Sommelier Wine Awards 2017 Winners

A convincing, great-value Gold, this Grüner had ‘a fresh nose, touches of spice and plenty of freshness on the palate, hints of pear and apple fruit with savoury almond notes,’ began Vinoteca’s Charlie Young, with Harbour Heights Hotel’s Marek Rakowski noting ‘ripe citrus with a hint of white pepper – classic GV style at a good price’. ‘Lovely with Thai chicken curry,’ thought team leader Annette Scarfe MW.

£8.27 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Judges lavished this Gold Lister with praise. ‘Lovely nose, complete, and showing good complexity on the palate, which is always fresh, clean and characterful, with a hint of pepper on the finish,’ said Vinoteca’s Charlie Young, while team leader Jade Koch felt it was ‘oily, waxy and honeyed with citrus fruit, long, soft, bright and refreshing’. Harbour Heights Hotel’s Marek Rakowski suggested its ‘ripe tropical fruits and slightly smoky mineral palate would play well with lobster’, with team leader Annette Scarfe MW adding that this 'would be great with a range of Asian dishes - Thai dishes in particular'.

£25.79 Indigo Wine

‘Fruit-driven, with blackberries on the nose,’ began Laure Patry of Jason Atherton Group of this well-priced Gold winner, continuing: ‘Some good structure on the palate with a touch of oak and cigar leaf, ripe and juicy with spices, representing good value,’ while Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge also noted ‘good intensity, ripe red cherry and plum with black pepper, violets, blackcurrant and an earthy tone’. ‘This wine has a simple drinkability,’ summarised Elly Owen of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall, recommending it be served alongside charcuterie.

£10.22 Enotria&Coe

Yauatcha’s Kelvin McCabe was impressed with this ‘intense’ cava, praising its ‘apple, pineapple and tropical fruit’ aromas, highlighting its ‘soft mousse, complex and mineral palate with apricot fruit and tropical notes on the back palate’, and noting its ‘texture and length’. Team leader Angela Reddin was taken with its ‘baker-shop aromas and malty, oat biscuit notes’, suggesting this be paired with jamon or ceviche.

£46.78 Enotria&Coe

This exceptionally well-priced, entry-level cava earned its spot on the Gold List with ‘crisp apple aromas, light apple and mineral notes, and a crisp lemon finish’, according to team leader Tom Forrest. ‘Pear and lemon, with a lemon sherbet palate,’ added Kelvin McCabe of Yauatcha. ‘Very good for the price, and a great house pour,’ concluded Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson.

£4.91 CellarVino

‘This English Gold had a touch of sweetness, but this was a positive,' began Elly Owen of Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Cornwall in praise of this excellent Pinot Noir, continuing: 'It’s an emerging style in terms of marketability. A really appealing delicate lighter style of red with potentially more of that sweetness. It makes it more generous with food.’ ‘A pretty, spicy and off-dry style, fresh with red berries on the palate,’ added Luciana Girotto-Beckett of Macellaio RC. 'Great with stilton dates and grilled figs with feta,' suggested Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse.

£13.84 Liberty Wines

Sharpham took both Gold and a Food Match Trophy for this ‘pretty style, with honeyed florality and crunchy acidity on a bright, refreshing palate’, began team leader Jade Koch. Le Cordon Bleu London’s Matthieu Longuère MS noted its ‘aromatic, leafy aromas, quite juicy palate with lovely fresh citrus and a mouthwatering finish’, venturing that it was like ‘an English answer to Riesling’. ‘Best paired with fruits de mer and sunshine,’ summarised Elly Owen of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall.

£10.79 Sharpham Wines

Judges were generous in their praise of this exceptional wine. ‘Aromatic and floral with notes of jasmine, some high acidity with chalky-salty minerality, like cracked oyster shells,’ said Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group, with Vinoteca’s Charlie Young highlighting a ‘nicely perfumed nose with fruit ripeness, good body and quite aromatic on the palate, with a citrus and perfumed finish’. ‘Mineral and nutty aromas, gooseberry and citrus peel flavours – a well-made wine,’ added Sebastian Agnello of The Don Restaurant. ‘Drink with sea bass ceviche,’ suggested Charlie Young of Vinoteca.

£15.33 Bibendum

Adding another Gold to GCF Exclusif’s medal haul, this was ‘fresh and mineral, with grapefruit character and citrus, dry and a little austere on the palate but shows minerality and lime, with a smoky finish’, said Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan, while team leader Laurent Richet MS also noted ‘lemon-lime fruit, Granny Smith apples, notes of pineapple and a mineral finish’. Ivan Ruiz of Wright Brothers thought it would match salt-baked sea bream perfectly.

£9.41 HT White & Co

Team leader Olivier Marie was impressed with this Gold-winning Gewürztraminer’s ‘great minerality and floral nose with ginger spice and incense, yellow apple and Gala apple on the palate, and beautiful acidity carrying the flavours through’. ‘Luscious, sweet rosewater with dried papaya, mango and jasmine character,’ agreed Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer. WineEd’s Matthew Cocks considered this a ‘cost-effective dessert wine for incremental sales via matched pairings printed on a menu – a good option for a passionfruit soufflé or tart’.

£13.99 Frederic Robinson

‘Wow,’ began team leader Laurent Richet MS on encountering this Gold-worthy wine, elaborating: ‘Fantastic balance of fruit and acidity, lovely fruit ripeness of pineapple, golden apples and mango with lemony acidity and a slatey, dry stone finish.’ ‘Ripe peach and exotic fruit, with a smooth, round palate with a touch of honey,’ said Jamavar’s Alessandro de Angelis, while WineEd’s Matthew Cocks considered it best served alongside a pork roast with baked apple and glazed carrots.

£12.25 Bibendum

Typifying the best of what this region has to offer, this Gold winner had, according to Agustin Trapero of Avenue, ‘raspberry fruit, green plums and wet rock minerals on a medium-bodied wine with a soft finish’, while team leader Sam Caporn MW noted ‘red fruits, good structure, decent length and balance’. Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club thought ‘sweet spice and light liquorice notes, and a complex body with rich cherry fruit’ made this a perfect match for grilled fish.

£12.15 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

In praise of this Gold medal-winning entry-level Beaujolais, Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson spoke of a ‘deep, vibrant, appealing colour’, going on to find a ‘huge amount of fruit, plum and blackberry, with a nice bit of grip bringing it together, but keeping it juicy and fun’. Jason Atherton Group’s Stefan Kobald described this as ‘a real crowd-pleaser, with strawberry, red cherry and rose notes’, while Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club appreciated ‘perfumed raspberry and sweet spice, with some gentle, herbal, smoked aromas’, suggesting this be paired with roast pork and apple sauce.

£6.59 Boutinot

La Madone took Gold for its freshness and beautiful structure, with Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish finding the palate ‘very soft with nice acid balance and a minty fresh note’, while team leader Tom Forrest highlighted its ‘fresh aromas of red cherry and marzipan, soft red fruits with drying minerals and tannins’. ‘Rich spices, a light balsamic note and an elegant finish’ made this a match for pasta, according to Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club.

£7.79 Boutinot

A Gold-standard wine with ‘fantastic balance and a long, pleasurable finish’, according to Frédéric Billet of Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa, who very much enjoyed its ‘elegant, refined nose, herbaceous character and white pepper notes, and great length revealing big potential to age further’. Team leader Angela Reddin agreed, pointing out its ‘effortless elegance and style’. For team leader Lionel Periner, this had ‘berry and dried-flower aromas, leading to velvet tannins and a long, elegant finish – a match for duck with girolles’.

£20.23 Domaines Fabre

‘This is a fine example of the region,’ began Jonathan Giffrin of Claude Bosi @ Bibendum, with his account of this Gold Lister continuing: ‘Complex and balanced fruit flavours, exotic pineapple notes and integrated oak with a creamy texture, and the alcohol is well integrated too.’ ‘Delicate initially, but flavours explode on the mid-palate, and it shows typicity with good length,’ added team leader Annette Scarfe MW. Ian Howard of The White Hart Inn at Lydgate appreciated ‘stone fruit, like nectarines, as well as a mushroom-butter note’.

£18.09 Liberty Wines

‘A well-made wine showing good complexity,’ began team leader Olivier Marie of this Gold winner, impressed with its ‘fresh liquorice and cassia bark notes on a complex nose, and a resinous note on the palate indicating toasty new oak’. Team leader Lionel Periner appreciated its ‘red fruit and green bell pepper, with complex fruit and well-balanced oak’, while The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira liked its ‘vanilla, cherry and a touch of black pepper, giving this wine complexity and finesse’.

£15.59 Liberty Wines

This great-value Gold was described by Sosharu’s Masahito Suzuki as showing ‘cooked black and red fruits, touches of spice and velvety texture with well balanced oak’. Neil Pinto of Candlesticks appreciated its ‘dried red fruits and plum notes’, while Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins praised ‘dark cherry and black olive aromas, with rich fruit and a well-extracted body, with elegant tannins. A Sunday roast wine.’

£4.98 Direct Wines Production

This Gold winner offered abundant fruit, alongside some spice and minerality for added complexity. While Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot found ‘light cassis and violets on a dry palate’, consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates enjoyed its ‘intense red and black fruits, concentrated nose, touches of cedar and nice tannins with a full mouthfeel’. Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms wanted to see this paired with ‘filet mignon and a creamy black pepper sauce’.

£15.56 Matthew Clark

This Bordeaux Blanc might have started out a bit shy, but it soon endeared itself to our judges with its freshness and approachability – enough to earn itself Gold. Team leader Annette Scarfe MW enjoyed its ‘lovely ripe lemons with a creamy mid-palate’, finding it ‘multi-layered and a good example’, while Jonathan Giffrin of Claude Bosi @ Bibendum found it ‘elegant and easy drinking, a touch of flinty minerality, versatile and good with seafood’.

£9.30 Enotria&Coe

Judges praised elegance and complexity here, awarding Gold. Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms thought it ‘rich and deep, with very good ageing potential’. ‘Balanced with good structure, purity of fruit and that trademark Bordeaux dustiness,’ said Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte, concluding: ‘Shows good value at the price point.’ The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira thought this ‘a good wine for starters like steak tartare’.

£12.92 Davy's Wine Merchants

Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club was drawn to this Gold Lister’s ‘smoky, sour cassis and fresh cherry aromas’, enjoying its ‘elegant strawberry flavours with earthier notes, leading to a richly charming finish’. ‘Well structured, lasts and lasts in the mouth – an attractive dinner wine,’ added Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering. ‘Amazing with guinea fowl or other game,’ concluded Gabriele Galuppo of Theo Randall at the InterContinental.

£45.30 Top Selection Ltd

This was singled out for its typicity and great value, and awarded Gold for it, too. Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW noted its ‘glinting pale purple colour’, before describing it as: ‘Nicely meaty with a good chewy texture, and unexpectedly flavoursome for the price and colour.’ Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer liked its ‘red cherry, smoke and spice, with a generous red-fruit palate and crunchy acidity’.

£10.18 Castelnau Wine Agencies

Judges heaped praise on the spicy, earthy character of this wine, clearly deserving of Gold. Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer found ‘dried cherries and dry earth, with some sweet spice and smoke too. On the palate, the fruit is lifted, with more spice. A match for duck.’ Markus Dilger of MAD F&B Consulting liked its ‘herbal, earthy and smoky notes, with fresh fruit and good acidity’.

£34.03 Boutinot

‘Elegant and sexy with a great seam of minerality and notes of apple blossom,’ began Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky in his description of this clear Gold winner. Team leader Simon Woods found it ‘young, grippy and herbal, with slight wintergreen notes, fynbos even, and apple and citrus fruit’. A great seafood wine, thought Vinoteca’s Charlie Young, with its ‘pure melon and apple aromas, and a big mineral crescendo’.

£13.45 Top Selection Ltd

Richly textured, with some mineral complexity, this Chablis easily took Gold for Jean-Marc Brocard. Team leader Simon Woods enjoyed its ‘crisp citrus-lemony aromas, then a long palate with relaxed fruit flavours, smoky and slightly waxy texture, promising more to come with a little age’, while Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky found it ‘lovely and juicy with lots of apple freshness and palate-pleasing acidity, nicely balanced’. Team leader Jade Koch thought its ‘sweet, buttery salt-caramel style, with salty minerality’ made this a match for crab on toast.

£12.80 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Harry Crowther of M Wine Store found this Gold Lister to have a nose of ‘honey, wax and lanolin, then sweet baking spice notes on the palate with lovely acidity’, and Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) enjoyed its ‘bright, mineral and elegant aromas, fresh fruity palate that’s balanced and harmonious with a long finish’. Team leader Jade Koch found it ‘refreshing, with lots going on – a killer prawn cocktail match’.

£24.14 Enotria&Coe

Winning Gold for what team leader Martin Lam described as ‘a ripe, inviting, floral nose and tight and concentrated palate, with stone fruits, citrus and a long mineral finish’. Street XO’s Raphael Thierry appreciated this wine’s ‘mineral character, textured with good intensity, and honeydew melon fruit on the palate’, while Vinoteca’s Charlie Young matched its ‘clean and mineral character, with a wonderful almond note on the finish’ with roast pork leg.

£33.75 SAS Louis Moreau

‘Elegant, precise and refreshing, easy-drinking white or paired with summer foods,’ began Sumi Sarma of Sumilier in praise of this versatile, great-value Gold, finding ‘green apples and pears, floral and mild spice hints with herbs and minerals, pleasant style with a lemon finesse’. Adam Michocki of Chez Bruce noted: ‘Pleasant apples and lemon zest with subtle minerality, but mouthfilling and rounded with a clean and fruity finish,’ while team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW concluded: ‘Good with oysters.’

