Chinese wine tasters win 'thunderous' victory in France

Chinese wine tasters sipped their way to victory on Saturday at a blind tasting competition in France, sealing a win that organisers described as a 'thunderbolt in the world of wine.'

A visitor tastes imported wine at a wine fair in this file photo. Source: Imaginechina

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 percent is knowledge and 50 percent is luck," the organisers said.

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