Independent, robust and diverse – WineGB Awards judging in 2025
For any wine competition to matter, it must be credible. The scores and medals awarded must carry weight. There can be no prizes for participation.
That’s why WineGB has always held itself to the highest standards – ensuring that the WineGB Awards remain the most rigorous, independent, and comprehensive specialist wine competition dedicated to wines from Great Britain. When we present trophies for categories such as Best Still Red or Best Sparkling each July, we want absolute confidence that these are truly the finest wines entered. The scores must reflect international benchmarks of quality.
To uphold and enhance these standards in 2025, we brought the judging process back to London. This strategic move allowed us to attract the broadest and most diverse pool of expert judges to date.
Our judging panel was led by longstanding co-chairs Susie Barrie MW and Peter Richards MW – two of the most respected voices in English and Welsh wine. They were joined this year by two new panel chairs, bringing fresh perspective and international insight:
Melania Battiston, one of the UK’s most acclaimed sommeliers and a former winner of both UK Young Sommelier of the Year and the Gérard Basset Tasting Trophy. While Melania has a strong interest in UK-grown wines, her experience building global wine lists for top restaurants ensures a broad, world-class palate.
Greg Sherwood MW, a leading figure in the UK fine wine trade, known for his expertise in Bordeaux, Burgundy, high-end Italian wines and Champagne. South African-born, Greg brought a valuable comparative view of how UK wines measure up against the world’s greats.
Supporting them were a strong cohort of associate judges, including:
- Buyers from major national retailers Marks & Spencer and Tesco
- A leading wine critic covering England for one of the world’s most influential wine publications
- The head sommelier at a top English produce-focused luxury hotel group
- A Master of Wine from a prominent northern wine agency, offering perspective beyond London and the South East
All wines were tasted blind, with panel interspersing sparkling and still styles, ensuring depth of assessment. Every wine passed through multiple layers of evaluation.
Judges independently assessed and scored each wine before any discussion took place. Only then did the panel come together to reach consensus on a final score. Crucially, panel chairs’ scores were not sacrosanct – majority views could, and often did, override them.
Wines achieving Gold or high Silver in the first round were re-tasted by a new panel before being considered for a trophy. This second tier of scrutiny ensured only the most exceptional wines progressed to the final stage.
This layered, transparent process reflects WineGB’s commitment to integrity.
The result? Awards that producers can trust. And medals that truly mean something.