£6.83 House of Townend

Bright and expressive, and undoubtedly deserving of Gold, The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira liked this Chardonnay’s ‘stone fruits on the nose and slightly spicy oak, very well-balanced palate and very fresh finish’, while team leader Tom Forrest highlighted its ‘mineral freshness and a touch of exotic lychee fruit, zingy lemon and zesty texture betraying a touch of sur-lie, and more fresh smoky mineral elements’. Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW enjoyed its ‘green herbs and crunchy acidity, making this a good partner for grilled seabass with sauce vierge’.

£7.31 Peter Graham Wines

Ripe and refreshing, this Gold medal and Food Match Trophy winner was described by Sumi Sarma of Sumilier as having ‘soft lemon sorbet aromas with crisp, slightly honeyed green and red apple notes, zingy acidity and good structure, some weight and concentration’, finding that the palate was ‘off-dry to medium, but well balanced with extremely graceful acidity and fruit’. Frances Bentley of Individual Restaurant wanted to see this served alongside pan-fried foie gras.

£9.96 Bibendum

‘Fresh, crisp and light on the nose, a lifted and balanced palate with lime-lemon citrus, and green apple notes with some chalky mineral,’ said Sake No Hana’s Tobias Brauweiler MS of this Gold winner, while team leader Sam Caporn MW found it ‘restrained on the nose, with light hints of elderflower on the palate, quite phenolic but with juicy acid’. ‘Lean, clean and mineral, with a long finish,’ added team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, pairing it with a mackerel and cucumber salad.

£12.36 Boutinot

A friendly, fruit-filled character propelled this straight to Gold. Gaetano Giangaspero of Coya Mayfair enjoyed its ‘cherry and prune fruit complexity on the nose, lovely, approachable palate with lively tannin and good length’, while team leader Lionel Periner noted ‘red fruit and berries, smooth tannin and light body with a juicy finish’. Vinoteca’s Charlie Young identified ‘black fruit and black pepper, with good freshness, texture and spice – drink with anything barbecue’.

£6.85 Carlsberg UK

‘Rich dark-fruit aromas, leading to cherries on the palate, with velvety texture and soft tannin,’ began Gaetano Giangaspero of Coya Mayfair in praise of this Gold winner, while team leader Lionel Periner noted ‘dark fruit, spices, coffee and toast notes on an elegant nose, and a dry and complex palate, well balanced and spicy with a full, long finish’. Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel liked ‘pronounced red and black fruit combined with sweet spices and black pepper, velvet tannins and a long, savoury finish’, making this perfect, he thought, for ‘lamb shoulder or venison’.

£19.34 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot enjoyed this Gold winner’s ‘lifted, opulent fruit, sweet liquorice spice and a good fresh line of acidity running through’, while Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel appreciated ‘spicy, sweet red fruit with firm, velvet tannins and an elegant, lingering finish’. James Hocking of The Vineyard Group noted its ‘deep, dark, dense fruit on the nose, with a core of earthy spice on the palate, which would go well with game or various dark meats’.

£16.04 Liberty Wines

This fruit-forward Gold winner was full of ‘red berries, toasty, fresh and fruity aromas’ for Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan, who also found ‘plenty of fruit, richer notes of black olive and earth, big tannins and fleshy black fruit on the finish’. ‘Structured, full-bodied wine, needs time,’ added team leader Laurent Richet MS, while Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London described this as ‘modern and well made, with tannins framed by sweet oak notes’.

£13.89 Top Selection Ltd

This Gold Lister was identified as ‘an easy-drinking everyday wine’, by Buddha Bar’s Piotr Artur Tomaszewski, who continued: ‘Quite elegant, round with fresh apricot and peach, white pepper and ginger notes, then pineapple and camomile tea on the palate. Good for a hot day by the seaside.’ Thinking along similar lines, J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers found ‘nice salinity – a well-balanced and concentrated wine, great for brie and apple with grilled chicken’.

£10.46 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Delicate and gentle, but with no shortage of fruit, judges elevated this to Gold. ‘Subtle nose of elderflower, elegant and refreshing on the palate with citrus notes and soft oak spice,’ began Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club enjoyed its ‘fresh Cox apple with gentle fennel notes, citrus and white spices on the palate and elegance and freshness on the finish’.

£9.19 Liberty Wines

Led to the Gold podium for its fascinating blend of fruit, herbs and spice, this had ‘lemon blossom aromas with notes of ginger and a touch of hay’, according to an impressed Alessandro de Angelis of Jamavar, who continued: ‘The palate is just as complex and pleasing as the nose, with a crispy fresh and lively finish.’ Vinoteca’s Charlie Young praised this for being ‘rich and quite peppery, with melon and pear, and an elegant, fresh finish. Give me some white fish or vitello tonnato!’

£7.73 Majestic Commercial

Mike Best of the WSET was unequivocal in his praise of this Gold winner: ‘Totally delicious. Brilliant apricot character, fresh acidity, vibrant and approachable with good length.’ ‘Floral spice and stone fruit flavours, great value,’ added team leader Laura Rhys MS. Team leader Martin Lam found it to have a typical ‘Muscat nose, then bone dry and saline on the palate. Delicious.’

£6.15 Molson Coors

A great wine at a great price, and undoubtedly worthy of Gold. ‘Light peachy aromas with some floral and peachy spice notes on the palate, bits of violet popping up and added texture and tannin from skin contact,’ said team leader Tom Forrest. ‘Refreshing lemon and light acacia notes – a great wine for the price,’ added J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers, while team leader Annette Scarfe MW thought this a great match for soft cheeses.

£4.20 Kingsland

Offering everything you’d want from white Burgundy, this Gold winner had ‘citrus and red apples, floral and mineral notes on the nose, then a dry and fresh palate, racy and vibrant, more minerals and citrus, in an approachable, easy-to-drink style’, said Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan, while team leader Angela Reddin felt it was ‘very delicate in the mouth, but with persistence’. ‘Ripe and generous, without losing its focus, and with a lovely structure. Try it with goat cheeses,’ concluded Chez Bruce’s Sara Bachiorri.

£18.07 Hatch Mansfield

The first of an excellent pair of Golds for Boutinot in this category, it had, according to Charles Pashby-Taylor of Dabbous, ‘nice freshness and an easy-drinking style, with chalky-flinty minerality and good apricot and red apple fruit’, with team leader Olivier Marie also finding ‘ripe stone fruit character with apricot and a creamy texture, nice weight with opulent richness on the palate and lovely substance’. Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins wanted to see it accompanying Dover sole.

£8.11 Boutinot

Team leader Olivier Marie found this to be a ‘beautiful, textbook Bourgogne’, earning it its spot on the Gold podium. He described ‘ripe and intense concentration of fruit, ripe pear flesh and yellow Mirabelle plums, then a sprinkling of white pepper and underlying minerality’. Dario Barbato of Individual Restaurant also very much enjoyed its ‘hints of butter and nuts on the nose with a touch of herbaceous and balsamic character, great acidity and a good, lingering finish’. Perfect alongside ‘grilled tiger prawns in a light herbal butter sauce’, according to Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins.

£22.79 Bibendum

‘Big toast, broad character, stony flint aromas and a juicy, savoury palate with notes of marzipan, flinty and unctuous with lovely fruit ripeness and minerality,’ said Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin of this Gold winner, while team leader Laurent Richet MS noted ‘a creamy nose with white truffle hints, good intensity, drive, balance and class’, and considered salt-baked sea bass to be the right match here.

£29.31 Top Selection Ltd

Team leader Angela Reddin found this bold, characterful Gold Lister to have a ‘rich, fatty, umami nose showing citrus and apple strudel, papaya with lime, nutty oak and mineral touches, followed by a very good palate that keeps flowing with style’. Geoffray Bénat of Cépages Wine Bistro agreed: ‘Nutty, white flower aromas, good body with peach and white flowers, great balance and elegance.’ Equally good with turbot or ossobuco, said team leader Laurent Richet MS.

£21.88 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

‘Clean and youthful with pleasant primary fruit character, with fresh stone fruits mixed with subtle, spicy cardamom and ginger notes,’ all made this a clear Gold winner, according to team leader Olivier Marie, who found it ‘well made, with low acidity and a smoky, steely finish’, while Neil Tabraham of Paris House also felt it was ‘oaky, with a tropical fruit nose, bright and fresh fruit on the palate, soft acidity and a fresh, long finish’. Nelio Pinto of Candlesticks thought this ‘ripe, floral, intense wine would be great with grilled fish’.

£16.91 Top Selection Ltd

Team leader Laurent Richet MS was impressed with Boutinot’s second Gold’s ‘lovely oyster shell nose and milky undertone, with ripe golden apple fruit on the palate and high minerality’, rating it ‘a beautiful wine, with a touch of oak giving it structure and body’. ‘Floral pear and apple aromas, intense and clean,’ said Luciana Girotto-Beckett of Macellaio RC, enjoying its ‘lovely yellow colour, sapid fruit and nutty character on the palate with good balance’. Team leader Laurent Richet MS also praised its ‘crunchy apple and tangerine – a good by-the-glass option, and a match for sole meunière’.

£8.30 Boutinot

‘A flinty style,’ began team leader Annette Scarfe MW in praise of this Gold Lister, also noting ‘delicate hazelnuts on the mid-palate with a creamy texture and good length’. Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club found ‘citrus with earthy mineral aromas, nice elderflower with gentle white spices, finishing with light quince jelly notes’. Team leader Laurent Richet MS thought ‘this could work with any fish, but also pork or chicken, with its golden apple and honey notes, not to mention lemon-juice acidity’.

£14.19 Top Selection Ltd

Judges unanimously granted this Gold, and were generous in their praise. ‘Rich and fruity, grippy on the palate, ripe and honeyed,’ began team leader Simon Woods, who was impressed with its ‘lovely profile of peach and passion fruit, good depth and great length’, while Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins thought it ‘classic, with white flowers and rich tropical fruit, like ripe mango’. Jason Atherton Group’s Stefan Kobald praised ‘ripe, candied fruits with vanilla and saffron, with a creamy, honeyed palate with candle wax and petrol, and bright acidity’. An excellent match for passion fruit bavarois, suggested The Don Restaurant’s Arnaud Fiol.

£42.24 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Honeyed sweetness and candied citrus helped to elevate this to Gold. ‘Sweet orange fruit and floral blossom aromas, a touch of botrytis on a sweet, full and rounded palate,’ began Neil Tabraham of Paris House, with team leader Simon Woods also finding it ‘juicy, tender, lively and ripe, showing tangy but gentle crystallised pineapple and orange zest on a palate with lovely balance’. Team leader Lionel Periner thought this ideal alongside 'peached pear in saffron, with shortbread and honey milk sorbet'.

£13.87 Indigo Wine

This wowed our judges, who consequently elevated it to Gold. ‘Aromatic plum and vanilla aromas, concentrated and full on the palate, quite juicy and really long,’ began Le Cordon Bleu London’s Matthieu Longuère MS, with Luciana Girotto-Beckett of Macellaio RC noting ‘serious, tannic, but lovely and fresh with crushed berries on the palate’. 'Very perfumed, leading to a red berries and spicy white pepper on the palate. This could be served on the colder side, with beef carpaccio and a green bean salad,' suggested team leader Laurent Richet MS.

£22.19 Liberty Wines

This took Gold for its ‘very tasty, savoury style,’ began team leader Annette Scarfe MW, who found ‘slight phenolic grip, texture suggesting the use of large oak, complexity with notes of sweet spices and soy sauce’, with Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club highlighting ‘fresh asparagus and rosemary notes on the nose, elegant development with Cox apples and sweet herbs on the finish’. ‘Complex and very well balanced, harmonious, some bitter notes, but clean aftertaste with hints of butter and almond,’ added Simon Cassina of Winexponent. A perfect pairing with poulet de Bresse, suggested team leader Olivier Marie.

£20.30 Bibendum

This had it all: generous fruit, minerality and some spice. A definite Gold. ‘Ripe stone fruits with honeysuckle notes and a core of fresh acidity, and a creamy mid-palate from the lees,’ said team leader Annette Scarfe MW, while Federico Forte of Plateau found ‘spicy, sweet pear with notes of mango and lychee, hints of saffron spice, flinty mineral flavours on a very well-balanced palate’. 'An amazing, elegant wine, and a match for seared foie gras,' concluded team leader Olivier Marie.

£8.75 Greene King

Judges had nothing but praise for this Gold Lister. ‘Complex style with green apple fruit aromas, sweet spices, touches of saffron,’ began Simon Cassina of Winexponent, who found ‘intensity on the palate, honeysuckle richness with an intense aftertaste, it’s gorgeous!’ Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club noted ‘light camomile aromas with suggestions of Sauternes, sweet lychee fruit and fresh mint leaf on the palate, with a charming finish’. 'A lovely vibrancy and zestiness on the nose, leading to an abundance of ripe peaches and apricots, with a rounded creaminess. Moreish. I want more!' concluded JKS Restaurants's Sunaina Sethi.

