Not since Japanese whisky eclipsed Scotch has the world of spirits seen Asia ascendant but that’s what happened when Chinese wine tasters won an important blind tasting test in France.

The competition saw teams from 21 countries put their palates to the test at Chateau du Galoupet wine estate, identifying six bottles of red wine and six bottles of white wine by taste and nose alone. The organizers said the win was like a “thunderbolt in the world of wine.”

Belgium, the runner-up last year, came fourth while former champion Spain 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 organizers said.

The BBC reports that the team said competition to get on their team was intense. The news organization also pointed out that China’s wine industry is on the rise, with a Chinese winery beating many French rivals to a prestigious gold medal for one of its wines. We think many more such “thunderbolts” are going to come from Asia. Go back and check out the Japanese whisky story for more context

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