Dorset based vineyard and winery Furleigh Estate has taken the top prize with its first vintage of sparkling wines at this year’s English and Welsh Wine Awards, organised by the UK Vineyards Association (UKVA).
The chairman of judges, Susan McCraith MW, says: “The results this year endorse the world class quality of our sparkling wines.”
This is after Furleigh Estate won three of the seven gold medals awarded to sparkling wines, more than any other English wine producer. In addition to winning the Vintners’ Trophy for the most outstanding sparkling wine with its Classic Cuvée 2009, Furleigh Estate also won a gold medal and the McNie Trophy for the most outstanding oaked white wine with its Bacchus Fumé 2010.
Owners of Furleigh Estate, winemaker Ian Edwards and Rebecca Hansford, says: “We are thrilled to have performed so well with our first vintage of sparkling wine. It just goes to show that the long, mild growing season in the South West is just perfect for producing world class sparkling wines.”
Overall, producers from the South West of England performed particularly well in the competition, taking half of the gold medals awarded in all classes.
Established in 2005, Furleigh Estate makes wines entirely from grapes grown in Dorset. The wines produced in 2009 were Furleigh’s first vintage.