£18.41 Enotria&Coe

Fantastic consistency with a new vintage has earned this wine a place on the Gold List for a second successive year, standing out for team leader Andrea Briccarello with its ‘intense nose, feeling almost like a Margarita, dry and very mineral with good complexity and generous fruit’, while Vinoteca’s Charlie Young warmed to its ‘expressive and fruity nose, good leesy texture, great balance of weight and aromatic punch’. Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group highlighted its ‘aromatic and floral, herbaceous lychee, pear and kiwi with pomegranate notes, and well-integrated oak’. ‘This alongside Munster cheese, honey and farm bread would make me very happy all evening,’ added Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted.

£13.47 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

A second Gold for Gerovassiliou in this category, this was ‘very much the intense, aromatic style of Viognier – a rounded and exotic fruit style with good complexity. A world-class effort,’ said impressed team leader Andrea Briccarello. Vinoteca’s Charlie Young noted its ‘apples and mineral, sweet pear aromas, great aromatics on the palate with some softness to the acidity, and finishing on a note of citrus’, while Sebastian Agnello of The Don Restaurant suggested it would be ‘ideal as an aperitif, with its ripe melon and elegant, fresh acidity’.

£14.37 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Pretty floral notes and a hint of fresh quince,’ began Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot in praise of this worthy Gold winner, with Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group noting ‘aromatic floral, pear drop and rose water aromas, no oak, apple and stone fruit character and high acidity on the palate’. The Don Restaurant’s Sebastian Agnello found it ‘lively with fresh green apple notes, and tingly acidity – the ideal partner for oysters’.

£9.70 Boutinot

Powerful and food-friendly, this wasn’t anything but a Gold, according to our judges. An ‘oaky, spicy, intense nose,’ said Sexy Fish’s Julien Sahut, who found it a ‘full-bodied red with ripe tannin, good balance, lots of black fruit and sweet spices – in need of decanting but perfect for grilled meats’. WSET’s Mike Best agreed, finding ‘juicy, cherry fruit, intensely tannic but balanced, best paired with big, salty foods’.

£13.87 Bibendum

A great-value Gold medallist, this showed ‘vibrant, white-fleshed aromas and good stony acidity – long and fresh, with expressive flavours’, according to Vinoteca’s Charlie Young, with Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group finding ‘green apple and fresh citrus on a smoky nose’. Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia noted ‘lifted aromatics of honeysuckle, and fresh acidity’, while Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted described this as having a ‘beautiful, mineral style, with tropical fruit character and some creaminess, too’.

£7.72 Clark Foyster Wines, Matthew Clark

Fantastic fruit and minerality led this to the Gold podium. ‘An intense, marine-saline nose, pineapple and grapefruit with honey notes on the palate and good balance’ left an impression on team leader Andrea Briccarello, while Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot highlighted its ‘elegant florality with soft Turkish Delight freshness’. Jason Atherton Group’s Stefan Kobald enjoyed ‘tropical fruit, pineapple, kiwi with citrus undertones, salty mineral touches and a slightly smoky edge’.

£8.86 Bibendum

Team leader Laura Rhys MS found this Gold-worthy wine to be ‘bold and dark with crunchy fruit, lovely spice and black mineral character with a taut tannin structure balanced by bright acidity’, while Mike Best of the WSET found it ‘really complex with an intriguing nose, savoury leather and bold hedgerow fruit, power, concentration and length but still with freshness and complexity’. ‘Lithe, long and grippy, with fragrant fruit – a match for lamb shank,’ concluded team leader Simon Woods.

£9.38 Southern Wine Roads

‘A smoky nose,’ began Street XO’s Raphael Thierry about Calabria’s Gold win, who highlighted its ‘intense cranberry flavour with good acid balance and floral notes on an inky finish’. Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer was impressed with ‘juicy black fruits and a menthol note, with a touch of white pepper’. A match, therefore, for steak pie, thought team leader Tom Forrest.

£5.50 Fuller's

Taking Gold for its ‘interesting, spicy style, with nice mineral notes on the nose’, according to Antoine Cabre of Spring Restaurant, team leader Annette Scarfe MW found this Cabernet Sauvignon to be a ‘crowd pleaser, with its sweet, jammy New World styling, ripe fruit with a full body and soft tannins’. Street XO’s Raphael Thierry saw this best paired with lamb shank.

£5.50 Enotria&Coe

An effortless Gold, with ‘appealing style’, began James Hocking of The Vineyard Group, ‘with clean, fruity aromas and tons of vanilla, with cherry fruit and spice notes on the palate, and fresh acidity. Great value.’ ‘Dark, aromatic, berry nose, cherry fruit and nice balance,’ agreed team leader Martin Lam. ‘Red and blackberry fruit leading to a dry, mineral finish make this a good match for cured meats,’ added team leader Tom Forrest.

£4.98 Boutinot

Bold structure with a touch of earthiness won the day here for Zorgvliet, with ‘smoky oak on the nose, with blackberry and cherry fruit notes, fine tannins on a well-structured palate, and a long and textured finish’, said Sake No Hana’s Tobias Brauweiler MS. ‘Publicans, don’t miss this one,’ said La Trompette’s Tanguy Martin, adding: ‘Beautiful, vibrant acidity balances this nicely.’

£5.29 Boutinot

Giuseppe Longobardi of The 3A Pub Company appreciated this Gold Lister’s ‘cherry, liquorice and dry palate with light notes of forest floor’, while The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira liked its ‘good body and spice, leathery mushroom character and a bit of tannin’, and felt it would be ‘good to have on a list for the price, and can be competitive’. The Ned Hotel’s Giancarlo Cuccuru thought this would be ‘a popular choice with steak, but can also be enjoyed by itself’.

£5.79 Boutinot

‘Full-on, juicy berry fruit,’ began WSET’s Mike Best about the first of two Riebeek Cellars medal winners in this category, impressed that ‘even at this price it delivers some concentration and pleasant tannin/acid balance, which will work with or without food’. ‘Bright fruit, some meaty character and good value,’ agreed team leader Laura Rhys MS. ‘A grown-up wine, and terrific value for money,’ concluded Paris House’s Neil Tabraham.

£4.50 Fuller's

A hat-trick after its two House White Golds, Broadland’s offering here had ‘bright red berry fruit on the nose, with soft and juicy fruit on the palate, a very quaffable red’, said consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates, with J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers noting its ‘simple, bramble fruit and pretty jammy character’. ‘Great with steak in the pub,’ said Charles Carron Brown of The Forest Side Grasmere.

£3.37 Broadland Wineries

A juicy, fruit-forward character took this Turkish red to Gold. ‘Lots of fruit here, very primary aromas and good concentration on the palate,’ began Xabier Alvarez of Trangallán, with Yauatcha’s Kelvin McCabe highlighting its ‘cherries and plum on a fragrant nose, more red cherry with raspberry on a fruity palate, with a good, long finish’. ‘This would go well with roast chicken and gravy,’ thought Sumilier’s Sumi Sarma.

£6.00 Kavaklidere Saraplari

A Gold to go with its House White win, Cono Sur’s Merlot had, according to Sake No Hana’s Tobias Brauweiler MS, ‘crushed berries on a clean, fruity nose, with soft blueberry and blackberry and a structured finish’, while Harry Crowther of M Wine Store found it ‘savoury and meaty on the palate, restrained but complex’. This combined to make this a ‘fruit-forward, food-friendly and approachable wine, with good freshness’, according to team leader Annette Scarfe MW.

£5.06 CyT UK

‘Light and fresh nose, perfect fruit intensity on the palate, and the acidity gives good drive for a long finish,’ began Marek Rakowski of Harbour Heights Hotel of this Gold-winning rosé, with Arnaud Fiol of The Don Restaurant finding the ‘nose full and discreet, rich in the mouth and good value’. Team leader Annette Scarfe MW was impressed by its ‘well-defined structure, with white flowers and redcurrants, leading to a crisp, clean finish’.

£5.15 Carlsberg UK

Team leader Lionel Periner praised Cavit’s second House Wine Gold for its ‘pale colour, but with berries and nice tomato leaf character on the nose – a dry and well-balanced palate showing nice, elegant acidity and a good bunch of fresh red fruit salad flavours on the finish’. ‘Quite intense aromas of cherry and strawberry, with a good mineral core on the palate and fresh acidity. Lean and crisp,’ added team leader Andrea Briccarello. ‘Ideal either as an apéritif or with monkfish,’ concluded team leader Annette Scarfe MW.

£5.90 Boutinot

Taking a second Gold for GCF Exclusif in the category, this showed ‘nice cranberry and berry fruit on the nose’, according to Vinoteca’s Charlie Young, who found ‘plenty of punchy redcurrant and rhubarb character on the palate, all really well knitted together’, with team leader Jade Koch highlighting ‘warm ripe peach notes, tart acidity and an apple crunch on the finish, juicy with some elegance’. ‘Duck or rabbit stew would match well,’ concluded Buddha Bar’s Piotr Artur Tomaszewski.

£5.40 HT White & Co

Beautiful balance, elegance and freshness led Cape Heights to the Gold podium. ‘Herbal aromas with touches of wet wool lanolin, but good varietal character on the palate, youthful with notes of fresh figs, and on the finish there’s some saline, savoury iodine personality,’ said team leader Olivier Marie, while Richard Allen of Adam’s Restaurant found it ‘very floral with aromatic stone fruit and nice balancing acidity’. An ideal partner for grilled cod with tomato sauce and spinach, said The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira.

£4.85 Boutinot

The first of two House Wine Golds for Cavit, and no wonder, with entries like this. ‘A wine with character, nice intensity of ripe, golden fruit with a touch of minerality, and a very lively palate,’ began Marcin Oziebly of The Wild Rabbit, with team leader Angela Reddin elaborating: ‘Lifted lemon sherbet, apple custard and fennel hints, with some lovely nutty elements combining with a creamy mid-palate. This is lovely, fresh, long and elegant, with great balance.’ Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW saw this partnered with grilled chicken with lemon and capers.

£5.99 Boutinot

The first of three great-value House Wine Golds for Broadland Wineries, this was ‘fresh with good acidity, lemon and lime citrus fruit and green apple notes’, began The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira, who found it ‘good value for this quality, great for selling in pubs’. ‘Light, easy-drinking and minerally, with a slightly tangy finish,’ agreed Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall. ‘A good apéritif wine,’ concluded team leader Tom Forrest.

£3.37 Broadland Wineries

Another well-deserved Gold for Broadland, this was ‘bright, with a dose of residual sugar, tropical fruits with good acidity and a long candied finish. Cheap and cheerful,’ said Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte, with Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish noting ‘green apple, tropical and citrus fruit, nicely perfumed, light in body’. ‘Very good value, and suitable for a range of establishments,’ added team leader Sam Caporn MW.

£3.62 Broadland Wineries

Ripe fruit, combined with great value for money, earned this Chardonnay its Gold medal. Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels enjoyed its ‘aromas of ripe melon and attractive tropical notes on the nose, then a well-rounded palate with notes of pineapple and guava, finishing nice and fresh’, while team leader Simon Woods highlighted its ‘musky pear and peach fruit – quite weighty on the palate with good balance’. Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW highlighted its versatility by suggesting a match with ‘either fresh-fish ceviche or carbonara pasta’.

£4.75 Greene King

A worthy Gold winner, packed with rich, ripe fruit and some well-integrated oak. ‘Good weighty guava fruit with a touch of mustiness, and a long and textured palate. It’s simple, but honest and tasty,’ said team leader Simon Woods. ‘Citrus fruit and sweet spices, with great depth and concentration,’ thought Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel, adding that this would complement Dover sole perfectly.

£6.00 Crown Cellars

A Gold for this exuberant and aromatic Gewürz, to match Cono Sur’s House Red Gold. ‘A bright and open nose with lemon peel, nettles, dried fruits and pot pourri aromas,’ began Bleeding Heart Group’s Christopher Delalonde MS, who found it ‘very attractive, showing a lively mid-palate with cleansing and lifting acid structure, and food-oriented weight, leading into a long finish of primary fruit notes’. Team leader Angela Reddin thought this ‘very stylish, with pink grapefruit and papaya, and great length’. Perfectly paired with a Thai green curry, thought team leader Sam Caporn MW.

£5.06 CyT UK

Fleshy tropical fruit and refreshing acidity took Foncalieu to the top. ‘Gently spiced nose, ginger and cardamom notes, opening to a good mouthfeel on a well-balanced palate. Delicate and approachable,’ said consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates. Team leader Angela Reddin appreciated ‘mangosteen, cape gooseberry and peach notes, with a fleshy palate held in with some good acidity – a match for mild curries’.

£5.95 Fuller's

Packed with zesty fruit and floral notes, this Gold Lister had a ‘good citrus kick’, said team leader Martin Lam, also noting its ‘leesy then floral nose and a pretty, dry yet floral palate’, while Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) found ‘apple, citrus and floral aromas, and a crisp, fragrant palate’. ‘Pair with a prawn terrine served with crab claws and citrus jelly,’ suggested Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London.

£9.40 Maluxfood & Wine Co

Unusual, interesting and entirely deserving of Gold, according to our judges. Consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates found ‘pronounced ginger and cardamom spice, candied lemon and residual sugar on the palate, but good mouthfeel overall’, while Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park, Ascot, enjoyed ‘a complex nose with beautiful aromatics, including acacia honey, leading to a silky-smooth and refreshing mouthfeel’. Frédéric Billet of Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa noted ‘Turkish Delight and lychee – a good food match for fusion food’.

