Chinese wine tasters beat out French, Americans with 'thunderbolt' victory

Bottles of wine are displayed in Bordeaux, France, Sept 29, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS

MARSEILLE (AFP) - Chinese wine tasters sipped their way to victory on Saturday (Oct 8) at a blind tasting competition in France, sealing a win that organisers described as a "thunderbolt in the world of wine."

The Chinese team beat out the French and Americans at the Chateau du Galoupet, one of the country's biggest wine estates.

A total of 21 teams took part, during the fourth world blind tasting championships held by French specialist magazine La Revue du vin de France.

Belgium, the runner-up last year, came fourth while former champion Spain were placed a distant tenth.

The teams from around the world had to identify the wines' countries of origin, the grape varieties used in them, their appellations and their vintages.

"Remaining humble even in victory, the astounding Chinese team conceded that in blind tasting 50 per cent is knowledge and 50 per cent is luck," the organisers said.

Next year's championships will be held in Burgundy in the famed Cote d'Or wine-growing region.

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