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Winner Details

New World: Other White Varietals & Blends

2016 Gold: 5 Silver: 4 Bronze: 4 Commended: 5
2015 Gold: 4 Silver: 3 Bronze: 2 Commended: 5

On this evidence, the New World producers are doing good things with two styles: biggish Rhône blends (which we’ve seen for a while in the Sommelier Wine Awards) and lighter styles like Verdelho and Albariño, which have started to appear in the past year or two.

This section used to be full of oak, alcohol and things that didn’t work. Now it’s genuinely interesting, as the increasing tally of Golds (none in 2013, one in 2014, four last year) shows.

FROM THE TASTING TEAMS

‘There was diversity, value, quality, concentration.’ Diana Rollan, Hakkasan London

‘They’re exciting and food-friendly. They are hand-sells, but you can surprise guests with something unusual and educate them a little bit as well.’ Sunaina Sethi, JKS Restaurants

‘The lighter ones were approachable – but perhaps more aperitif than food wines.’ Sue Jones, The Harrow at Little Bedwyn

“There were good aromatics [in the Albariños], and freshness, too.” Marco Marcuzzo, Skylon

 

Award winners

Found 25 wines

New World: Other White Varietals & Blends

d'Arenberg, The Hermit Crab, Viognier/Marsanne 2014, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia

Gold medal winner

'One to embrace,' said WSET's Michael Best, explaining: 'Beautiful nose, brilliant aromatics, pronounced citrus with a lovely length.' Consultant Claire Love agreed, finding this wine full of 'rich, vibrant, ripe fruit' and 'nutty on the finish', while Diana Rollan of Hakkasan London noted its 'good length, with mineral, fresh, citrus and green apple'. 'Pair with grilled mackerel with salsa verde or oysters, if you feel decadent,' said Best.

£9.32 Enotria&Coe

Pine Ridge, Chenin Blanc/Viognier 2014, Napa Valley, California, USA

Gold medal winner

This interesting blend made it to the Gold List with its 'ripe gooseberries and cherry blossoms on the nose', according to Bubbledogs' Sandia Chang, while its palate with its 'sweet floral tea and citrus bursts made it great with grilled salmon'.'Green fruits, slight petillance, good acid and a decent finish,' said Diana Rollan of Hakkasan London, with Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall identifying an 'Alsatian, minerally fresh style, with green apple, pear and lemon freshness on the palate'.

£11.75 Liberty Wines

Vistalba, Tomero, Torrontés 2015, Salta, Argentina

Gold medal winner

'Good flavour in an aromatic, medium style,' began Orrery's Gaetano Giangaspero, noting: 'Minerality with good freshness and fruit.' 'Green apricot aromatics and quite long,' said team leader Natasha Hughes MW, with Hakkasan London's Rebecca Coates adding: 'Lychee, spices and white pepper, this is creamy and full, with good length and fine complexity.'

£8.72 Enotria&Coe

David Traeger, Maranoa, Verdelho 2010, Victoria, Australia

Gold medal winner Food Match

Structure and character made this a Roast Chicken Food Match Trophy winner as well as a Gold Lister. 'Fruity, cedar aromas with some richness and toasty notes on the palate. Good value,' began Giancarlo Cuccuru of Brackenbury Wine Rooms, while team leader Tom Forrest noted 'spicy mineral aromas and lemon and herb palate', and Fifteen Cornwall's Elly Owen suggested curry or something with spices as other great food matches.

£10.54 Top Selection Ltd

Château Tanunda, Newcastle, Marsanne/Viognier/Roussanne 2014, Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia

Gold medal winner

Back to the medal podium for the latest vintage of this aromatically intense wine. 'There's aromas of blossoms in full bloom, with a little petrol and minerality,' said Bubbledogs' Sandia Chang, continuing: 'The palate is bursting with tart red apples and citrus. Great with salads and crudités.' 'Flinty aromas followed by fresh lime and clementine citrus fruit palate, balancing the minerality,' said Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall.

£9.40 Bibendum

Nederburg, Heritage Heroes, The Beautiful Lady, Gewurztraminer 2015, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Gold medal winner Food Match

A head-turner from the start, and a worthy winner of the Green Thai Curry Food Match Trophy. 'Very Gewürz-like, with its exotic, spicy flavours and subtle sweetness,' said Bart Michelewicz of Park Chinois, adding: 'The finish is lifting. Wow!' 'Turkish delight nose, very lychee, with lime on a punchy-fruit palate, all in good check with delicious texture and mouthfeel,' said team leader Jade Koch. 'Talcum powder and peach, fresh and floral fruit,' added consultant Luciana Girotto-Beckett.

£11.54 Matthew Clark

Te Awa Collection, Left Field, Albariño 2015, Gisborne, New Zealand

Gold medal winner

An intriguing savoury-sweet tension marked Te Awa's Albariño out for the Gold List. 'Fresh green notes with guava, this is nicely textured and balanced with good intensity,' began team leader Sam Caporn MW, with Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross at Kenilworth enjoying its 'lime leaf, peachy taste and honeyed apricot finish', and The Cinnamon Club's Laurent Chaniac picking out 'a blend of citrus fruits and vegetal notes, alongside a long finish'.