£15.39 Alivini

A textured, complex and slightly savoury palate earned this offering from Santa Barbara the Gold. Sara Bachiorri of Chez Bruce described it as ‘mineral with chalky notes on the nose, opening up into a more floral character as it sits in the glass. Poached pears, custard tart, candied lemon. Good balance, dry with medium acidity and good minerality on a long finish.’ ETM Group’s Guillaume Mahaut appreciated the ‘complex palate, with fennel, lemon, lemon grass and some lees notes’, while team leader Olivier Marie paired this with a salt-baked seabass and a Waldorf salad.

£14.54 Delitalia

A lifted, fruit-forward style and great value for money propelled this to Gold, with team leader Andrea Briccarello describing a ‘clean style with good berry character – juicy on the palate, easy-drinking sour cherry fruit with notes of plum’. Corin Ireland of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms noted ‘good acidity, fresh red cherry and a little herbal note with some tomato character’, while Vinoteca’s Charlie Young thought it ‘juicy, fresh and textured, with a good balance between fleshy ripeness and dryness’.

£6.70 Liberty Wines

Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins liked this savoury Gold Lister’s ‘rich dark cherry and dark olive aromas, then a palate of sour cherry, a powerful meaty body yet elegant on the finish’, with team leader Annette Scarfe MW highlighting ‘lots of creamy vanilla oak on the nose, quite an ambitious wine but showing good traditional winemaking’. Simon Cassina of Winexponent was impressed with its ‘savoury style and pronounced palate packed with mature black berry fruit and tertiary complexity, a serious style’. ‘A match for fillet of venison with port sauce,’ concluded consultant sommelier Emily Bonsor.

£17.73 Matthew Clark

A fruity, floral style that left an impression on our judges, and earned this Gold. Neil Tabraham of Paris House noted an ‘aromatic nose of rose water, Turkish Delight and cranberry fruit, then light on the palate with powerful tannins’, while team leader Simon Woods found ‘delicate floral aromas, yet power and fruit on the palate with rose petals, tight tannins, but the gentle berry fruit is in balance’. Team leader Annette Scarfe MW appreciated ‘structured tannins giving texture and body’, while consultant sommelier Emily Bonsor recommended it be paired with melanzane parmigiana.

£11.59 Enotria&Coe

A ‘modern and vibrant style’, according to team leader Andrea Briccarello, who felt this Gold winner was ‘showing purity of blueberry and cranberry fruit, good tannins and balanced length’, while Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) found ‘freshness, with a little ageing, and there are some notes of coffee in with the dark berries on the palate’. Elly Owen of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall appreciated ‘red cherries, herbs and good oak, making this a great wine for lamb and hearty stews’.

£15.10 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Very delicate nose with gentle notes of fresh leather, then a juicy attack, darker touches of liquorice and spice for a great value option,’ said Benoît Poulain of Adam’s Restaurant in praise of this Gold winner, while Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin was impressed with its ‘dark plum intensity, freshness and upfront character, tight palate but fine oak usage with notes of bitter chocolate and mixed spices’. ‘Easy drinking, with savoury, spicy and farmyard notes, with some rounded tannins,’ concluded team leader Andrea Briccarello.

£6.62 Matthew Clark

This complex Chianti was heaped with praise, and a Gold medal, by our judges. Chantal Serrano of Tamarind of Mayfair enjoyed its ‘cherries and blackcurrant with hints of coffee on the nose, peppery palate with chewy tannins, dark olive notes and good length’, while Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall found it ‘elegant, with tomato, redcurrant and charcuterie notes, complex with finesse and definition’. Buddha Bar’s Piotr Artur Tomaszewski found ‘wild strawberry and yerba mate notes, with a touch of camomile, with some strawberry and hibiscus following on the palate – a match for pastas and salads, and black olives in particular, or even truffle and steak’.

£11.95 Boutinot

Bringing spice, fruit, elegance and complexity, this wine was a clear candidate for Gold. Frédéric Billet of Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa enjoyed its ‘elegant, spicy nose with well-seasoned oak, fleshy, ripe black berry fruit with complex hints of leather, dark chocolate and tobacco’, also finding it ‘well-integrated on the finish with great balance of tannin, acidity and spice’. Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh also admired its ‘very precise style, freshness and structure, with sour red fruits and spice notes’. ‘Silky, smooth, meaty and savoury, with a complex finish,’ added team leader Andrea Briccarello, while Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London recommended it be paired with a veal chop, rosemary, thyme and garlic.

£32.41 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin enjoyed this Gold Lister’s ‘juicy, plummy, violets and spice mix on the nose, then great intensity on the palate with juicy, fleshy, crunchy fruit and an invitingly rustic, savoury edge’. ‘Lovely wine, black fruit nose, intense yet very smooth attack, with dark cherry notes and a touch of oak,’ added Benoît Poulain of Adam’s Restaurant. One for beef bourguignon, said Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn.

£19.10 Boutinot

Judges didn’t hold back in their praise of this Gold-winning Gran Selezione. ‘Complex and approachable, with blackberry, black cherry and chocolate notes, lovely meatiness and more cherry on the palate with nice earthy tannins in support,’ said Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh, with Benoît Poulain of Adam’s Restaurant noting ‘cigar smoke fragrance, dark fruit on the nose with hints of liquorice, a smooth attack with spiciness coming gently, juicy and jammy at the same time – brilliant’. A match for wild-boar stew, said team leader Andrea Briccarello.

£14.07 Matthew Clark

‘A wonderfully moreish, savoury nose, with some violet notes,’ began Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot in praise of this Gold winner, adding: ‘Dried fruits and crunchy Morello cherries follow on the palate – a match for veal.’ Daniele Di Blasio of Pollen Street Social was pleased with its ‘old style in a very good expression’, noting ‘some ripe autumn fruits on the nose, good balance and a slightly sweet finish’. ‘Lots of fruit and spices, and good intensity,’ added Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish.

£24.30 Top Selection Ltd

Our panel was unanimous in awarding this exceptional wine the Gold. ‘Rich, ripe and yummy fruit, full-bodied and smooth on the palate,’ began Avenue’s Agustin Trapero. ‘Very finely perfumed, composed,’ said Mattia Mazzi of Lutyens, with team leader Sam Caporn MW praising its ‘beautiful, spicy oak and rich fruit’ and Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson finding it ‘brooding and deep’. ‘A standout: supple, complex and fruity,’ concluded Avenue’s Agustin Trapero.

£63.69 Eurowines

Winning judges over with its generous character, this equal parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon blend took Gold, and was described by team leader Angela Reddin as having ‘vanilla and smoke, as well as Indian ink, graphite and dried herbs, before fruit explodes on the tongue – dense, concentrated and never ending’. Francisco Macedo of Bovey Castle praised its ‘violet and herbaceous notes, with red fruit and some vanilla’, suggesting that it would be a perfect match with duck.

£29.97 Vinicola Tombacco srl

‘Really vibrant and juicy,’ began Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London in praise of this Gold winner, finding an ‘aromatic nose showing menthol and herby notes, slightly confected on the palate but full of lovely, energetic black fruit’. Team leader Angela Reddin appreciated its ‘smoke, cinnamon and mocha notes, with plum and spiced cherry too – bright flavours with firm tannins’, while Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson liked the ‘brooding cherry, leather and earth, with very pure fruit expression’, suggesting this be served with game or stew.

£13.97 Vinicola Tombacco srl

Team leader Sam Caporn MW praised this ‘characterful’ Gold winner for its ‘juicy, ripe red fruit and spice, as well as floral, almost aromatic flavour profile’, while Federico Forte of Plateau was intrigued by its ‘concentrated, balsamic nose with sage and thyme herbal notes’. Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, meanwhile, highlighted its ‘dark damson and raspberry charm, aromatic character with bags of flavour and cocoa notes on the finish’.

£12.65 Top Selection Ltd

‘Floral and elegant with balanced acidity,’ began Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted in praise of this worthy Gold winner, adding that it would be a good food match for duck, but also has ‘great ageing potential’. ‘Runs the spectrum well, with violets, Morello cherry, olive and coffee on an expressive palate,’ added team leader Angela Reddin. ‘Lots of intrigue, with an elegant, perfumed palate – long, fragrant and mineral,’ concluded Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson.

£11.30 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Judges had nothing but praise, and a Gold medal, for this Italian Pinot. Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted ‘loved it’ with its ‘autumnal forest leaf aromas, violet floral notes and many layers’, while Coq d’Argent’s judge Andrés Ituarte found a ‘sense of terroir, with pepper notes on a ripe but delicate palate’. Markus Dilger of MAD F&B Consulting enjoyed ‘pomegranate notes and fine tannins’, recommending this be served alongside venison dishes.

£23.00 Bibendum

‘Nice ripe fruit, apricot and white peach with tropical hints of mango and papaya, good texture and a creamy finish,’ began Agustin Trapero of Avenue in his praise of this Gold winner, while for Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson it was ‘textural, long and complex, with beautifully integrated oak, a rich, opulent palate, cream and spice notes with savoury nuances’. Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club thought this a perfect match for either grilled Dover sole or a rustic pizza.

£19.64 Eurowines

Cavit took home both Gold and a Food Match Trophy for its ripe, good-value Pinot Grigio. While Marek Rakowski of Harbour Heights Hotel found it ‘well made at a good price level, with floral notes on then nose and full of ripe apple fruit on the palate’, Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse enjoyed its ‘pear drop character with a sour gooseberry aftertaste’, recommending it as a ‘great option with scallops or most shellfish’. ‘Sweet pear on the nose, good weight and texture, yet freshness and balance with orchard fruit on a good finish,’ added Vinoteca’s Charlie Young.

£7.29 Boutinot

This Gold winner was a ‘beautiful, complex wine’ for team leader Laura Rhys MS, showing ‘bright citrus, juicy fruit of peach and orange hints, really zippy acidity and well-integrated if prominent oak’, while Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin also noted ‘broad, round, floral honeysuckle notes, toasted almonds, supple texture with mineral character, confit lemon and stone fruit on the finish’. Jason Atherton Group’s Stefan Kobald thought this blend of ‘lemon, lime, orange, apple, chestnut and almonds, with a rich palate, and easy-drinking overall’ made this a great match for langoustine or lobster.

£38.31 Enotria&Coe

A beautifully balanced exotic, floral flavour profile, with abundant ripe fruit, assured this Gewürztraminer of Gold. ‘Late-harvested, with some botrytis character and mango fruit in an exotic style,’ began team leader Olivier Marie, while Adam Michocki of Chez Bruce noted its ‘huge concentration and body, very lively palate with intense flavours of ripe melon, quince, honeysuckle and orange with some balancing herbal notes’. Jason Atherton Group’s Stefan Kobald spoke of ‘aromatic lychee and rose water notes, along with red apple, lavender, jasmine and chalky, wet-stone minerality’. ‘Grilled salmon with hollandaise sauce’ was the perfect match, according to Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club.

£20.38 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

A clear Gold candidate, packed with generous fruit and some floral notes, too. ‘Green straw with apples and lime on an aromatic nose,’ began Tamarind of Mayfair’s Chantal Serrano, who found ‘warmth and texture, white flower notes and fresh, fruity character on the palate, with a long finish’. ‘Easy-drinking, light and delicate, with stone fruits and a touch of residual sugar on the mid-palate,’ added Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall. ‘This delivers on price, and would make a good by-the-glass option. A good match for light tapas,’ thought team leader Angela Reddin.

£5.99 LWC Drinks Ltd (Merchant and Shippers)

‘Not textbook, but very interesting,’ commented team leader Jade Koch as this remarkable Pinot Grigio took Gold. Corin Ireland of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms found ‘ripe fruit character, creamy texture, notes of spice, sweet vanilla and lemon curd with good depth and length’, while James Fryer of Portland Restaurant enjoyed ‘a nutty hazelnut and ripe apricot nose, with a cereal note, too, leading to more nuts on the palate, and some sweet peaches’. Markus Dilger of MAD F&B Consulting enjoyed ‘vanilla, citrus and white blossom on this complex nose, with honey and brioche on the palate’. A match for lardo and walnuts, thought Koch.

£19.64 Eurowines

Layers of complexity in this wine singled it out for Gold, with Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte finding ‘oak ageing and notes of lees contact richness, leading to a ripe and creamy palate with balanced fruit and hints of Christmas spices’, while Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish enjoyed its ‘dense and generous texture on the palate’. Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel appreciated its ‘beautiful, creamy nose of custard, cream, ripe apples and citrus fruits, followed by zesty acidity and rich texture’, while M Wine Store’s Harry Crowther singled this out as a perfect match for shellfish.

£19.04 Liberty Wines

‘Classic Pinot Grigio,’ began team leader Lionel Periner of this Gold winner, as well as a By The Glass Trophy recipient. He noted ‘citrus and lime fruit with a greener edge like garden peas, and well-balanced acidity and alcohol on the palate’, while Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) found it ‘harmonious with good acidity and minerality, with a decent finish making it good value for money’. Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer liked its ‘intense, ripe apricot note and textural palate, with peach skins and white pepper’, while team leader Jade Koch thought it ‘pretty, with peachy fruit, warmth and minerality’.

£5.40 Moreno Wines, Try Wines, The Great Grog Company Limited

Veneto took Gold again, this time with ‘peach and citrus aromas, then a textured and long palate with notes of camomile and ginger spice, fresh and balanced’, said Chantal Serrano of Tamarind of Mayfair, with The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira noting its ‘slightly floral, complex nose followed by a beautiful, spicy, floral and silky palate with stone fruits and a very decent finish’. Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel praised ‘candied fruits, almonds and sweet white flowers, leading to refreshing acidity, rich texture, and intensity of flavour’, while team leader Angela Reddin identified it as a match for lemon and thyme chicken.

