The goal of a new international wine competition, The Wine Women Awards, is to reward and recognize the importance of women in the world of wine, whether they are professional or amateur. The final took place on Thursday 16 jun at the Hotel Bristol in Paris. From the 167 candidates of 20 different nationalities who entered, five finalists in each of the Professional and Amateur categories competed for the international title of Wine Woman of 2005.
PROFESSIONALS AMATEURS
• Leena Jansson / Finland • Laure Bouvin / France
• Amy Mumma / USA • Florence Feynerol / France
• Francine Praly / France • Corinne Hennequin / France
• Amy Reiley / USA • Emmanuelle Blanc / France
• Ryo Wada / Japan • Flore de Cerval / France
The candidates were tested during the final on their general and technical knowledge of wine, but what set this competition apart was the emphasis on their personal approach and their experience of wine.
Following the different stages of the final, the jury selected:
In the professional category: AMY MUMMA
Amy Mumma – what a name for wine woman of the year! – founded a wine studies department at the Central Washington University (CWU), where she has been teaching since 2002. Her charisma, her ease with public speaking, her desire to share her passion and her extensive knowledge of wine have led her to become a candidate for the Master of Wine, say the judges. She is most interested in combining her knowledge of the business of wine with a real appreciation of the pleasure it brings.
In the amateur category: FLORE DE CERVAL
Originally from Bergerac in southwest France, Flore de Cerval grew up with an appreciation of wine and has built her knowledge by visiting the winemakers she most admires. She belonged to an oenology club at her university in Paris and relished the challenge of entering the Wine Women Awards.
The two winners will be rewarded by the competition’s sponsors:
Mikasa (Arc International), Moët & Chandon, La Sommelière, Joseph Drouhin, Cordier, L’Hôtel Bristol, Le Bottin Gourmand, L'Amateur de Bordeaux.
It looks as though next year they might be glad of some more non-French candidates in the Amateur category. Apparently the 11 entrants from outside France this year were rejected by the judges. See www.winewomenawards.com