Photo by Steve Webster
http://flickr.com/people/spjwebster
This year’s Sommelier Wine Awards, run by Imbibe Magazine, has seen an outstanding performance by English wine. Organisers say “fittingly for the year of the Diamond Jubilee, with three Golds, four Silvers and six Bronzes, this was the year when English wine really found its feet!”
The medal-winners in the 2012 Sommelier Wine Awards have been announced to the trade with the publication of the 2012 SWA Gold Booklet, arriving with the May/June issue of Imbibe. The results are also live at sommelierwineawards.com.
Almost 1,900 wines were judged by over 80 of the UK’s best sommeliers and wine buyers. The Sommelier Wine Awards is characterised by the toughness of its criteria, and less than half of the wines entered made it past the judges to pick up medals.
Competition director Chris Losh says: “Sommeliers are tough judges. All of the 800 wines picking up a medal can be proud of their achievements. The tasters reported that there were definitely more good wines this year than they’ve seen in previous years, and the standards overall were certainly the highest we’ve ever seen in this competition.”
Central to the Sommelier Wine Awards is the compilation of its Gold List – an ultimate on-trade wine list made up from the top medal-winning wines. The 2012 Gold List includes 176-bins with everything from house wines and restaurant classics, such as Sancerre and Rioja, through to the first-ever English Golds and a must-stock Balkan fortified.
As well as places on the Gold List, and Silver and Bronze medals, a range of extra awards was given out.
Losh adds: “This competition isn’t purely about medals, though. The results give us a fantastic snapshot of what’s hot and what’s not in the wine world as far as the on-trade is concerned. We have teams of journalists shadowing all of the tasters right the way through – and their feedback is part of what makes this competition so unique.’
Trending in this year’s competition were the Rhône, New World Syrah, Bordeaux and Tuscany, with Rioja, Carmenère and South African Chenin Blanc also popular. Value for money was harder than ever to find in 2012, though Spain probably did it better than anybody else.
Gribble Bridge Ortega scoops gold
Biddenden’s Gribble Bridge Ortega is the first and only still English still wine to have been awarded Gold in the competition.
Biddenden Vineyard’s marketing manager, Vikki Wright, says: “We are very pleased to have been awarded a Gold Medal at this year’s Sommelier wine awards – something which reflects the hard work & effort which has been put into ensuring that our wines are consistently of the highest quality. To stand out against such a wide selection of wines across an international stage is something we are very proud of”.
The award winning wine, Gribble Bridge Ortega 2010 is available direct from the vineyard shop, online at www.biddendenvineyards.com and from selected independent farm shops, pubs and restaurants across Kent, Sussex and London.
Furleigh Estate Classic Cuvée Brut
Bridport, Dorset-based is enjoying a double celebration: a gold medal and By The Glass award, for its Furleigh Estate Classic Cuvée Brut, 2009, says owner Rebecca Hansford.
She says: “I am very proud of my husband’s efforts in making this wine. This is our first vintage and I am very pleased with this result.”
It is not the first time that this wine has been judged a success in wine competitions: in December 2011, the vineyard picked up a Silver in the Effervescents du Monde competition for the Classic Cuvée Brut, 2009.
Sommelier Wine Awards 2012
English wine performance
Gold
Biddenden Vineyards, Biddenden Gribble Bridge Ortega, 2010, Kent
Furleigh Estate, Furleigh Estate Classic Cuvée Brut, 2009, Dorset
Ridgeview Wine Estate, Ridgeview Knightsbridge Blanc de Noirs, 2009, Sussex
Silver
Sharpham Wines, Sharpham Dart Valley Reserve, 2010, Devon
Gusbourne Estate, Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs, 2007, Kent
Coates & Seely, Coates & Seely Britagne Brut Rosé, NV, Hampshire
Camel Valley, Camel Valley Cornwall Pinot Noir Brut Rosé, 2010, Cornwall
Bronze
Danebury Vineyards, Danebury Madeleine Angevine, 2009, Hampshire,
Danebury Vineyards, Danebury Schönburger, 2009, Hampshire
Gusbourne Estate, Gusbourne Pinot Noir, 2010, Kent
Jenkyn Place Vineyard, Jenkyn Place Sparkling Brut, 2008, Hampshire
Meopham Valley Vineyard, Meopham Valley Sparkling Cuvée, 2008, Kent
Three Choirs Vineyards, Three Choirs Blanc de Noir Premium Reserve, 2009,
Gloucestershire
Special Awards
Critics’ Choice award
Ridgeview Wine Estate, Ridgeview Knightsbridge Blanc de Noirs, 2009, Sussex
By the Glass award
Furleigh Estate, Furleigh Estate