£8.69 Enotria&Coe

‘A different, original style,’ began team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW of this deserving Gold winner, highlighting its ‘mineral, almost spritzy, salty edge and a refreshing, likeable and long palate’, while Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish noted ‘vibrant, fresh, floral aromas with minerals and slightly honeyed notes on the finish’. Team leader Angela Reddin appreciated the minerality here, too, noting ‘a seashell, breezy freshness, with a herbal, citrus and melon palate with a hint of marzipan – works on many levels’.

£12.55 Bibendum

A beautiful balance between fruit and savoury notes easily earned this Gold. ‘Bright and dynamic’ for Typing Room’s Fred Marti, it was ‘highly aromatic yet rustic on the nose, fresh and very engaging on the palate’, according to team leader Martin Lam. Team leader Lionel Periner described ‘an aroma full of red fruit, leading to velvet tannin on a well-balanced palate, with nice acidity’, while Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms found ‘umami notes – a great accompaniment for rabbit with wild garrigue herbs’.

£19.82 Eurowines

A unanimous favourite for our judging panel, and ultimately worthy of Gold, team leader Laurent Richet MS praised its ‘beautiful cherries on the nose with roses, lovely intensity on the palate with more cherry, blackberry, strawberry jam and notes of tapenade, cedar and truffle’. And from Bovey Castle’s Francisco Macedo, it earned a simple ‘wow!’ ‘A match for wild boar ravioli,’ added team leader Simon Woods.

£39.78 Boutinot

‘Supple, with very generous red fruits, complex and long with plenty of life,’ was team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW’s praise for this Gold winner, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club highlighted ‘fresh cherry and light, sweet floral aromas, rich fresh cherry on the palate with great spice notes and fresh cigar tobacco characters’. ‘Very classy, with good spice, grip and length, making this a match for boeuf en daube,’ thought team leader Simon Woods.

£46.29 Liberty Wines

‘A big wine,’ began Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering in his description of this Gold winner, ‘showing an earthy note and huge warmth on the palate, with big intensity. Great for big flavoured meat dishes, especially game, and a star at this price point.’ ‘Broad, rustic and earthy, with some chocolate notes,’ said Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin, also praising ‘a chunky and juicy palate’. ‘Lovely and juicy, with an intense, leathery character,’ concluded Caroline Catering’s Richard Brooks.

£18.00 GIV UK

Decorated with both Gold and a Food Match Trophy, this juicy Italian red was deemed ‘floral and soft, with supple texture and sweet cherry notes’, by team leader Olivier Marie, while Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot was impressed by its ‘very pleasant nose, enticing fruit medley and rounded palate’. The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira said: ‘Fruity and fresh, with good acidity on the palate, and strawberries and red-cherry jam, making this perfect for a barbecue.’

£6.16 Boutinot

Frances Bentley of Individual Restaurants was taken with this Gold winner’s ‘ripe, sweet stone fruit, but with a mineral, saline note, too. Concentrated on the palate, with excellent length. A match for veal Milanese.’ Team leader Angela Reddin found ‘dried sweet herbs and green apples on the palate, which has great balance of acid and minerals, and manages to be both light and intense at the same time’.

£10.05 Jascots Wine Merchants

‘Stylistically unique, but delicious!’ began Bleeding Heart Group’s Christopher Delalonde MS in describing this deserving Gold winner, noting a nose of ‘almonds, grilled peanuts, dried straw, seaweed and saline with notes of ginger, too’, then a palate that was ‘bright, with oxidative notes that add complexity and layering, a super-stylish mid-palate with purity and class, and a long finish with tertiary flavours’. ‘Very oxidative style, and a very special hand sell,’ added team leader Angela Reddin, while Carlos Ferreira of The Sign of the Don saw this working harmoniously alongside gazpacho with oysters.

£53.15 Eurowines

With its approachability and great value for money, this was never going to be anything but Gold. ‘Fresh stone fruit style, good body and crisp acidity with a nice finish,’ said Giancarlo Cuccuru of The Ned Hotel, with Bovey Castle’s Rustem Mingaleev also picking up ‘notes of fresh tobacco on a clean and aromatic, easy-drinking palate, for a good value choice’. ‘Grilled sea bass with toasted buckwheat,’ was Dan Cohen of Cépages Wine Bistro’s ideal pairing for this.

£8.10 VinumTerra

A bright and fruit-forward flavour profile propelled this to Gold, with Sexy Fish’s Julien Sahut finding ‘lots of red fruit, plums and leather notes with cherry and white pepper character on the palate’. Mike Best of the WSET, meanwhile, enjoyed its ‘bold, powerful aromas, cedar and spicy Morello cherries, with a juicy and ripe, delicious palate profile that would be a good match with southern-spiced fare’.

£17.90 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Snapping up not only a Gold medal but a pair of trophies, too, this Sicilian red had ‘great fruit on the nose, then well-balanced flavours on the palate with nice signs of ageing, some more dark fruit character and great spicy notes on the finish’, said Ivan Ruiz of Wright Brothers, with Bleeding Heart Group’s Christopher Delalonde MS noting ‘some good texture, rich fruit that’s ripe, fleshy and juicy, and a touch of grip on the finish adding length’. ‘Plenty of fruit and enough weight for food – tomato-based dishes in particular,’ concluded team leader Angela Reddin.

£6.88 Bibendum

A clear choice for Gold, this had ‘deep cedar aromas with lots of coffee mocha, modern style, black fragrant fruit and lifted spice with a polished feel’, according to team leader Sam Caporn MW. ‘Dark and dense, with bold blackberry and blueberry fruit, plenty happening on the palate and a long finish,’ agreed Sake No Hana’s Tobias Brauweiler MS. ‘Great balance and intensity, and reasonably priced, too. One to accompany roast beef,’ concluded Harbour Heights Hotel’s Marek Rakowski.

£14.74 Liberty Wines

‘Complex aromas of plum, prune, cherry and tobacco with hints of earthy liquorice and dark chocolate’ took this Primitivo to Gold, according to Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan, who enjoyed its ‘dry, big, rich and concentrated palate, full bodied yet fresh, with more dark chocolate and a toasted character on the finish’. Geoffray Bénat of Cépages Wine Bistro noted ‘ripe cassis, rose and violet aromas with intensity, sweetness, yet dry tannins and ripe fruit on the palate, blackberry and cassis, all in good balance together’. Team leader Annette Scarfe MW thought this a perfect match for venison.

£9.95 Liberty Wines

A light, fresh touch helped Planeta to take another Gold. ‘Ripe fruit with sweet cranberry on the nose, a nice core of acidity on the palate with slightly grainy tannin,’ began team leader Annette Scarfe MW. ‘A lovely pure note of strawberries and flowers – this is brilliant stuff. Young, with primary fruit and aromatics, and a long, linear finish,’ praised Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson, suggesting this as an ideal accompaniment for fatty cuts of pork.

£16.02 Enotria&Coe

Tasted in magnum, and one of a hat-trick of Golds for Planeta, this was ‘soft and smooth – a great rendition of a good, ripe Nero d’Avola, silky with lots of plump red fruits’, began The Don Restaurant’s Sebastian Agnello. Vinoteca’s Charlie Young found ‘sweet spices, plenty of ripe tannins, fairly thick texture but great fruit on the palate, which calls for big, rich meat dishes’, while Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot particularly enjoyed its ‘spearmint, liquorice and bramble fruit character on a very well-balanced palate’.

£19.32 Enotria&Coe

Harry Crowther of M Wine Store liked this substantial Gold Lister’s ‘meaty and complex nose, dried herbs and refreshing acidity on a lively palate’, while Street XO’s Raphael Thierry found ‘minty fruit aromas, juicy fruit balanced by dry tannin, and a long, spicy oak finish’. ‘Deep, dark fruit nose with hints of violets and spiced black plums, serious stuff!’ added team leader Martin Lam.

£13.26 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Team leader Sam Caporn MW praised this Gold-winning Italian for ‘spicy prunes and figs – a characterful and tasty wine with a kirsch note to finish’, while Xabier Alvarez of Trangallán highlighted ‘notes of iron on the nose, serious and concentrated on the palate with meaty notes making it good for food’. Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia thought this was ‘atypical in style, with an elegant nose of dark fruit plus fresh raspberry, leading to a subtly mint-touched palate’.

£8.41 VinumTerra

Sophisticated, substantial, and deserving of Gold, according to our judges. Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins found ‘gentle herbal aromas with plum spice on a punchy body’, while Guillaume Mahaut of ETM Group was very much taken with its ‘violet floral aromas and blue berries on a pretty palate, with firm structure and notes of fresh sour cherry’. Team leader Angela Reddin appreciated ‘very complex aromas, with autumn fruits and baking spices, as well as some earthy, game aromas, leading to a palate both luscious and svelte’.

£33.88 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Judges admired this Nero d’Avola’s complex combination of fruit, herbs and spice, awarding it Gold. ‘With nicely perfumed plum aromas and richness on the palate, the fruit quality shines through textured tannins into a great finish,’ began Vinoteca’s Charlie Young, while Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group highlighted its aromatics of ‘berry fruit, forest floor, olives and salty oyster shell’, and team leader Andrea Briccarello pointed to a ‘bright, vibrant, pomegranate and cranberry nose with tight structure on the palate’. Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms described a ‘well-balanced, spicy wine, with roast chestnuts and red fruit – a match for beer and charred vegetables’.

£9.60 VinumTerra

Sardinia’s second Gold in the category, this was ‘a very well-proportioned wine’, thought Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky, who enjoyed its ‘meaty, gamey aromas with dusty wood and pine tar notes, a balanced and structured palate that reveals a lovely fruit softness and a meaty, wood smoke finish with good length’. Team leader Simon Woods found ‘soft, spicy, generous, juicy berry character combined with freshness and balanced tannins, but with the fruit to back it up’. A perfect match for oxtail, said Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson.

£35.50 Eurowines

This Sicilian Gold Lister was described by Sebastian Agnello of The Don Restaurant as having ‘classic plum and pomegranate notes, elegant balance and smooth tannins’, and for Jason Atherton Group’s Stefan Kobald there were ‘black and blue fruits, ripe and smoky, then good minerals on the palate with a salty edge’. ‘Rich and dark, with savoury, spicy aromas, elegance and flowing acidity on the palate with well-textured tannins,’ added Vinoteca’s Charlie Young. ‘A match for rabbit terrine,’ concluded The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira.

£6.53 Berkmann Wine Cellars

A solid Gold medal to accompany San Marzano’s win in the equivalent Italian white category. Team leader Sam Caporn MW highlighted its ‘perfumed oak with spice notes’, finding it a ‘modern, polished style with lots of fruit and a great balance of cherry fruit and structure’, while Sake No Hana’s Tobias Brauweiler MS picked up on some ‘violet florals, cherry and blackberry with a rich, ripe palate showing notes of coffee and vanilla, and a bit of maturity and leather’. Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh enjoyed its ‘sweet fruit, soft and elegant style with botanic herbs and freshness’. ‘With plums, chocolate and vanilla, this would pair well with wild boar ragù,’ said Tamarind of Mayfair’s Chantal Serrano.

£15.73 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

This Gold Lister was a ‘standout wine’ for Laure Patry of Jason Atherton Group, with its ‘peaches, white flowers and camomile, full palate with good texture and white pepper notes on the finish’, while Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge praised its ‘intensity, with ripe mango, apricot and citrus with sweet spices and a long finish’. J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers commented on its ‘smoke, minerality and restrained acidity, leading to ripe melon and pineapple, and a long finish’.

£17.44 Enotria&Coe

This easy-drinking, great-value Puglian blend was a worthy Gold recipient. Jose Luis Hernandez of Hakkasan Hanway Place found ‘peachy fruit on a fresh palate, medium length and a dry aftertaste’, while Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge enjoyed its ‘aromatic, floral intensity, with elderflower notes, citrus and light body’. J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers liked its ‘nectarine and orange notes, with refreshing sourness and some acacia and lavender notes – one for drinking by the pool’.

£7.17 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

It was a savoury component, as well as some food-friendly richness on the palate that earned this the Gold podium. Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW found it ‘floral, vibrant and aromatic, with an oily mid-palate and a touch of bitterness on the finish’, while Vinoteca’s Charlie Young praised ‘savoury, rich aromas, and a nice, punchy freshness that carries the weight of the wine’. Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering thought that ‘as an accompaniment to fish or shellfish, this could be a real cracker’.

£13.77 Enotria&Coe

‘Bring on the Dover sole,’ said WineEd’s Matthew Cocks, going on to describe this Gold medal and Food Match Trophy winner’s ‘saline notes, as well as lime and green apple, with preserved lemon, too – all with vibrant acidity’. Team leader Martin Lam thought this was ‘ripe, concentrated, elegant but serious and well made’, while Jacopo Armenio of Vinarius found it ‘medium bodied and creamy, long on the palate with good balance’.

£11.54 Eurowines

This Gold medal Grillo represented ‘very good value’ for FJB Hotels’ Charles Van Wyk, who enjoyed its ‘clean, tropical and stone fruit notes, particularly peach and melon’, with team leader Annette Scarfe MW saying: ‘Lovely, fresh, easy-drinking style, unoaked and precise.’ For WineEd’s Matthew Cocks, ‘preserved lemon, peach nectar and almond nougat’ made this ‘well suited to antipasti’, while Wright Brothers’ Ivan Ruiz wanted to see it paired with seafood pasta.

