Best of British – the UK’s top wine is revealed
Second year of the WineGB Awards sees Wiston Estate’s Blanc de Noirs 2010 from Sussex crowned Supreme Champion
London, 30th May 2018: The nation’s best home-grown wines have been revealed, as the winners of the second-ever Wines of Great Britain Awards (WineGB Awards) are announced. Wiston Estate, owned by the Goring family in West Sussex, took home the top trophy – Supreme Champion – for its sparkling Blanc de Noirs 2010, beating over 200 other English and Welsh wines to the title.
The Awards were created last year (formerly called The UK Wine Awards) by the UK wine industry’s body Wines of Great Britain (WineGB), in association with Hotel du Vin, Country Life and Waitrose, to celebrate and highlight the impressive achievements of English and Welsh sparkling and still wines. This year’s Awards received an incredible 230 entries, with 28 Gold, 34 Silver and 136 Bronze medals awarded. The judges, a panel of 12 experts led by TV presenters, broadcasters and writers Susie Barrie MW and Oz Clarke, also awarded 14 trophies (a full list is available below).
This year’s Supreme Champion also took home two other trophies; other top wins came from producers across the country, from Kent to Hampshire, Surrey, Devon and Cornwall, demonstrating the growing breadth and quality of the English wine industry.
The wine industry is one of the fastest-growing agricultural sectors in the UK and has more than doubled in the last eight years alone and tripled since 2000. Last year just under 6m bottles were produced. With continued growth forecast, expectations are that production could rise to 40m bottles by 2040, according to WineGB. Sales of this country’s wines have now spread across the UK and they are now exported to some 27 markets overseas.
Susie Barrie said:
“The standard of entries to the WineGB Awards was even higher this year than last – if this is the quality of UK wine on the high street there’s an awful lot for wine lovers to get excited about.”
Oz Clarke added:
“Inspiring tasting for the Awards on a beautiful spring day at Cannizaro House by Hotel du Vin overlooking Wimbledon Common. Intriguing, original flavours in still wines – red, pink and white – as well as sparkling wines that were quite simply world-class and can now be judged on the same playing field as Champagne.”
David Burlton, Senior Sommelier at Hotel du Vin and a WineGB Awards judge, said:
“As we celebrate English Wine Week, it’s absolutely brilliant to see so many English wines getting the recognition they deserve. I was blown away by the standard of some of the wines at this year’s Awards. It’s a very exciting time for the industry, and it’s certainly given me something to think about for our wine cellar.”
WineGB’s CEO, David Parkinson, commented:
“The calibre of judges and our partners make this a major competition for our producers. To be judged by such a stellar line up of experienced judges makes any win a great achievement. A trophy in this competition is a significant accolade – congratulations to all the winners!”
Full list of trophy winners:
• Supreme Champion sponsored by Hotel du Vin: Wiston Estate Blanc de Noirs 2010
o RRP – £47.00
o www.wistonestate.com
• Top Sparkling Wine 2018: Wiston Estate Blanc de Noirs 2010
• Top Still Wine 2018: Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Chardonnay 2015
o RRP – £30.00
o www.chapeldown.com
• Most Outstanding Classic Cuvée NV: Hattingley Valley, Classic Reserve NV
o RRP – £30.00
o www.hattingleyvalley.co.uk
• Most Outstanding Classic Cuvée Vintage: Coates and Seely La Perfide Reserve Brut 2011
o RRP – £65.00
o www.coatesandseely.com
• Most Outstanding Prestige Cuvée: Hattingley Valley Kings Cuvée 2013
o RRP – £80.00
• Most Outstanding Sparkling Rosé: Camel Valley Pinot Noir Rosé Brut 2015
o RRP – £29.99
o www.camelvalley.com
• Most Outstanding Blanc de Blancs: Gusbourne Estate Blanc de Blancs 2013
o RRP – £45.00
o www.gusbourne.com
• Most Outstanding Blanc de Noirs: Wiston Estate Blanc de Noirs 2010
• Most Outstanding Single Varietal White: Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Chardonnay 2o15
• Most Outstanding Bacchus: Nutbourne Vineyards Bacchus 2016
o RRP – £13.50
o www.nutbournevineyards.com
• Most Outstanding Rosé sponsored by Waitrose: Lyme Bay Pinot Noir Rosé 2017
o RRP – £15.99
o www.lymebaywinery.co.uk
• Most Outstanding Sweet Wine: Denbies Noble Harvest 2016
o RRP – £24.95(half bottle)
o www.denbies.co.uk
• Most Outstanding Red: Gusbourne Estate Boot Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
o RRP – £29.00
– ENDS –
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NOTES TO EDITORS
About the Wine GB Awards
The WineGB Awards (formerly the UK Wine Awards) is the national competition for wine produced from grapes grown in England and Wales, inspired by the growing popularity of English and Welsh wines. Designed to showcase the different styles of sparkling and still wines produced on these very shores, the Awards are run by the UK wine industry’s trade association, Wines of Great Britain (WineGB) in association with Hotel du Vin, Country Life and Waitrose.
The wines were judged to an international standard by 12 top wine experts that regularly judge the biggest international competitions.
About Hotel du Vin
Hotel du Vin is an elegant collection of 17 town house and city centre properties with a particular emphasis on food and beverage. Each boasts its own individuality and personality, resonating from the character of the historic buildings that have been sensitively converted into stylish boutique hotels. The essence of the brand lies in its unyielding commitment to doing the simple things well. A love of wine resonates with substantial wine menu that features many of the world’s best and often relatively unknown wine producers. The substance and style of the bedrooms are completed with attentive touches including Egyptian cotton bedding, monsoon power showers and roll-top baths.
Locations: Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Harrogate, Henley-on-Thames, Newcastle, Poole, St Andrews, Tunbridge Wells, Wimbledon, Winchester and York
www.hotelduvin.com
About Country Life Magazine
Since its launch in 1897, Country Life has been the world’s most celebrated magazine of the British way of life, its countryside, properties and gardens. Its matchless authority, exquisite photography and world-class writing have ensured its position as one of the nation’s truly great magazines. Country Life’s readers have always sought the best things in life from food and antiques to the finest properties and estates to buy.
www.countrylife.co.uk
About Waitrose
With a 63% market share of English sparkling wines, Waitrose has been a champion of homegrown wines since the beginning. The national high street chain lists the largest range of English and Welsh wines available in the UK, with over 100 wines from across the country currently available. Waitrose also now produces its own English sparkling wine, Leckford Estate Brut, which is made from grapes grown on their farm in Hampshire.
www.waitrosecellar.com
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