Bordeaux vineyard Chateau Croque Michotte has taken the first organic wine award at the Challenge International du Vin.

The 35th edition of the renowned competition saw the introduction of an organic category, reflecting the growing market for this type of wine, Agence France-Presse reports.

"Our jury was open to trying organic wines and to see what they are like. We had some that were good - a pleasure to drink - and some that were very bad," local doctor and experienced taster Laurent Saura told the news provider.

This year also saw an increase in tasters from the Far East. Forty of the participants were Chinese, with around half being students at Bordeaux's sommelier school.

"Their participation will open doors for wines from around the world in the Chinese market," said event spokesman Gilles Larrue.

Organic wine is also becoming increasingly popular in Burgundy. The latest data from France Agence Bio shows that the region's organic vineyard coverage increased by 43.2 per cent between 2008 and 2009.