£10.41 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

Peace Wine Estate, Swan Hill, Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio 2013, Victoria, Australia

Silver medal winner

Damon Little of Restaurant Nathan Outlaw found minerals on the nose and balanced acidity on an 'easy, leesy' palate, while JKS Restaurants' Piotr Tomaszewski enjoyed its 'peach, apricot, concentrated style'.

£4.65 Kingsland

Luigi Bosca, Gala 3, Viognier/Chardonnay/Riesling 2014, Luján de Cuyo/Maipú, Mendoza, Argentina

Silver medal winner

Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn enjoyed this wine's 'good balance, waxy weight and freshness', while Ed Verrill of Vinoteca King's Cross noted its 'nice oak on the nose with lemon peel and cleanliness on the palate'.

£12.90 Bancroft Wines

Norton, Finca La Colonia, Torrontés 2015, Mendoza, Argentina

Silver medal winner

'Very grapey with some real concentration,' began team leader Natasha Hughes MW, concluding: 'Good character, nicely balanced and good value.' 'Great balance, a great example,' agreed Erik Simonics of The Savoy.

£6.03 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Chronic Cellars, Stone Fox, Paso Robles 2014, California, USA

Silver medal winner

'Rich, toasty and tropical aromas, waxy and mineral. Complex, dry and creamy on the palate, rich and concentrated, big and bold with lovely weight,' said Diana Rollan of Hakkasan London. 'Orange, pleasantly subtle nose, nutty and buttery but not cloying,' added Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall.

£14.58 Majestic Commercial

Swinney, Ingénue, Tirra Lirra, White Blend 2015, Great Southern, Western Australia, Australia

Silver medal winner

Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall was pleased with this wine's 'saline, vegetal-herbal freshness, petrol, minerality and stone fruit galore', while Diana Rollan of Hakkasan London also enjoyed its 'grassy, green, herbal, citrus mineral style and good balance'.

£13.00 Bibendum

Masi Tupungato, Organic, Passo Blanco, Pinot Grigio/Torrontés 2015, Mendoza, Argentina

Bronze medal winner

'Floral, citrus aromas complemented by good body and acidity on the palate with peach and apricot fruit,' said Restaurant Nathan Outlaw's Damon Little, with team leader Tom Forrest also noting 'mineral and herbal, fennel and aniseed' notes.

£7.22 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Colomé, Torrontés 2015, Calchaquí Valley, Salta, Argentina

Bronze medal winner

'Good texture, not over-exuberant and quite elegant,' began Xavier Rousset MS of Blandford Comptoir, while team leader Natasha Hughes MW highlighted its 'apricot notes and slight under-ripeness on the finish'.

£7.95 Liberty Wines

Luis Felipe Edwards, 360° Series, Roussanne/Marsanne 2015, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Bronze medal winner

Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall enjoyed its 'hunger-inducing nose, saline, savoury with fresh basil and herbal notes', suggesting pasta dishes or moussaka, while Diana Rollan of Hakkasan London found it 'gooseberry, grassy, herbal, dry and intense'.

£10.35 LFE Wine Group

Accolade Wines, Flagstone, Noon Gun 2015, Western Cape, South Africa

Bronze medal winner

'Delicately fruity nose with tropical notes and ripe yellow plum on the palate,' said Marco Marcuzzo of Skylon, with Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross at Kenilworth finding 'yellow flowers, white peach and nice sea stone minerality with good length'.

£6.15 Matthew Clark

El Esteco, Don David, Torrontés 2015, Salta, Argentina

Bronze medal winner

'Floral and grapey, decent concentration and texture on the palate wit good length,' began team leader Natasha Hughes MW, while Erik Simonics of The Savoy felt it was a 'richer style, with good balance and tropical notes'.

£8.59 Enotria&Coe

Skillogalee, Hand Picked, Gewurztraminer 2014, Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia

Bronze medal winner

'Amazing notes of rose petals, lychee and slightly citrusy flavours of lime and grapefruit with a long finish. A bargain!' said Alexandru Pastrav of Fenchurch Sky Garden, while John Giffrin of China Tang at The Dorchester found complex 'tar, petrol, lychee, floral and perfumed' notes.

£11.17 Enotria&Coe

The Three Foxes, Clairette Blanche 2013, Coastal Region, South Africa

Bronze medal winner

Certainly a novelty, a Clairette made as a natural wine, this showed vegetal notes alongside ripe citrus notes. 'Oyster and shellfish on a herbal nose, with hints of geranium,' said team leader Martin Lam.

£15.72 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Emiliana, Signos de Origen, Chardonnay/Viognier/Marsanne/Roussanne 2015, Casablanca Valley , Chile

Commended medal winner

£8.90 Boutinot

Foley , The Four Graces, Pinot Blanc 2014, Willamette Valley, Oregon , USA

Commended medal winner

£15.62 Matthew Clark

Blank Canvas , Grüner Veltliner 2013, Marlborough , New Zealand

Commended medal winner

£11.40 Liberty Wines

Garzón, Albariño 2015, Maldonado, Uruguay, Other

Commended medal winner

£10.65 Bibendum

Catena Zapata, Tilia, Torrontés 2015, Salta , Argentina

Commended medal winner

£7.30 Bibendum

Esk Valley , Verdelho 2015, Hawkes Bay , New Zealand

Commended medal winner