As a patriotic wine lover there are few afternoons more exciting and uplifting than the WineGB Awards. We are smashing it when it comes to creating world class bottles and this year was remarkable for the British regions producing exceptional at award-winning levels. Wines from no less than 13 countries won trophies this year, with winners from London to Wales and Somerset all the way to North Yorkshire.
The big winner of the WineGB Awards was Kent’s Chapel Down which landed the Supreme Champion gong, as well as Top Sparkling Wine, Best Prestige Cuvée, Best Chardonnay, the South East Trophy for its Kit’s Coty Coeur de Cuvée 2016, the Best Sustainable Wine for its Kit’s Coty Chardonnay 2021 and Joint Top Still Wine alongside London-based urban winery Vagabond Wine. The capital city blenders also took home Best Innovative Still and the Boutique Award for its Solena NV Ortega.
“English wines have more identity; we make wine that cannot be made anywhere else,” said Josh Donaghay-Spire of Chapel Down “We have a cool maritime climate. There’s a comparison to champagne of course, but we ripen our grapes more slowly and with a high natural acidity meaning we have a crisp fresh flavour, a linear purity, a vibrancy that you don’t find in champagne anymore.”
Langham Wine Estate
Dorset’s Langham Wine Estate also enjoyed a successful afternoon winning Best Non-Vintage Cuvée for their Corallian Classic Cuvée NV, Best Blanc de Noirs and the Wessex Trophy for their Pinot Noir 2019 and Best Estate Winery.
Berkshire’s Winding Wood was a double winner gaining awards for Best Sparkling Rosé and the Thames & Chilterns Trophy for its Brut Rosé 2020, as was North Yorkshire’s Dunesforde Vineyard’s winning Best Single Varietal White for their Still Pinot Gris 2022 and the Midlands & North Trophy. Gloucester’s Woodchester Valley collected the West Trophy and Joint Best Blanc de Blancs alongside Berkshire’s Harrow & Hope. Wiston Estate scored Best Aged Vintage Sparkling for its Library Collection Blanc de Blancs 2010 as well as the trophy for Best Contract Winery.
In Kent Simpsons won Best Still Rosé for their Railway Hill Rosé 2023 and Westwell achieved Best Innovative Sparkling for its Pinot Meunier MV. West Sussex’s Ashling Park Estate won Best Red Pinot Noir for its Selection Pinot Noir 2022, Wiltshire’s Domaine Hugo won the Best Vintage Classic Cuvée Trophy and Somerset’s Wraxall Vineyard was awarded Best Still Bacchus. Worcestershire’s Two Beacons Vineyard was crowned Best Newcomer for its Pinot Noir Précoce 2021, in Suffolk Hawkswood Vineyard won the East Trophy for their Pinot Rosé 2023 and Denbighshire’s Vale Vineyard Gwinllan y Dyffryn took the Wales Trophy for their Debut Sparkling White Wine 2021.
English wine is the big WineGB Awards winner
Co-Chair of the judging panel Oz Clarke OBE stated that “these awards are there to encourage and thank everyone in the Welsh and English wine industry. Small, big, old, new, classic to innovative – it doesn’t matter your style or grape, if you’re good these awards are for you”.
They’re important for the consumer too, continued Susie Barrie MW, co-Chair, as “people may want to try UK wine but they need a way in, a recommendation. This is us saying we’ve tried all the wines available, and these are the ones we think are best. Sparkling, white, red, there is something for everybody and this helps as a starting point”.
An issue that is often raised in English wine is the price but Donaghay-Spire argued that this is a red herring. “It’s not a race to the bottom on price, it’s a race to the top on quality. Can we compete with Cristal? Yes we can. If you go to a supermarket a bottle of Moet NV is going to be around £45 whereas a Chapel Down NV is offering a lot more at £29”.
“We are tasting ground-breaking wines, and they knock your socks off!” Peter Barrie MW and fellow co-Chair enthusiastically concluded: “It’s setting a precedent and helping others be brave and ambitious. We have the freedom and the duty to experiment.” Given how swiftly wine is changing here, maybe in a few years we shall be toasting our success with a glass of wine from Scotland!
• For a full list of WineGB Awards winners go to the website here
Wines of the week
Langham Corallian Classic Cuvée, £31.95, langhamwine.co.uk
One of the big winners at the Wine GB awards, this newly released traditional method English sparkling wine is based on the 2021 vintage with 14% added reserve wine. A crisp, delicious Chardonnay-dominant blend that manages to balance the grace of apple blossom with the fresh slick of salinity and a riot of vibrant bubbles. A delightful summer aperitif and ideal with seafood.
Bluestone Vineyards Premier Cuvée 2019, £45, bluestonevineyards.co.uk
It is a treat to discover new English vineyards and I was delighted by this gorgeously silky sparkling that attacks with crystalline citrus and crunchy green apples before opening up generously with stonefruit and sweet brioche. A well-considered, long aging period adds an assured complexity.
Bluestone Vineyards Premier Cuvée 2019, £45, bluestonevineyards.co.uk
It is a treat to discover new English vineyards and I was delighted by this gorgeously silky sparkling that attacks with crystalline citrus and crunchy green apples before opening up generously with stonefruit and sweet brioche. A well-considered, long aging period adds an assured complexity.
Moët & Chandon Collection Impériale Création No. 1, £210, Selfridges
An historical release for any wine lover! To celebrate the 280th anniversary of Moët & Chandon, they have released a rare, multi-vintage cuvée which is planned as the first in a series leading up to their 300th anniversary. Delicate and poised, with whisps of honeyed nuttiness, it’s a suitably elegant drink.
Gusbourne Chardonnay RS180, £40, gusbourne.com
Fancy something sweet? Well England can do that too with the just released dessert wine from premium producer Gusbourne. A lithe golden wine in the glass, this is a riot of honeyed peaches, fresh pineapple and ripe sweet citrus. Served well chilled this is fantastic with a pudding or
a cheese board.
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Pinot Noir 2021, £16.99, Waitrose
Lightly chilled reds are ideal for summer and this sumptuous Pinot Noir is perfect after 30 minutes in the fridge. From one of New Zealand’s most awarded estates this is a top-notch Pinot with bright cherry and plum juiciness and a gorgeous sprinkling of spice. Hugely over delivering for the price.