The 27th annual international wine competition Concours Mondial de Bruxelles started in the morning of Friday 4 September. After the official opening, where the competition was presented by the organizers, the tasting began. Wine experts divided into 55 juries which evaluated up to 50 wines every day. The samples were grouped according to criteria such as origin, variety, alcohol or residual sugar content. This year, 8,500 wines from 46 countries took part in the competition. The Czech Republic registered almost 370 wines (three times more than in 2019), moving it to the fifth place behind France, Spain, Italy and Portugal.

On the first day, the evaluation took place from 9 am to 1.30 pm, followed by lunch and then free afternoons and evenings for tasters, who could spend their time to enjoying the centre of Brno. They had vouchers for Czech beer and culinary specialities and for cultural facilities and monuments. In the early evening, a surprise programme was prepared for them in the city centre.

Adherence to safety measures

Given the current situation, the whole competition was run with significantly increased hygiene measures. To ensure the smooth running of the competition, the organizers of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles introduced strict rules. Despite the worldwide nature of the event, this year’s jurors came exclusively from European countries. Protective veils and hand sanitizers were available. Information boards reminded participants of necessary safety and hygiene recommendations. It was also necessary to wear a mask in public places and when moving from one place to another. Each jury had his/her own desk and work space. A team of professionals serving the wine to juries wore gloves and masks. Any movement around the tasting room was organized and limited. Medical supervision was also available.