The Lyon International Competition is celebrating its tenth anniversary!
Lyon is well-known as the capital of the senses and particularly the sense of taste, so the city is a perfect place for the selection of the world’s best wines, and since 2015 the world’s best spirits and beers as well.
In 2018, 850 tasters had the pleasure of tasting 6860 samples from 36 countries.
This 10th edition will be held on Saturday, 23 March 2019, at the Cité Internationale in Lyon.
The competition, which is international in scope, will welcome 900 tasters from across the world and entrust them with the task of tasting and marking more than 7000 wines, beers and spirits. The best in each category will be eligible to receive a medal, either Gold or Silver.
Laurent Derhé, Honorary president
Laurent Derhé was the obvious choice for honorary president of the 10th anniversary, given his qualifications and long association with the Lyon International Competition: Meilleur Ouvrier de France Sommelier (Best Sommelier in France) 2007, President of the Association des Sommeliers Lyonnais et Rhône-Alpes and a wine-taster of historical importance to the Competition.
International Competition for beers: New improvements for the 2019 tasting
The commissioner general of the Beer Competition, in consultation with international experts, has added categories and provided additional details for the tasting.
Three new categories have been created (American IPA, Pale Ale and Sour beer) and two additional criteria will be considered when sorting samples into categories (IBU and whether or not the beer is filtered).
Beers will be tasted in Teku glasses. These stemmed glasses, which are specially designed for beer, have flared bowls that taper inward and then slightly outward again right at the lip.
International Competition for spirits: 157 categories of beer tasted
The Lyon International Competition has 157 categories for tasting spirits. Categories include: Whiskeys, Bourbon, Brandies, Soju, Shochu, Baijiu, Gin, Vodka, Rums, Cachaça, punches, cocktails, liquorice-flavoured drinks, creams, liqueurs and sherries.
This diversity means consumers can rely on the Concours International de Lyon, its tasting and medals, to guide them in their choices of spirits.
An entirely new graphics charter: Two new images of medals!
For its tenth anniversary, the Lyon International Competition has been spruced up with a new website, new logo and—above all—new medals!
More modern in design and more attractive, the competition’s new medals will be easier for consumers to spot in stores.