£6.50 Berkmann Wine Cellars

This Tuscan Gold had ‘rich, ripe, dark stone fruits with a sprinkle of spice on the nose’, said team leader Angela Reddin, adding: ‘It really delivers in the mouth, showing structured elegance in a super-fashionable, modern style.’ Ian Howard of The White Hart Inn at Lydgate praised its ‘black-pepper spice and a good body, with nice structure, good acidity and tannins, with black fruit’. A perfect accompaniment for ‘beef-cheek stew with morels and shallots’, thought Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London, describing ‘a mineral quality leading to a full-bodied palate’.

£14.08 Enotria&Coe

‘A warm and attractive nose, with blackberry jam and plum fruit,’ began Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson in his praise of this Gold winner, continuing: ‘There is warmth here but it’s in balance. Rich and fleshy stuff, showing figs and plum with Asian spice notes on the palate, the tannin and acid balance keeping it all in check.’ ‘Long and powerful, showing some evolution, sitting well together now but still needs more time,’ added team leader Laurent Richet MS, while fellow team leader Andrea Briccarello appreciated this ‘elegant, well-poised wine, with some balsamic and cigar-box notes, as well as lots of spice’.

£23.92 Bibendum

‘A different level,’ began team leader Laurent Richet MS as this Tuscan easily took Gold. ‘Savoury notes of date and olive tapenade, cedar and cinnamon spices and macchiato coffee bean notes on the finish,’ he continued. ‘Attractive nose with dark plum and blueberry, rich in style on the palate but well done, and there is some tannin and acid structure to support the lush fruit,’ agreed Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson. ‘Powerful and meaty, with great poise and grippy tannins. A match for wild-boar,’ concluded team leader Andrea Briccarello.

£67.20 Liberty Wines

This Gold Lister was ‘older and prettier, and more delicate for it’, began team leader Jade Koch, who enjoyed its ‘lovely violet, floral fruits and hints of vanilla contrasted by a drying, long finish’, while Harbour Heights Hotel’s Marek Rakowski found it ‘powerful and full of dark fruits and spiciness with tannic structure and acidity, giving this wine long potential’. Arnaud Fiol of The Don Restaurant noted ‘a spicy nose and smooth palate, busting with cacao notes and dark fruit’. A perfect match for game, thought team leader Martin Lam.

£59.18 Alivini

This bold, savoury Gold winner showed ‘intensity on the nose, and has a full, fairly powerful palate of ripe cherries, big yet accessible tannins, with some development and notes of sweetness on the finish,’ said Vinoteca’s Charlie Young, while Marek Rakowski of Harbour Heights Hotel highlighted ‘dark cherry with brown spices and almond notes on nose and palate’. ‘Gamey and savoury, with good concentration and herbal notes,’ said La Trompette’s Tanguy Martin, while Sumilier’s Sumi Sarma liked its ‘luscious character ending with leather and a smoky complexity – a robust and food-friendly wine’.

£25.61 Boutinot

‘Lovely elegance and quality on the nose, with plushness and depth of lovely, pure red fruit on the palate, all perfectly balanced,’ said an enthused Charlie Young of Vinoteca as this was led to the Gold podium. Arnaud Fiol of The Don Restaurant commented: ‘The nose is complex, palate very well balanced with dark cherry character and precision of fruit.’ ‘Concentration of purple fruit that carries all the way through, with good acid-tannin balance,’ added team leader Jade Koch. ‘Well-rounded and fruity, with elegant maturity and cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and a smokiness, too, leading to an earthy finish,’ concluded Sumilier’s Sumi Sarma.

£35.00 TryWines Expertise Limited - edoardo amadi

Marcin Oziebly of The Wild Rabbit found this substantial Gold winner to be a ‘big, bold wine with character, lovely grip from the tannins with ripe black fruit and a touch of sweet cinnamon from the oak, good earthy notes on the palate, too’, while team leader Angela Reddin noted ‘violet and peony floral touches, massive intensity in the mouth with sweet oak, smooth tannins on a velvety palate’. Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London appreciated ‘spicy cedarwood and vanilla notes, leading to a full-bodied and well-extracted palate, with ripe fruit and some cocoa and coffee’.

£20.98 La Sala

As it walked away with both a Gold medal and a Food Match Trophy, Neil Tabraham of Paris House praised this red blend’s ‘crunchy black fruits, chewy tannins with cassis and a chocolate richness on the finish’, while Dario Barbato of Individual Restaurants found ‘blackcurrant aromas with spicy and toasty notes, and the tannins are there, but rounded and not too aggressive’. Jamavar’s Alessandro de Angelis described a ‘menthol aroma, with a lively, fragrant palate and a lovely floral finish’, while WineEd’s Matthew Cocks appreciated its ‘elegant style, with a plush mid-palate and peppery finish, making it a match for a pepper-crusted flank steak’.

£9.08 Liberty Wines

Showing plenty of Cabernet Franc typicity, Salentein’s offering walked away with Gold. ‘Blackcurrants, with leafy notes on the nose and palate, with a touch of fresh mint; very rounded and well built, balanced with a hint of black peppery spice, and quite classic in style,’ praised Piotr Artur Tomaszewski of Buddha Bar, while Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London found it ‘full bodied and concentrated, well made, with vanilla, black fruit, chocolate and herby notes, solid in character’. ‘Good intensity, with a balance between ageing and fruit; there are great tertiary characters like leather and earth here. This would be great with roasted lamb or duck,’ thought Wright Brothers’ Ivan Ruiz.

£19.35 Matthew Clark

‘This has all of the finesse of Margaret River, at a good price,’ began team leader Martin Lam in praise of this Gold medallist, adding: ‘It’s structured, with dark blackcurrant fruit.’ Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson added: ‘Great nose, elegant and restrained fruit, with redcurrants, spice and texture on the palate, and touches of Asian spices. Lively elegance.’ ‘Memorable finesse, with crisp acidity and a mature structure – this would pair well with a spicy lamb curry,’ concluded Sumilier’s Sumi Sarma.

£19.84 Bibendum

An artful blend of fruit and spice earned this not only the Gold, but a Food Match Trophy, too. Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson was struck by its ‘extraordinary aromas of ginger and spice, leafy character on the palate with lots of grip’, while team leader Sam Caporn MW felt it was a ‘classic’, showing ‘lovely deep cedar and lots of eucalyptus, chocolate and red cherry’. ‘Really good value for money – this would suit a big, red steak,’ concluded The Ned Hotel’s Giancarlo Cuccuru.

£9.96 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

This Gold’s ‘complex nose of pepper, tobacco and a charred character’ left an impression on Mattia Mazzi of Lutyens, who picked out its ‘quite intense, ripe fruit palate, velvety and ripe tannins and freshness of acidity’. ‘Tight structure with warm fruit, blackcurrant and plum,’ added Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson. ‘A dense, powerful and luscious wine with an age-worthy structure – great quality,’ summarised Sumilier’s Sumi Sarma.

£15.00 Liberty Wines

This Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend from De Trafford achieved its Gold with some appealing, savoury notes such as ‘black olive, leather and anchovy’, according to team leader Jade Koch, who also described a ‘soft and round palate, with black fruit prettiness and a long and gentle palate’. Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel was taken with this ‘elegant yet concentrated wine, with sweet spices alongside sweet black fruit, and a long, lingering finish’.

£34.84 Bibendum

This Gold was a great value for money option, said team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, who enjoyed its ‘meaty, earthy aromas and full-bodied, plump, slightly chalky’ character, while Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering noted ‘lovely warmth on the palate, gorgeous wine and a steal at this price, with intense red berry fruit flavours’, recommending it ‘on its own but also great for weighty meat dishes’.

£6.78 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘More restrained, savoury style, but delicious,’ began an impressed Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering in his praise of the Gold winner, feeling that it ‘lends itself to some great food matches, with roast meats, casserole-style dishes or even spicy dishes’. ‘Classic style, lively dark fruit with bright acid,’ added team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW. ‘Blueberry muffin notes to start, leading to some earthy and juicy notes, with a smoky, savoury finish,’ concluded team leader Andrea Briccarello.

£9.27 Gordon & MacPhail

Judges heaped praise on this Stellenbosch red, elevating it to Gold. ‘Lovely seductive blackcurrant and vanilla on the nose, with some tomato on the chewy, mouthwatering palate,’ began team leader Jade Koch. Charles Pashby-Taylor of Dabbous enjoyed its ‘cherry and floral notes, with good balance of acidity’, while Jacopo Armenio of Vinarius found it ‘fragrant and intense, with dark fruit clusters, herbs and developed peppery notes’. Perfectly suited to Aberdeen Angus beef, thought Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel.

£28.60 Enotria&Coe

Another medal to match Black Stallion’s Chardonnay Gold. ‘Dark fruit with floral and cooked berry notes, toasted bread and coffee on the nose, well-balanced oak and full tannins on the palate,’ began team leader Lionel Periner, while Jason Atherton Group’s Laure Patry found it ‘approachable already, with vegetal notes, blueberry fruit and cigar box spice character on a long finish’. Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia, meanwhile, described ‘mellow sandalwood and bramble fruits with good, smoky depth and an elegance to the finish’.

£18.98 Bibendum

Team leader Annette Scarfe MW described this Gold winner as an ‘ambitious wine with lashings of new oak’, and also felt it was ‘very sleek and polished, with ripe tannins, nice approachability, and it will be suitable for spicy foods’. ‘Supple, juicy and broad, and made in a modern style,’ was Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin’s conclusion, while team leader Simon Woods described it as ‘concentrated, with earthy berry fruit’.

£17.02 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Taking Gold for its complex yet very approachable style, this Cabernet was described by Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin as ‘juicy and crunchy, yet velvety, too’. Team leader Tom Forrest was intrigued by the ‘light floral and redcurrant notes with hints of rose petal’ he found on the nose, also enjoying its ‘soft red and black fruits, cherry and currants on the palate, with soft, refined tannins and nice balance’. Gasselin saw this pairing beautifully with Springbok tartare.

£12.32 Mendoza Vineyards SA

This Gold-worthy blend was ‘a well-balanced wine, vibrant and complex’, began Francisco Macedo of Bovey Castle, continuing: ‘Vanilla, sweet spices and cedar with a vegetal note and great ripe black fruits on the palate, fresh and savoury on the finish.’ ‘Red fruit and smoke, with a hint of coffee, leading to a spicy palate with well-integrated oak. A match for slow-cooked beef,’ thought team leader Lionel Periner.

£22.00 Robert Rolls and Company Limited

Adding a Gold to Apaltagua’s medal haul, this Cabernet was praised by Antonio Cuadros of The Don Restaurant for its ‘fresh aromas, with nicely ripe, fleshy fruit on the palate, chocolate richness and polished tannins’, while Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia highlighted its ‘lovely smooth, silky palate’. Sumilier’s Sumi Sarma described ‘dried fruit and floral notes, as well as some coffee – a rather elegant and well-balanced wine, made in a restrained style, with a gentle, lingering finish’, and team leader Laurent Richet MS thought it ideally suited to either a Sunday roast or beef-cheek ragu.

£12.93 Anthony Byrne Fine Wines

This Cabernet offered a fruit-forward experience worthy of Gold, as team leader Laurent Richet MS described: ‘Vibrant and very ripe red fruit on the nose, followed by bright flavours of cassis and plum on the palate with darker notes of liquorice.’ Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms liked its ‘jammy raspberry and menthol notes – a smooth and very well-balanced wine’, while The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira praised its ‘red cherry and fresh eucalyptus, with good acidity. A match for charcuterie and cheese.’

£8.77 Viña I Wines SpA

Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group found this Gold winner to have an abundance of red fruit, showing ‘juicy, ripe strawberry, raspberry, cranberry and pomegranate seeds’, all backed up with ‘herbaceous character and well-integrated tannin’. ‘Good quality, crowd-pleasing style,’ added Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte. Team leader Angela Reddin described a ‘meaty, rich nose, with compact, concentrated fruits and some good oak – a big wine that needs bloody meat’.

£10.49 Liberty Wines

This Gold Lister had ‘dark fruit on a smoky, inky nose, fruit and alcohol well balanced on the palate, and a juicy finish with a hint of green pepper’, began team leader Lionel Periner, while Gaetano Giangaspero of Coya Mayfair noted ‘vinosity, and a fruity red berry style – quite expressive and fresh’. ‘Concentrated bramble fruit on the nose, with caffe latte on the palate, and some good acidity, leading to a fresh finish,’ added consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates. ‘Textbook Carmenère,’ concluded team leader Olivier Marie.

£6.68 Carson Wines

Taking home a Pub & Bar Trophy in addition to its Gold medal, this Carmenère was described by team leader Jade Koch as a ‘good example of the style, with warm, drying red fruits’, while Gabriel Liotta of Hakkasan Hanway Place highlighted its ‘ripe tannins and well-integrated style, with ripe fruit – good value for money’. Team leader Olivier Marie saw this effortlessly accompanying a Sunday roast or bangers and mash.

£6.65 Fuller's

Giving an impressive demonstration of what this grape is capable of, Apaltagua took home the Gold. ‘A youthful, fruity perfume, with judicious use of oak, with excellent balance and length. An elegant wine with poise and finesse,’ began consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates. ‘Elegant and rounded, with vibrant, rich fruit and firm, ripe tannins, alongside eucalyptus and cocoa notes,’ added JKS Restaurants’ Sunaina Sethi. ‘A beautifully made wine that will age gracefully, with a complex range of aromatics, including tonka bean and cocoa nibs – best served alongside wagyu beef with wild sautéed mushrooms,’ concluded team leader Olivier Marie.

