Dorset and Devon delight as first 99 points awarded at the WineGB Awards
The trophy winners were unveiled at the WineGB Awards Ceremony in London today with Langham Wine Estate achieving the competition’s first ever 99 points and eight trophies and two wineries from Devon also among the best performers.
Dorset-based Langham secured eight trophies overall including Supreme Champion, Best Sparkling Wine and Best Premium Sparkling Wine for its Perpetual MV, which received 99 points. The estate also picked up the trophy for the best NV Classic Cuvée for its Culver Classic Cuvée NV, Best Blanc de Blancs for its Blanc de Blancs NV, Best Blanc de Noirs for its Pinot Noir 2019, the regional trophy for Wessex and the title of the Best Producer.
Other high achievers this year were Devon’s Lyme Bay which won Best Chardonnay, along with Best Still Wine, Best White Wine and the regional trophy for the West for its Martin’s Lane Chardonnay 2020, while London-based Blackbook Winery secured the trophy for the Best Red and Best Pinot Noir for its Nightjar 2022 and the regional trophy for the South East with its Pygmalion South Bank Vineyard Chardonnay 2022. All three of these wines were produced from fruit sourced from the county of Essex.
Also picking up multiple trophies was Sandridge Barton in Devon. The winery won Best Alternative White and Best Innovative White for its Sonny 2022 Pinot Blanc and the Best Orange Wine for its Pinot Gris 2019. Wiltshire’s Domaine Hugo also bagged three trophies (Best Vintage Sparkling, Best Classic Cuvée and Best Boutique Wine) for its Hugo 2020, winning Best Vintage Sparkling for the second consecutive year.
Other winners in the sparkling wine category were Hampshire’s Black Chalk which won the Best Sparkling Rosé for its Wild Rose 2021 as well as Northamptonshire’s Stonyfield (Best Sparkling Blend) for its English Sparkling Wine White 2019.
Somerset-based Wraxall repeated its 2023 triumph and picked up the trophy for Best Bacchus with its Bacchus Reserve 2022, while Best Still Rosé went to Kent’s Cobham House Rose 2024. Flying the flag for Wales, Vale Vineyard – Gwinllan Y Dyffryn was awarded the trophy for Best Alternative Red for its Robin Goch 2023.
This year’s Best SWGB Wine went to West Sussex’s Leonardslee Family Vineyards for its Brut Reserve 2021, Best Newcomer was won by East Sussex’s Walgate, while Best Contract Winery was awarded to Gloucestershire stalwart Three Choirs.
Other regional winners were Flint Vineyard’s Silex 2023 (East), Halfpenny Green Wine Estate’s Brut Reserve 2013 (Midlands & North), All Angels’ 10 Year Anniversary Classic Cuvée 2014 (Thames & Chilterns), and Jabajak Vineyard White House Sparkling Blush 2021 (Wales).
The trophy winners can be viewed here along with their judging notes. For the full list of results, please click here.
Judges comments
Co-chair of the judging panel, Peter Richards MW said: “What a year this was at the WineGB Awards! It was not only an immense privilege to taste such a vibrant, eclectic, ambitious range of wines – it was fun too. And that reflects the fun the winemakers are clearly having experimenting, pushing the boundaries, and fine-tuning their craft. These were wines brimming with confidence and ambition – and both Susie and I together with our brilliant team of judges loved every minute of the judging, which inspired some intriguing (and sometimes heated) discussion. You only have to look at the diversity and quality of the trophy winners to see that the modern GB wine basket overflows with delicious bounties across a wide range of styles. The fact this year saw the first 99-point wine is no coincidence. Standout categories include multi-vintage (and non-vintage) sparkling blends and still Chardonnay. Not forgetting the ‘innovation’ wines – from flor-aged fortified Pinot Blanc to multi-vintage Chardonnay. GB wine is a category you cannot take your eyes off, and the results speak for themselves.”
Greg Sherwood MW, Panel Lead, added: “As a seasoned fine wine specialist with many years of judging experience, I was suitably impressed with both the breadth of styles and the premium quality of all the trophy winners this year. The attention to detail from all the winners more than justifies their prestigious awards. Incredibly, Langham Wine Estate really shot the lights out with their beautifully crafted sparkling wines that were, for all judges over multiple days, some of the most profound wines of the week. But the still wine category winners also represent the incredible growth, evolution, and maturity of the industry’s fine wine offerings in the UK – reds, whites and rosé wines that can all hold their heads up high. A truly spectacular array of trophy winners this year!”
Fellow judge Sue Daniels said: “For me, the two classic cuvées flights I tasted really stood out. I would happily drink any of them. Consistency in English sparkling has really improved.”
Judge Mike Best MW commented: “The biggest feature of the competition was the stylistic differences between producers. The different philosophies of winemaking are to be encouraged, and this was on display throughout the WineGB Awards tasting. There are wines that exist along the reductive or oxidative spectrum, fruit forward and savoury styles, different uses of oak and reserve wines, and varying approaches to dosage as appropriate to the wine. This shows that the industry has grown in confidence. Producers do not just make the wines with the same recipe but are now carving out their own style, suitable and in many cases, uniquely their own. This variety is very good for the market, allowing the industry to be cohesive rather than competitive as there is a style of English wine for everybody.”
Judge Dror Nativ MW said: “I was thoroughly impressed with the diversity of styles put forward for the WineGB Awards as well as the ever-improving overall level of quality of the wines. In the still wine categories, Chardonnay stole the show, with styles ranging from lean and racy to full bodied and structured. No doubt that Lyme Bay’s Martin’s Lane Chardonnay was a very worthy trophy winner. In the sparkling categories, the elegance of the rosé styles, both vintage and non-vintage, was a big talking point on our panel. Congratulations to the trophy winner Black Chalk Wild Rose 2021, a shining example.”
Judge Luke Harbor added: “Each year, I continue to be amazed by the sheer quality across the board. Judging is no easy task – there are so many phenomenal wines that provoke debate and thoughtful discussion. I’m especially delighted to see this year’s trophy winners reflect a real diversity of producers – from large to small, traditional to innovative, with varied approaches to farming, winemaking, and philosophy. Each one is a champion of their craft. These award-winning wines, medals, and trophies are a proud flag for the UK’s thriving wine scene. I’d happily put any of them on the table for any occasion – and challenge any wine lover not to smile.”