Record number of medals in English Wine Awards

A record number of medals have been awarded in this year's English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition announced today. 

In all the competition resulted in 26 Gold medals, 65 Silver medals, 92 Bronze medals and 23 Highly Commended wines from a record number 231 entries after what was a record harvest last year.

The star of the show and winner of the Gore-Browne Trophy The Wine of the Year went for the second year running to Ridgeview Wine Estate, this year for their Grosvenor Blanc de Blancs 2001, bottled in magnums. The wine also scooped the trophy for Best Sparkling Wine.

The category that stood out most for the judges was the still rosé section,where six Gold medals were awarded compared to none in 2009. The Waitrose Rosé Trophy in this category went to Camel Valley Fortnum & Mason Rosé 2009. for the second year running. An additional trophy was awarded in this category for Best Unchaptalised Wine,won by Wickham Vineyard for its Row Ash Rosé NV.

All but one of the six Gold medals in the still dry white category went to Bacchus varietals including Trophy for best commercial production from the previous vintage awarded to Chapel Down Bacchus 2009. The other Gold was awarded to a single varietal Madeleine Angevine, produced by Stanlake Park Wine Estate.

All entries in the oaked white wine category received a medal with Trophy for best oaked white wine going to Wickham Special Reserve Fumé 2009.

The Red Wine Trophy was awarded to Plumpton College's Sutherland's Block 2009 Pinot Noir.

Sparkling received more gold medals than last year.

The McAlpine Trophy for Winemaker of the Year went for the second time to Sam Lindo of Camel Valley, who first won the title in 2007.

A Gold medal was awarded for dessert wine, Eglantine's North Star 2006.

"As a panel we were all very impressed with the quality of this year's entries," said Susan McCraith MW and head of the judging panel. "We were delighted to award a record number of Gold medals across all the categories. The still rosé category was the highest quality we've seen - truly world-class, and the red categories were the best we've ever tasted. The dry white wines impressed us greatly, and showed that the aromatic qualities of the grape varieties grown -particularly Bacchus - are a highly successful style here in the UK. There were some real stars in the sparkling wine categories to rival some of the best in the world."

The competition is organised by the United Kingdom Vineyards Association (UKVA). Sian Liwicki, general secretaryof the UKVA, said: "We were delighted to see such a large number of entries, from long established vineyards and some new names on the UK wine scene too. The large number of awards reflects the quality of our industry's wines and our growing confidence. My thanks on behalf of the
UKVA go to the judges for the expertise and professionalism that they brought to the judging - we are thrilled with the results."

The official awards ceremony for the competition will take place later in July at the House of Lords, hosted by the President ofthe United Kingdom Vineyards Association, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.

The full list of awards is published later today on the English Wine Producers Site (www.englishwineproducers.com/results.htm).

Trophy winners for 2009:

The Gore-Browne Trophy

The Wine of the Year

Ridgeview Grosvenor Blanc de Blancs 2001 (magnum)

Winemaker: Michael and Simon Roberts

The Jack Ward Memorial Salver

Best large production wine from the previous year (2009)

Chapel Down Bacchus 2009

Winemaker: Owen Elias

The Wine Guild Trophy

Best wine from any other year (NOT 2009)

(NB: this trophy relates normally to large production (over 1,500l),
although in the case of sweet wines this applies to 500l or more)

Eglantine North Star 2006

Winemaker: Tony Skuriat

The President's Trophy

Best small production wine (<1,500 litres)

Plumpton College Sutherland's Block Pinot Noir 2009

Winemaker: Peter Morgan

The Dudley Quirk Memorial Trophy

Best large production wine (over 10,000 litres)

Sharpham Estate Selection 2009

Winemaker: Duncan Schwab

The Vintners' Trophy

Best sparkling wine

Ridgeview Grosvenor Blanc de Blancs 2001 (magnum)

Winemaker: Michael and Simon Roberts

The Bernard Theobald Trophy

Best red wine

Plumpton College Sutherland's Block Pinot Noir 2009

Winemaker: Peter Morgan

The McNie Trophy

Best oaked white wine

Wickham Special Release Fumé 2009

Winemaker: William Biddulph

The McAlpine Winemaker of the Year Trophy

Sam Lindo

Camel Valley Vineyard

The Montagu Trophy (sponsored by Avery Dennison)

The best presented wine

Ridgeview Grosvenor Blanc de Blancs 2001 (magnum)

The Tom Day Trophy

Best single varietal wine

Eglantine North Star 2006

Winemaker: Tony Skuriat

The Waitrose Rosé Trophy

Best still rosé wine

Camel Valley Fortnum & Mason Rosé 2009

Winemaker: Sam Lindo

The Berwick Trophy

Best large production unchaptalised still wine

Wickham Row Ash Rosé NV

Winemaker: William Biddulph

The judging panel were: Susan McCraith MW, Patricia Stefanowicz MW, Maggie
McNie MW, David Bird MW and Julian Brind MW.

Best large production wine (over 10,000 litres)

Sharpham Estate Selection 2009

Winemaker: Duncan Schwab

The Vintners' Trophy

Best sparkling wine

Ridgeview Grosvenor Blanc de Blancs 2001 (magnum)

Winemaker: Michael and Simon Roberts

The Bernard Theobald Trophy

Best red wine

Plumpton College Sutherland's Block Pinot Noir 2009

Winemaker: Peter Morgan

The McNie Trophy

Best oaked white wine

Wickham Special Release Fumé 2009

Winemaker: William Biddulph

The McAlpine Winemaker of the Year Trophy

Sam Lindo

Camel Valley Vineyard

The Montagu Trophy (sponsored by Avery Dennison)

The best presented wine

Ridgeview Grosvenor Blanc de Blancs 2001 (magnum)

The Tom Day Trophy

Best single varietal wine

Eglantine North Star 2006

Winemaker: Tony Skuriat

The Waitrose Rosé Trophy

Best still rosé wine

Camel Valley Fortnum & Mason Rosé 2009

Winemaker: Sam Lindo

The Berwick Trophy

Best large production unchaptalised still wine

Wickham Row Ash Rosé NV

Winemaker: William Biddulph

The judging panel were: Susan McCraith MW, Patricia Stefanowicz MW, Maggie
McNie MW, David Bird MW and Julian Brind MW.

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