Delicata’s 2008 vintage Pjazza Regina red I.G.T. Maltese Islands wine has been awarded a Bronze medal at this year’s International Challenge du Vin held in the Bordeaux region of France.

A spokesperson from the Delicata winery said “We have picked up a number of international medals over the years but to win an award for a wine at this price, in such a prestigious competition, is very gratifying. When we launched this wine range we wanted to convince the wine consumer that we can make good quality Malta grown wines at affordable prices. This range is made from clever blends of great grapes; the red is in fact made from Syrah, Merlot and Sangiovese, making it quite unique. And we believe that in this instance the quality far outweighs the price, as these wines only retail at around the €3 price point and that must be a bargain in any wine drinkers eyes. There are bottled waters on the market that sell for more.”

The Challenge International du Vin, which was France's very first international competition, is now its biggest international wines competition and it has been going for 34 years. Nearly 5,000 wine samples are tasted at each edition which include: red, white, rosé, sparkling, sweet, dessert wines and wine-based spirits categories. Over 30 countries are represented each year. Only about 25% of the wines in the competition are awarded a medal of some kind.

The competition was awarded approval by the European Community in 1986 and is governed by the rules of the 'International Code of Oenological Practices for Vines and Wines'. Moreover, the Challenge International du Vin has been ISO 9001 version 2008 certified since 2009.