£22.32 Anthony Byrne Fine Wines

Chalking up another Gold for Chilean Carmenère, this had ‘fresh raspberry aromas with some mint notes, blackberry on the palate with fine earthy character underlying a charming finish’, began Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club, with Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot finding it ‘deep and brooding, with eucalyptus and subtle spice notes on a well-rounded palate’. ‘A textbook example of Carmenère, with some ripeness, but some herbal and vegetal notes, too, as well as blueberries and some spices, and a soya sauce note on the finish. Match with rack of lamb with a mint sauce,’ suggested team leader Olivier Marie.

£8.12 North South Wines

‘A lovely example, vibrant, fresh and clean, with lifted acidity and well-integrated oak,’ began team leader Annette Scarfe MW in her praise of this Gold winner, while Simon Cassina of Winexponent found ‘apple and green apricot aromas, vanilla oak with sweet spices and clean, fresh grassy notes – well made, balanced and harmonious on the palate’. The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira described ‘beautiful complexity on the nose, with green and red apple on the palate, with acidity balanced by spice and vanilla. A good wine to match with spicy Asian food.’

£27.50 Liberty Wines

Judges heaped praise on this Gold Lister. ‘Great nose of fragrant lemon zest and flint, followed by a broad, creamy palate with lots of life throughout, a twist of lemon juice and apple fruit, appealingly long, with acid making it good for food matching,’ began Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson, with Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering finding ‘big intensity of flavour, very lively acidity, and a great foodie wine for creamy chicken dishes’.

£14.66 Bibendum

A unanimous choice for our tasting panel, and ‘a wine of a different level, with great oak use and freshness of fruit, golden apple, pineapple and vanilla notes’, according to team leader Laurent Richet MS, with Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson noting ‘lemon peel, wax and honey, an old school feel with toast and cream, depth of flavour and generosity’. Agustin Trapero of Avenue found ‘complex ripe mango and mandarins, with white chocolate notes and yoghurt texture’. ‘Huge depth and intensity, such a lovely mouthfiller, fab wine,’ concluded Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering.

£29.67 Nicholson River Winery

With lots of ripe fruit, and such exceptional value for money, Gold was the only outcome here. ‘Peach, pear and vanilla,’ began team leader Lionel Periner, going on to describe a palate that was ‘well balanced, with tropical fruit and well-integrated oak, with good acidity’. ‘Fresh citrus with light vanilla and smoky oak aromas; on the palate there’s light butter and herbal notes, refreshing citrus with an elegant finish,’ added Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins, while Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms thought this a fine match for a salad Niçoise.

£12.24 Enotria&Coe

‘Lovely quality of fruit, with greengage and yellow plums, and some lovely flinty smoked character,’ began an enthused team leader Olivier Marie as this was led to the Gold podium, while Chez Bruce’s Adam Michocki called it ‘opulent, with a pronounced nose, creamy and buttery on the palate with some coconut and ripe pineapple, with good potential for ageing’. ‘I would recommend grilled cod or salmon,’ concluded The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira.

£22.64 Enotria&Coe

Rich, contemporary and characterful, this was an obvious choice for Gold. ‘Very aromatic and floral, with cedar and refined oak notes on the nose,’ began team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, continuing: ‘Modern Chardonnay with a full, fleshy palate, spicy melon fruit and white pepper notes.’ ‘Richer style, ripe orchard fruits, creamy texture with a toasty palate and a nutty touch on the finish,’ agreed Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte. ‘Lovely poise and balance, with lovely mouthfeel and long, concentrated finish,’ concluded Paris House’s Neil Tabraham.

£14.70 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Toasty, nutty and buttery, with floral blossom hints on the nose,’ began Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall, who was impressed with this Gold Lister’s ‘full body, food-friendly richness and depth, with some ripe stone fruits and gentle citrus on a complex palate’. ‘Spicy, leafy notes, beautiful acidity and amazing complexity, with vegetal and red apple hints, and it’s good value, too,’ added The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira. Plateau’s Federico Forte saw this as a versatile match for either seared monkfish or chicken.

£7.44 Society of Vintners

A considered approach and a great price convinced our judges that this deserved the Gold. ‘Controlled not overblown Chardonnay, with grapefruit notes and slightly buttery on the finish,’ began Tim McLaughlin-Green of Sommelier’s Choice, while Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels found it a ‘well-made and balanced wine offering a nose of peach and apricot with lovely weighty mouthfeel coming from clever use of oak, flavours of almond, apricot and limey refreshing acidity’.

£6.59 Hatch Mansfield

A clear candidate for Gold, with a ‘creamy texture, smoky oak notes and stone fruits on the palate, and an elegant and balanced palate’, praised Bovey Castle’s Rustem Mingaleev, while team leader Martin Lam appreciated its ‘chalky, wet stone nose and a good citrus lift on the palate’. Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer described ‘super-opulent peach and apricot notes, with some almond on the finish’, while team leader Tom Forrest thought it a match for cod loin.

£12.11 Bibendum

With its structure and freshness, judges found another Chardonnay Gold for South Africa. ‘Plenty of oak, but a cool, almost herby, fynbos style; good, young, but with lovely balance and high cheekbones,’ began team leader Simon Woods. ‘Powerful aromas of vanilla, almonds and ripe apricot,’ said Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels, noting ‘good concentration and a weighty mouthfeel, which finishes very refreshing with a lemony acidity’. This was an ideal partner for monkfish with pancetta, thought team leader Tom Forrest.

£8.81 Gordon & MacPhail

Benoît Poulain of Adam’s Restaurant admired this Gold winner’s ‘creaminess and vegetal notes on the nose, lovely ripe fruit on the attack, counterbalanced by a beautiful, smooth oakiness and great balance on the finish’, while Frédéric Billet of Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa highlighted its attractively ‘green, crushed leaf nose, peach blossom and white pepper and mineral hints’. ‘Pair with rich, creamy fish dishes,’ suggested Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson.

£18.14 Bibendum

‘Elegant, creamy nose with good freshness,’ began an impressed Benoît Poulain of Adam’s Restaurant as Black Stallion took the Gold, finding a ‘very interesting toasty flavour on top of the ripe pear and quince fruit, then a long finish with great balance’. ‘Round, soft and lively style, bright apple, citrus and pineapple fruit with light baking spice notes and great balance,’ added Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh. An ideal partner for scallops, thought Bovey Castle’s Francisco Macedo.

£15.25 Bibendum

A clear Gold candidate for our judges, this showed ‘mango and papaya fruit, with toasty and creamy richness’, according to Agustin Trapero of Avenue Restaurant, while Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson found ‘big oak drive on the nose, and a textured palate with lots of layers, pineapple, spice, lovely fruit. Great stuff!’ Frances Bentley of Individual Restaurants described ‘rich buttered toast and sweet white fruit – balanced finesse and concentration, and a match for roast chicken’.

£16.39 Bibendum

Heaped with praise by our judges, this Chenin took home not only the Gold, but a Food Match trophy, too. ‘Complex and aromatic, fresh with ripe fruit on the nose, rich, long and round,’ began Andrea Cotichella of Wernher Restaurant at Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa, with team leader Laura Rhys MS adding: ‘Rich, ripe, opulent fruit, good weight and an intense, vibrant palate.’ One for sole meunière thought fellow team leader Sam Caporn MW.

£12.90 Bibendum

A full, complex Malbec easily deserving of Gold. ‘A toasted style, with balsamic and black olive notes,’ began Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky, continuing: ‘Fruit and vanilla on the palate, with a savoury finish that’s very moreish.’ ‘Full-bodied and packed with dark fruit, with a spicy bite to the finish,’ thought Chez Bruce’s Sara Bachiorri, while team leader Laurent Richet MS felt it was ‘juicy, ripe and elegant, with ripe plum notes – perfect for a juicy rib-eye with garlic butter’.

£10.61 Boutinot

This drew generous praise from our judges, with team leader Simon Woods describing it as ‘dark, sweet, plump, plush and plummy’, while Sexy Fish’s Julien Sahut highlighted its ‘deep chocolate and black fruit character, and a big, rich and spicy palate with nicely ripe tannins’. Paris House’s Neil Tabraham thought it ‘deep, intense and broody, with good concentration’, while team leader Sam Caporn MW found it ‘young, modern and polished’.

£22.68 Enotria&Coe

This great-value Malbec was led to the Gold podium, and handed a Pub & Bar Trophy, amid praise from our judges. ‘Spicy, gamey and meaty,’ began Nelio Pinto of Candlesticks, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club found ‘light liquorice notes, with an elegant, gentle, herbal palate’. ‘Approachable, soft and rounded, a gluggable house style,’ summarised Mike Best of the WSET, who felt its ‘nice balance makes it easy to say yes to another glass with burgers or barbecue’.

£5.99 Frederic Robinson

‘A blockbuster,’ began team leader Martin Lam in his praise of this big, bold Gold winner, continuing: ‘Dark, spiced plum and oak on the nose, leading to a big and structured palate, with black fruit and a salty, savoury note.’ Sumilier’s Sumi Sarma appreciated its ‘savoury and sweet edge, with a lot of richness, as well as elegance and maturity’, while Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan was enamoured with its ‘earthy, meaty, plum and cherry aromas’, noting that it was ‘big and bold on the palate, showing sweet spices, plum and violets with nice concentration, and full in body and tannins’.

£22.44 Enotria&Coe

‘Full-bodied, old style of wine, concentrated with good structure,’ began Piotr Artur Tomaszewski of Buddha Bar, as Alpasión took Gold, further describing ‘plum, ripe cherry and blackcurrant fuit, balance and elegance, very characteristic of Malbec’. ‘Soft, unctuous, excellent balance – a star!’ said consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates. Team leader Laurent Richet MS saw this as a perfect accompaniment to a ‘beef burger with Stilton and crispy bacon’.

£8.45 Matthew Clark

An enjoyably open style took Kaiken to the Gold podium, with team leader Sam Caporn MW finding ‘deep fruit and spicy oak flavours, good extraction and a polished style with sappy oak’, while Street XO’s Raphael Thierry enjoyed its ‘spicy nose with vanilla and coconut, big tannic structure and juicy plum and cinnamon’. ‘Distinctly bold and peppery in style, there’s an elegance to the fruit – mostly blackcurrant – with nutmeg and a hint of tobacco, leading to a lingering finish,’ concluded Sumilier’s Sumi Sarma.

£11.14 Liberty Wines

‘Blackcurrant jam, eucalyptus and peppermint on the nose keeps you coming back for more,’ began J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers in his praise of Vistalba’s Gold, noting its ‘smooth and slick, classic palate that’s restrained but nice on the finish’. Chez Bruce’s Sara Bachiorri praised notes of ‘liquorice, plums and dark cherries on a punchy nose, and a long, lingering finish that is still showing bright fruit’, while team leader Laurent Richet MS recommended it be paired with spiced baby back ribs.

£15.00 Bibendum

A fruity and approachable style earned this blend the Gold. Team leader Martin Lam highlighted ‘notes of white pepper and jammy fruit on the nose, then a perfumed character on a rich and spicy, fresh fruit palate’, while consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates found it to be ‘peppery, with black fruit – bright, bold and very flavoursome’. This needs a dish like lamb shank with onion gravy, thought team leader Laurent Richet MS.

£6.96 Direct Wines Production

Bold, generous and concentrated, this was led straight to the Gold podium, as Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin praised it for being ‘juicy and supple – quite broad, but with fine structure, as well as good intensity’. ‘Mint-eucalyptus, bramble fruit and blackcurrant with coffee and chocolate on the palate,’ described consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates, with J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers summing up: ‘Big black fruit, nice concentration, with tannins that are meant for food.’ Specifically, team leader Simon Woods saw this working equally well with hard cheeses or steak.

£7.69 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Calabria’s Durif took Gold for its beautiful blend of minerality and fruit. Neil Tabraham of Paris House found ‘plums, blackcurrant and liquorice, a smoky palate with cedar and a pencil lead finish’, while Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels highlighted ‘ripe notes of blueberry, blackcurrant, as well as a menthol, eucalyptus note, a wine with good concentration of flavour complemented by cedar spice, integrated tannins and a lengthy finish’. Team leader Olivier Marie praised its ‘rounded, supple tannins, showing some nice development, and leading to a savoury finish, making this a match for lamb shoulder’.

£8.50 Fuller's

‘This is a big boy, for sure, but there’s lovely blackberry fruit with a bit of spiciness, and it’s quite silky on the palate,’ began Adam Michocki of Chez Bruce in his praise of this Gold winner, while team leader Olivier Marie found ‘quality fruit, ripe and sweet, with fleshy texture, new oak presence and firm, grippy tannins’. Fellow team leader Laurent Richet MS thought it had a ‘lovely, intense and focused nose, with an earthy, iron edge – pair with rack of lamb and lentils’.

£15.18 Enotria&Coe

This Aussie Gold medal winner was ‘quite savoury on the nose with fresh cherry notes, and good structure on the palate, with dry tannins’, said team leader Sam Caporn MW, adding: ‘Feels very classically Italian.’ Fellow team leader Simon Woods thought it ‘supple and lush, plus some floral notes, with a dry finish, but lots of red fruit, too’. A partner for ‘rack of lamb with red wine jus’, concluded Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin

£17.29 Enotria&Coe

Taking a second Gold for South Africa in the category, this proved to have a ‘rich and spicy palate, with green apple, clove and nutmeg. A fresh wine with hints of eucalyptus and menthol, and a long, leafy finish,’ thought Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte. Team leader Laurent Richet MS, meanwhile, praised ‘a complex, fruity nose, leading to a fruit medley with a minty finish – delicate yet intense, with an underlying savoury element’. The London Cookhouse’s Michael Moore saw this perfectly matched with foie gras.

