsseldorf.
This blind tasting event pitted 12 world-class red wines, which can be regarded as the "Kings of Wines" of their respective countries from 12 different nations, against each other.
A jury composed of 10 Masters of Wine participated in this blind tasting. It included Patrick Schmitt MW, Editor-in-Chief of Drinks Business magazine, Emma Dawson MW from Berkman Cellars, Mike Best MW from Boutinot, Beans Boughton MW, a wine buyer from Alliance Wine Company, and Jane Masters MW, a wine consultant. They conducted the blind tasting of these "Kings of Wines".
The judges grouped the top seven wines with similar scores into the high-quality category of "First Growth Premier Cru Classé A". Listed in alphabetical order, they are as follows:
| Country of origin |
Wine |
Vintage |
| France |
Château Lafite Rothschild |
2021 |
| China |
Changyu Longyu Estate Long 12 |
2021 |
| Argentina |
Nicolás Catena Zapata |
2021 |
| US |
Opus One |
2021 |
| Australia |
Penfolds Grange |
2020 |
| Chile |
Seña |
2022 |
| New Zealand |
Stonyridge Laros |
2020 |
Tasting notes
Château Lafite Rothschild 2021
"The tannins are quite strong, yet not overpowering. This is a sign of a truly exceptional wine."
Sam Harrop MW
"It indeed has a more refreshing character, and it's a rather classic vintage."
Patrick Schmitt MW
Changyu Longyu Estate Long 12 2021
"I detected the most prominent white chocolate flavour in this wine, and I found it extremely pleasant." Beans Boughton MW
"It has a jammy fruit flavour – I like the tobacco notes and the hint of spice in it." Jane Masters MW
Nicolás Catena Zapata 2021
"Very classic. After tasting a series of more innovative-style wines, it gives a sense of coming home."
Wojciech Bońkowski MW
Opus One 2021
"A very elegant wine, refined and fragrant, with a fresh aftertaste. It has a long finish and an excellent structure."
Edouard Baijot MW
"It still retains its mineral flavour, elegance, and refinement."
Emma Dawson MW
Penfolds Grange 2020
"The mint flavour and coolness are quite intense. I had to overlook that first. Once I did, I thought it was a really good wine."
Patrick Schmitt MW
"Its structure is truly excellent, even if you don't like it."
Wojciech Bońkowski MW
Seña 2022
"Both in terms of structure and taste, it's really great."
Alex Hunt MW
"The aroma is rich, and the taste is refreshing – I really like its aroma."
Edouard Baijot MW
Stonyridge Larose 2020
"I think it's amazing – it's like someone showing up in a luxury sports car, and you'd say well done. That's the kind of wine it is."
Mike Best MW
"It has a very good imitation of the Bordeaux style and carries a mineral flavour throughout."
Emma Dawson MW
The specific scores of this tasting will not be made public. However, the scores of the top seven wines are very close.
The verdict
After the tasting, Schmitt, who served as the chairman of the jury, said, "This was a very interesting and enjoyable tasting event. We were tasting the greatest Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines in the world, and it was all done blind. Our idea was to let the strong compete against the strong to see who is the greatest. We have the 'Kings of Wines' from 12 different countries, covering a very wide range, including wines from classic regions such as Pauillac in Bordeaux and Bolgheri in Tuscany, as well as some less common wines."
Schmitt specifically mentioned an Asian wine from the tasting lineup: "Based on today's tasting, with only Masters of Wine participating, we found that Chinese wines can compete with other wines in the world. The 2021 Changyu Longyu Estate Long 12 Cabernet Sauvignon wine is of the same excellent grade as the Château Lafite Rothschild of the same vintage, with exactly the same score. I think based on today's tasting, we can say that Chinese Cabernet Sauvignon wines can hold their heads high and can compete with some of the great wines in the world in a completely blind and unbiased environment. What an interesting thing this is!"
ProWein 2026 will take place from 15 to 17 March.
.jpg)
