Contests: Codes & Results
Revista Cocktail edition No 58, grateful for the opportunity.
Some time ago, I was at a coordination meeting for judges at a National Pisco Contest, with the presence of the president, the tasting director, and the observer from the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), of which Peru is a member. I asked the observer a question: "Is it possible at the end of the competition to have the codes of the winning piscos?" He responded yes, no problem with it. In my opinion, this makes the contest transparent and legitimate because it allows for self-evaluation by the judges and a vigilant attitude. Once the official results are made public, each judge will check the codes and scores of the winners against their own records. We're as judges the main protagonists. Our evaluations are signed and reviewed by the organizers, so we must cross-check them ourselves.
At the start of these events, there is always a warm-up. A glass of pisco is served to acclimate our senses. Remember a judge can evaluate a maximum of 30 samples per day. We do not consume the samples; instead, we spit them out. I remember once being served a pisco quebranta to start our work. They asked us to evaluate it, indicating that it was one of the winners from the previous year. How can I evaluate a pisco if I have already been told it's a medal winner? Judges cannot evaluate in that manner, directed, or biased. That time, according to my personal evaluation, I gave the tasting sheet less than 80 points. This showed me that external factors influence the judges' evaluation results. Any word, facial expression, opinion inside or outside the tasting table can change our perception of a sample. That's why it's important to maintain proper silence during the work, and for that, both the tasting director and the table coordinators should not allow any comments, noise, or gestures. Cell phones must be turned off and stored. Nothing can distract the tasting panel.
The contest rule states that once the evaluation is completed, the coordinator indicates the average score for the 7 judges at the table. If one or more are out of range, there is always the opportunity to adjust the score. According to the OIV rule, the difference cannot be more or less than 7 points. If the judge decides not to adjust their score, they know that it will not be included in the final result. Once this is done, the table coordinator indicates the overall average and allows for opinions on the sample evaluated. In this part of the tasting, I learn a lot from the table members; the experience of some is valuable information.
More than 10 years ago, Peru complied with the OIV rule for international wine and spirit competitions of vitivinicultural origin, making significant progress in this area. In addition, it has ensured the proper use of the rule with the presence of the observer, positioning pisco and these events where they deserve to be internationally. It's important to note that most contest in the world are organized by private companies and don't necessarily call for the OIV. Knowing the rule, any judge could be sent to participate in events held throughout the year, supporting the promotion of our National Cultural Heritage.
I leave you with the link to the OIV rule for international wine and spirit competitions of vitivinicultural origin 2022: https://enelpaisdelpisco.blogspot.com/2022/10/norma-oiv-de-los-concursos.html?. Good times are coming for Pisco. Always with responsibility.
Always with responsibility
By Livio Pastorino Wagner
Sommelier, Specialist, and Pisco Taster
Registration: CRDO-PISCO 2020 RCO-034-2011
@elmagozurdo
Cocktail Magazine No. 58, november 05, 2022.
Cocktail magazine (spanish) in issuu
Pisco & music
November 2022.
Where pisco is the only protagonist!
#lapiscoteca #piscosour #winelover #pisco #pasionporlacata #bar #elpiscoesdelperu #vino #vinosdelperu #pisco #piscolover #Lima #Peru #Moquegua #Tacna #Arequipa #Ica
All rights reserved. Total or partial reproduction is authorized as long as proper credit is given to the author and active links to the source are provided."
Recent posts
- Versatility and Flavor in Every Drop
- The Legacy of Pisco: Discoveries, Challenges, and Opportunities
- The Value of OIV-Sponsored Competitions
- “Exercise in Transparency and Quality"
- Celebrating Pisco: History, Culture, and Tradition
- First Sample Syndrome
- New Testimonies About Pisco
- Beyond the Scores
- Following the Footsteps of Pisco
- Adding value to Pisco