South East dominates UK wine comp

10 June, 2014

The English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition, the industry's annual national wine awards, has boasted an unprecedented number of medal winners, with vineyards in south east England dominating.

Of the 205 entries, 190 wines won medals, accounting for 95% of all wines in the competition, including 15 gold, 111 silver and 64 bronze, with a further 4 awarded highly commended. Still wines were the overall winners, scooping 66% of the total medals (44 still white, 16% rosé and 6% red).

The wines were judged over two days at Balliol College in Oxford by six masters of wine and marked to international standards. Chaired by Anthony Foster, the panel also comprised: Dee Blackstock, Maggie McNie, Sally Easton, David Bird and Robin Crameri.

Twelve trophies were awarded to different style categories of wines, 8 of which were won by south east England producers. Five were gained by Chapel Down, awarded three trophies for its Bacchus 2013. Chapel Down Kit's Coty Chardonnay 2012 repeated the success of its previous vintage in winning the Best Oaked White Wine trophy while its Pinot Blanc 2011 was awarded trophy for Best Large Production Wine from an earlier vintage.

The Most Outstanding Sparkling Wine is notably the first organic wine to win this trophy: Davenport Limney Estate 2009, produced in Sussex.

A still white wine from Lincolnshire was awarded the trophy for Most Outstanding Small Production Wine. Somerby Vineyards Solaris 2013 is produced from a relatively new variety and vineyard.

This year’s still and sparkling rosé winners come from different sides of the country, but both produced from Pinot Noir. Norfolk's Lavenham Brook Pinot Noir Symphony 2013 won the still rosé trophy and Camel Valley Pinot Noir Rosé Brut 2012 clinched the sparkling.

The winner of the Best Red Wine trophy illustrates new developments in red wine production. Three Choirs Ravens Hill 2011 breaks the mould with a blended wine comprising Regent, Rondo and even some Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

The unchaptalised wine is a category was won by Litmus Element 20 2011, an oaked blend of Chardonnay and Bacchus.

Denbies Wine Estate's Surrey Gold NV is this year's winner of the Best Presented award, particularly fitting since Denbies relaunched their new packaging earlier this year.

Two remaining trophies are held back to be announced at the awards ceremony on July 23 - Winemaker of the Year (The McAlpine Trophy) and the Wine of the Year trophy (The Gore-Browne Trophy).

The English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition is organised by the United Kingdom Vineyards Association.

The full list of trophy winners:

Vintners’ Trophy - The most outstanding sparkling wine

Davenport Vineyards Limney Estate 2009

Jack Ward Memorial Salver - The most outstanding large production wine – 2013 vintage

Chapel Down Bacchus 2013

McNie Trophy - The most outstanding oaked white wine

Chapel Down Kit's Coty Estate Chardonnay 2012

Wine Guild Trophy - The most outstanding large production wine – any other year

Chapel Down Pinot Blanc 2011

Tom Day Trophy - The most outstanding single varietal wine

Chapel Down Bacchus 2013

Dudley Quirk Memorial Trophy - The most outstanding large production wine (>10,000 litres)

Chapel Down Bacchus 2013

President's Trophy - The most outstanding small production wine (<1500 litres)

Somerby Vineyards Solaris 2013

Waitrose Rosé Trophy - The most outstanding still rosé wine

Lavenham Brook Vineyard Pinot Noir Symphony 2013

Bob Lindo Trophy - The most outstanding sparkling rosé wine

Camel Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé Brut 2012

Bernard Theobald Trophy - The most outstanding red wine

Three Choirs Vineyards Ravens Hill 2011

Berwick Trophy - The most outstanding large production unchaptalised still wine

Litmus Wines Element 20 2011

Montagu Trophy - Best presented wine

Denbies Wine Estate Surrey Gold NV





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