L’Institut Régional de Sommellerie Sud de France (IRS) : Vins doux et fortifiés en marche pour l’UNESCO
The IRS (Regional Institute of Sommelier Sud de France) in Thuir (Roussillon, France) is joining the project to include the fortified winemaking process on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list and is becoming the capital of sweet and fortified wines with the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.
The IRS is pleased to announce that the prestigious Sweet and Fortified Wines Session of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) will be held from October 9 to 11, 2026, on its campus in Thuir, in the Aspres region of Roussillon. This major event will showcase a unique wine style, heir to a centuries-old tradition, and will be a milestone for the city and its region.
An international event in the heart of the cradle of natural sweet wines
Organized in partnership with Caves Byrrh, this session will bring together professional tasters from around the world to blindly evaluate the best international sweet and fortified wines.
The choice of Les Aspres to host the Sweet and Fortified Wines Session of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is a natural one: the region is indeed the cradle of great natural sweet wines from Roussillon such as Banyuls, Banyuls Grand Cru, Maury, Rivesaltes, and Muscat de Rivesaltes. Offering these exceptional wines an international showcase in their terroir of origin thus makes perfect sense.
The Regional Institute of Sommellerie Sud de France, a unique place
Supported by the Communauté de Communes des Aspres, the Regional Institute of Sommellerie Sud de France has established itself as a leading training center in the fields of sommellerie and viticulture. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities—a mixology bar, sensory analysis laboratory, teaching kitchen, and a panoramic rooftop overlooking the Aspres vineyards—the Institute’s mission is to train wine professionals in France and abroad—currently employed or aspiring—and to share this knowledge with wine enthusiasts around the world.
Nicole Gonzalez, President of the Regional Institute of Sommellerie Sud de France, says: “Hosting the Sweet and Fortified Wines Session of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2026 is a source of immense pride for the Regional Institute of Sommellerie Sud de France and Caves Byrrh. This fulfills our mission to promote the emblematic winemaking heritage of our terroirs and to participate in training and sharing knowledge about wines from around the world. This event is also a wonderful showcase for our Aspres region, a true jewel of the South of France.”
From here, you can do everything: enjoy the vineyards, the Mediterranean beaches, the Canigou trails, discover one of the most beautiful villages in France, or taste wine at the foot of the largest oak barrel in the world (1.2 million liters) in the legendary Caves Byrrh.
“Offering this setting for a competition of excellence is much more than just a venue: it’s a unique experience.”
The Regional Institute of Sommelier Sud de France in Thuir is more than just a training center: in partnership with Caves Byrrh, the Institute offers stays that include discoveries of the surrounding vineyards, exclusive tastings, and specialized training for amateurs and professionals. The judges of this competition will experience the immersive experience that is the Institute’s signature.
Promoting a unique heritage
Baudouin Havaux, President of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, emphasized the importance of perpetuating not only the tradition of production but also that of tasting sweet and fortified wines: “The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is much more than a competition. With this initiative, we are strengthening the ties between the major fortified wine appellations and promoting a unique shared heritage, in order to restore its rightful place among new generations. This Session also aims to support and rediscover these exceptional wines, whose reputation has faded but which remain the bearers of a unique tradition and expertise.”
Indeed, at the beginning of the year, the CMB supported the initiative of the Sicily region, through the Consorzio Volontario per la Tutela del Vino Marsala, which invited the Consejo Regulator Vinos de Jerez y Manzanilla and the Unified Agricultural Wine Cooperative of Samos (UWC Samos) to join the ambitious project aimed at inscribing the fortified winemaking process as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity UNESCO.
This initiative was developed during the tasting session of sweet and fortified wines that recently concluded in Catania, Sicily, during which the Regional Institute of Sommelier and Winemaker officially joined the initiative as the project leader (France) for the 12 French VDN appellations* represented by the Confédération des Vins Doux Naturels (Confedence of Natural Sweet Wines).
All the partners who signed the memorandum of understanding for a joint application for UNESCO Intangible Heritage status met in Sicily to define the next steps in the recognition application, which will be officially submitted in early 2026.
This joint initiative will highlight the cultural, architectural, historical, and gastronomic values associated with the production of fortified wines, while also providing an exceptional tool for their promotion and commercial development.
Founded in 1994, the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) is a prestigious international wine competition, recognized for its rigorous standards and commitment to identifying the world’s finest wines and spirits. With several Sessions and Selections organized each year, the CMB evaluates more than 15,000 samples annually. An exclusively professional panel guarantees quality-focused blind tastings, making the CMB a global benchmark for excellence.
*12 appellations: AOP Banyuls, AOP Banyuls Grand Cru, AOP Muscat de Rivesaltes, AOP Rivesaltes, AOP Maury, AOP Muscat de Frontignan, AOP Muscat de Saint-Jean de Minervois, AOP Muscat de Lunel, AOP Muscat de Mireval, AOP Rasteau, AOP Muscat Beaumes de Venise, AOP Muscat de Cap Corse
120,000hl