 UNITED KINGDOM VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION
PRESS RELEASE
26th June 2009
STRONG RESULTS FOR SPARKLING IN ENGLISH & WELSH WINE OF THE YEAR COMPETITION
Sparkling wines have once again triumphed at the annual national competition for the UK wine industry. The English & Welsh Wine of the Year Awards were judged on Monday and Tuesday this week (22nd and 23rd June) by a team of 8 Masters of Wine.
Seven of the 11 gold medals awarded were won by sparkling wines. The UK’s cool climate aromatic whites also proved their unique and appealing quality, in both dry and off dry styles, with 2 single varietal Ortega wines gaining gold medals and two trophies and a Siegerrebe also striking gold. Organic wine success was boosted with a gold medal awarded to a sparkling wine from Davenport Vineyards.
Trophies were awarded to a spread of small, medium and large producers. Camel Valley continued its successful run of awards by winning two trophies this year: the EWP Trophy for their Bacchus 2007 and Waitrose Rosé Trophy for their still Rosé 2008. Chapel Down won the Wine Guild Trophy (for largest production excluding 2008 vintage) for their off dry white Cinque Port 2006, and Sharpham Vineyard Barrel Fermented 2007 won the McNie Trophy for Best Oaked White. Three Choirs secured a double winner for their Siegerrebe 2007, with the trophy for Best Single Varietal and Best Small Production trophy. This is the second successive year and vintage that they have won the single varietal trophy for their Siegerrebe. A surprise winner is first time and new entry Mount Vineyard, which scooped the Bernard Theobald Trophy (Best Red Wine) for their varietal blend Recession Red NV.
The star of the show this year is Ridgeview Wine Estate, which scooped 3 of the 11 gold medals along with a silver and bronze and two trophies, including the coveted Gore-Browne Trophy (the Wine of the Year Award) and the Vintner’s Trophy for Best Sparkling Wine, both awarded to their Knightsbridge 2006, a Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier blend. To add to the accolades, Michael Roberts, proprietor and winemaker at Ridgeview Wine Estate, is the 2009 Winemaker of the Year.
“I am thrilled to receive this amazing number of awards and the prestige of Winemaker of the Year,” commented Michael Roberts. “Ridgeview is very much a family–run and –driven business, and the winemaking is shared with my son Simon and the rest of the winemaking team, so these awards are as much testament to their constant hard work and dedication.”
Greatly encouraging is the number of new vineyard entries this year. Seven vineyards from Kent to Yorkshire entered their wines for the first time. All of them gained an award, which reflects the commitment to quality of these new producers.
Equally pleasing are the awards won by the long-established vineyards proving their continued achievement of quality. Biddenden Vineyard was awarded two trophies for their Ortega 2008 – the first time in over 20 years to receive such awards – and fittingly in this their 40th year.
An important aspect of successful wine marketing lies with the finished and packaged product, which is recognised by the Montagu Trophy. This year’s winner is Worcestershire’s Astley Domain J2 Veritas 2007 whose packaging includes a label bearing a pencil drawing by Fred Daniels (father of proprietor Jonty Daniels) and a muted bronze capsule. The judges felt that this packaging perfectly reflects the delicacy of English and Welsh wines.
This year’s competition was organised and hosted by the Wessex Vineyards Association and took place at the historic Town Hall in Shaftesbury. The all MW team of judges was chaired by Patricia Stefanowicz MW and comprised Julian Brind MW, Anthony Foster MW, Maggie McNie MW, Alastair Peebles MW, Stephen Skelton MW, David Bird MW and Susan McCraith MW. “This annual UK vineyards competition highlights the quality and range of styles that England and Wales produce,” comments Patricia Stefanowicz MW. “We were impressed with the high standard in this year’s competition.”
“Once again I must bow to the sparkling wines. They showed a true excellence and quality. There were also many outstanding still wines, from aromatic dry to rosé and some interesting reds. We were particularly impressed with the off dry category, where a successful balance of sugar and fruit was achieved – this was reflected in the awards, with a gold medal and double trophy winner for an unchaptalised Ortega. Our congratulations to Biddenden Vineyards. A worthy trophy, too, to Chapel Down Cinque Port.”
Patricia added: “I would like to extend my sincere thanks and congratulations to the Wessex team and venue for organizing such an efficient running of the competition, and of course thanks to the judging team who put in so much hard work.”
“The professionalism and quality in grape-growing and winemaking shone through in many of the wines we tasted, and the range of different producers now winning awards shows just how good the standards are – they’ve all earned their awards. These consistent high standards in competition show that the UK wine industry is in great shape and bodes well for the future.”
The Awards ceremony for the competition will take place later in July at the House of Lords, hosted by the President of the United Kingdom Vineyards Association, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.
The full list of awards is published later today on the English Wine Producers Site (www.englishwineproducers.com/results.htm).
Ends
Trophy winners for 2009:
The Gore-Browne Trophy
The Wine of the Year
Ridgeview Knightsbridge 2006
Winemaker: Michael Roberts
The Jack Ward Memorial Salver
Best large production wine from the previous year (2008)
Biddenden Ortega 2008
Winemaker: Julian Barnes
The Wine Guild Trophy
Best large production wine from any other year (NOT 2008)
Chapel Down Cinque Port 2006
Winemaker: Owen Elias
The President’s Trophy
Best small production wine (<1,500 litres)
Three Choirs Siegerrebe 2007
Winemaker: Martin Fowke
The Dudley Quirk Memorial Trophy
Best large production wine (over 10,000 litres)
Camel Valley Bacchus 2007
Winemaker: Sam Lindo
The Vintners’ Trophy
Best sparkling wine
Ridgeview Knightsbridge 2006
Winemaker: Michael Roberts
The Bernard Theobald Trophy
Best red wine
The Mount Recession Red NV
Winemaker: William Biddulph
The McNie Trophy
Best oaked white wine
Sharpham Barrel Fermented 2007
Winemaker: Mark Sharman
The McAlpine Winemaker of the Year Trophy
Michael Roberts, Ridgeview Wine Estate
The Montagu Trophy
The best presented wine
Astley Domain J2 Veritas 2007
The Tom Day Trophy
Best single varietal wine
Three Choirs Siegerrebe 2007
The Waitrose Rosé Trophy
Best still rosé wine
Camel Valley Rosé 2008
Winemaker: Sam Lindo
The Berwick Trophy
Best large production unchaptalised still wine
Biddenden Ortega 2008
Winemaker: Julian Barnes
11 Gold medals
39 Silver medals
69 Bronze medals
32 Highly Commended were awarded
182 entries
For further information please contact Julia Trustram Eve, English Wine Producers on Tel: 01536 772264 or email julia@englishwineproducers.com
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