Interestingly I had reserved tickets to go to this event because I want to start drawing more international participants to Got Mead, as well as attract more European Meadmakers to the Mazer Cup. I've been in contact with an Italian Meadery, and one of the the Slovak meaderies who competed in the Mazer Cup International, Vcelovina (VUH-chel-oh-vina) took a Gold and a Silver Medal in Montpelier.
Vcelovina's Bohemiana brand was awarded the gold medal in the Traditional Mead category, and their new brand of mead, Pressburger was awarded the silver in metheglin.
Another reason that I wanted to go (aside from the location and venue) is that Montpelier is the region that K1-V1116 came from, in the Languedoc region of France. That area is rapidly growing in high quality wine production and I really wanted to check it out, but unfortunately we were in a very tight project time line at the office and I was unable to go.
Cheers,
Oskaar