£32.97 GRANDE PROVENCE HERITAGE WINE ESTATE

As this Albariño was led to the Gold podium, team leader Annette Scarfe MW praised its ‘complex, rich, ripe and weighty style, with a spritz on the palate and cooked quince and pear skin notes’, with Jonathan Giffrin of Claude Bosi @ Bibendum noting ‘ripe lemon and grapefruit aromas – a zesty, refreshing and easy-drinking style’. Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte liked its ‘bright acidity with tropical fruit, acacia honey, violet notes and minerality’, while team leader Laurent Richet MS described ‘delicate juicy pear and white-pepper spice’.

£11.11 Bibendum

Living up to its name, this Gnarly White might have been unusual, but it was easily deserving of a spot on the Gold List. ‘A little funky, and tending towards the natural style, with some skin contact,’ began team leader Laurent Richet MS, who thought this ‘extremely well made, with cinnamon and golden apple, and an earthy finish’. Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte found ‘stewed pear and touches of cream and toast – bright and balanced, with nutmeg to finish’, while Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse saw this best matched with ‘pork fillets on a bed of honey risotto’.

£15.87 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

This complex blend was a clear Gold winner. ‘Riesling character with mineral and lime on the nose and some development, off-dry on the palate, nice balance on the finish,’ said team leader Lionel Periner, while Gaetano Giangaspero of Coya Mayfair enjoyed its ‘apricot and pear fruit on nose and palate, and a long fresh finish’. Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte appreciated its ‘notes of bay leaf, eucalyptus and pear, with a really lovely mineral finish – a match for langoustines’.

£13.06 Bibendum

Gentle and beautifully balanced, our judges had no doubts about awarding this Gold. ‘Delicate grassy notes on the nose with a herbaceous, citrus fruit character on the palate,’ began Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot, while Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins enjoyed its ‘light tropical notes and fresh peach aromas with light herbal, leafy character to taste’. Team leader Laurent Richet MS was taken with its ‘delicious texture, with a complex and long finish – a match for creamy dishes’.

£7.69 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘A fruit-driven style with ripe tropical fruits, creamy texture and warmth on a medium-bodied palate,’ began Jacopo Armenio of Vinarius in praise of this Gold winner, with Charles Pashby-Taylor of Dabbous finding a ‘good balance of acidity and residual sweetness, and a fresh palate with good length’. ‘A layered, off-dry style, but also balanced and crisp – a match for lemon chicken,’ thought team leader Simon Woods.

£11.58 Matthew Clark

Versatile and fragrant, this Gold winner had, according to Jacopo Armenio of Vinarius, layers of ‘intense peach and apricot aromas, hints of saffron and honeysuckle complexity, with good freshness on a light-bodied palate’, while Giancarlo Cuccuru of The Ned Hotel felt it was ‘good value, with aromatic tropical fruit’. ‘Round and voluptuous, with some sharp, juicy acidity,’ thought Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin. A match for goats’ cheese, according to team leader Simon Woods.

£9.96 Bibendum

Team leader Annette Scarfe MW was charmed by this Gold winner’s ‘delightful attack of pear skins with a lovely core of acidity making it clean and fresh’, while Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin found it ‘peachy, delicate, fragrant and flinty’. Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted was taken by ‘refreshing lemon notes, as well as peach and spice, and a rose-petal note, too – all with nice body’, while Sumilier's Sumi Sarma thought it ‘refreshing and elegant, with zingy acidity – a match for poached trout or salmon in a cream sauce’.

£7.50 Molson Coors

Great value and a rich yet refreshing style inspired judges to reserve this a spot on the Gold List. Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels praised ‘hints of kerosene and ripe stone fruits on the nose. The palate has a waxy mouth-coating feel but has a fresh, lingering finish.’ For Buddha Bar’s Piotr Artur Tomaszewski, this was ‘easy to drink, rounded and well balanced, with notes of green tea and jasmine with mineral, earthy notes’. ‘Match with oily fish served with courgettes,’ added Linden House Stansted’s Tanya Mann.

£9.77 Liberty Wines

A Gold-worthy Yarra Pinot with lots of typicity, this had ‘peppery, spicy notes on the nose, followed by a palate of fresh raspberry fruit, smooth tannins and gentle notes of oak’, began Benoît Poulain of Adam’s Restaurant, with team leader Laura Rhys MS finding ‘bright, crunchy red fruits, and a little floral note with some meaty complexity, too’. ‘Alluring red-fruit aromas, with a fresh palate with delicately grained tannins. A match for squab pigeon with cranberries,’ suggested team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW.

£12.34 Bibendum

‘A very bright, spicy and peppery nose with earthy tones,’ began Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin in praise of this remarkable Pinot, with its ‘juicy, crunchy palate with a savoury and complex finish, showing notes of nutmeg and Garrigue herbs’. Team leader Laura Rhys MS noted its ‘richer style, with dark fruits, blackberry and black cherry, and sweet spices with smoky bacon hints on a palate with lovely complexity’. ‘A stylish Australian – ripe raspberry aromas overlaid by delicate oak. The palate’s charming and restrained, with fine tannins,’ concluded fellow team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW.

£25.75 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Lavished with praise by our judges, this unanimous Gold winner had, according to team leader Martin Lam, ‘complex sour cherry and raspberry fruit, then a note of liqueur raspberry on the palate, with a long finish, for a refined and elegant style’. Consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates, meanwhile, was lured by its ‘raw, meaty, animal, enticing nose, followed by great balance and finesse, and there’s an artisan touch here – I took a second sip!’ ‘Match with lamb, pheasant, or game,’ suggested Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel.

£21.07 Bibendum

‘A great food wine,’ said Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson of this Gold Lister, praising its ‘savoury, spicy nose with whole bunch lift’, and adding: ‘An intriguing wine with something to say, showing cherry and strawberry fruit on the palate, with grippy tannin.’ Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering noted: ‘Good complexity, appealing development in the mouth and good depth.’ ‘Super-fresh acidity and excellent typicity – great with cold cuts, or as an aperitif,’ concluded Frances Bentley of Individual Restaurants.

£15.25 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates praised this great-value Gold’s ‘earthy, animal nose, followed by a well-balanced palate with plenty of fruit and hints of vanilla’, with team leader Martin Lam describing it as ‘quite focused and lightly tannic with fresh red fruits’. ‘Hedgerow and summer fruits – a ripe, sweet nose with hints of spicy oak. Nice, and recognisably Pinot,’ added team leader Angela Reddin, while Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel appreciated ‘a palate redolent of fresh red fruits and spices, with good texture’.

£8.20 Armit Wines

A great Gold at a great price, and worthy of a By The Glass Trophy, too, this had ‘a juicy, bright nose with lots of red fruit, redcurrant and creamy texture on the palate with a bite of tannin and a fresh finish – brilliant for the price’, said Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson. Avenue’s Agustin Trapero found a ‘pleasant nose of fresh red fruit and plums with a hint of spicy beetroot on the palate’. ‘Lovely mouthful of juicy fruit, remarkable value!’ concluded Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering.

£6.89 Greene King

This ‘classical Pinot Noir’, according to Plateau’s Federico Forte, couldn’t walk away with anything less than Gold. Team leader Annette Scarfe MW found it an ‘attractive, juicy style, with ripe black plums and cherries in the mouth, a juicy mid-palate and delicate spices on the finish’. ‘This draws you in with red cherry and sugar plum aromas, sprinkled with thyme, leading to graceful power on the palate. Beautiful, and ideal with venison,’ concluded team leader Angela Reddin.

£20.75 Liberty Wines

This took home a Gold for its ‘bright and fruity’ style, as consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates described it, continuing: ‘Strawberry and cranberry perfume on the nose, and a clean palate with lots of charming, crunchy fruit.’ Giancarlo Cuccuru of The Ned Hotel meanwhile highlighted ‘spices and vanilla notes, good body with lots of dark fruit character and a warm finish’. ‘A deeply layered palate with earthy notes and lovely ripe, sweet fruit. Match with game,’ suggested team leader Angela Reddin.

£12.88 Enotria&Coe

A second Gold for Otago Pinot, this was ‘delicate, with fresh plums and cherry fruit on the nose – well integrated with high quality oak’, began team leader Annette Scarfe MW, who was impressed with its ‘textured and structured palate and great length on the finish’. Winexponent’s Simon Cassina advised: ‘It’s worth the effort to decant this wine, with its high-extraction, low-yield concentration and premium style. I’d be happy to buy a case!’ A similarly enthusiastic Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel added: ‘Elegant and rich, it explodes on the palate with sweet red fruits, spices, red roses and herbs. Match with venison or duck.’

£26.04 Bibendum

Well-considered oak and lots of fresh fruit took this to Gold. ‘Almost a toasted bread nose, with a beautiful red cherry fruit and violet background,’ began impressed team leader Laurent Richet MS, continuing: ‘Delicate and fruity on the palate, with a structured finish, it’s a lovely wine.’ ‘Lovely, pure, expressive wine, red fruit and spice, mid-weight with a long and elegant finish,’ added Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson. Frances Bentley of Individual Restaurants thought this perfect with ‘tuna steak, or roast beef sandwiches on sourdough’.

£11.05 Bibendum

A shining example of Russian River Pinot, there was no doubt this deserved Gold. ‘Some signs of ageing in the glass,’ began Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst), describing ‘smooth, soft tannins, toasty notes with some dried fruits and berries on the palate, great balance and some freshness and spiciness’. ‘Very intense, textbook nose of cranberry and cherry,’ added team leader Andrea Briccarello, who found it ‘very focused and exotic, with plenty of personality and charm’. A great option for ‘beetroot dishes like red borscht, bigos or goulash’, suggested Buddha Bar’s Piotr Artur Tomaszewski.

£25.05 Bibendum

As Meiomi’s Pinot was handed the Gold, Arnaud Fiol of The Don Restaurant described ‘red flowers and fruit cake character, and a rich but well-balanced palate’, while Harbour Heights Hotel’s Marek Rakowski found ‘intense ripe strawberry with brown spices and ginger notes, a long finish and all at a good price level’. Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse added: ‘Nicely balanced with a chocolatey taste mixed with young berries, would go nicely with a garlic lamb shoulder.’

£14.29 Matthew Clark

Team leader Martin Lam thought this Gold Lister ‘very well made, and concentrated! Plum and damson join some warm spices on the palate, leading to a long finish.’ ‘Youthful and powerful, needs plenty of time in a decanter, then it will begin to reveal plenty of cedar, black cherry and deep, smoky oak flavours, warming alcohol and a long finish,’ suggested Mike Best of the WSET, while team leader Laura Rhys MS described it as: ‘Rich, intense black fruit, nice spice complexity and bold but integrated oak, showing good potential.’ Vinoteca’s Charlie Young summed it up: ‘Give me an aged rib-eye, please!’

£21.30 Bibendum

Great structure and depth, and an obvious Gold, according to our judges. ‘Clean, crisp and refreshing, with vibrant character and good texture on the palate,’ said Maurizio Palomba of Sushi Samba, while Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel praised a ‘highly expressive palate, with fresh lime, lemon and sweet white flowers’. ‘An array of citrus, with dried flowers and a hint of seashell – a match for green-lipped mussels,’ thought team leader Angela Reddin.

£10.23 Matthew Clark

A ‘mineral, dry, clean and salty’ style, said Gabriel Liotta of Hakkasan Hanway Place of this Gold Lister, with its ‘very clean style on the palate and refreshing, racy finish’, while team leader Jade Koch found it ‘true to style, and very identifiable as Riesling’. Team leader Angela Reddin had nothing but praise, describing ‘peach and a hint of satsuma, with great acidity, and a very ripe style – the price clinches it’.

£7.00 Davy's Wine Merchants

A worthy Gold winner, this showed beautiful structure, as well as appealing freshness. ‘Lively and refined, with high cheekbones and great texture,’ enthused team leader Simon Woods, with Kelvin McCabe of Yauatcha finding ‘plenty of lemon and lime fruit on nose and palate, medium body and good length’. ‘Elegant, with a floral nose, followed by bracing acidity and fresh citrus fruit, leading to a long finish – a match for smoked salmon or scallops,’ concluded Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel.

£11.21 Bibendum

This elegant, mineral Riesling was destined for Gold, if our judges’ exuberant tasting notes were anything to go by. Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel described ‘sweet white flowers and chalky minerality, redolent of fresh-cut lemons and limes on the palate. Bracing acidity with great depth and a long finish.’ Team leader Angela Reddin, meanwhile, appreciated ‘Key lime pie, chalk and seashell notes, leading to a taut, linear palate with bright acidity and wonderful freshness’.

£17.50 Liberty Wines

A Gold for its value for money alone, this was expressive and fresh, with some ripe fruit. ‘Very typical and traditional style, clear with good acidity, fresh on the finish and good value,’ said The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira, while Sumi Sarma of Sumilier highlighted its ‘zesty, green apple and honeysuckle, fruit-forward and vibrant character, with refreshing acidity making it good for food’. Specifically, thought WineEd’s Matthew Cocks, this was a match for salted croquettes, but also ideal by the glass, on arrival.

£4.80 Kingsland

Not just a Gold, but a By The Glass Trophy winner, too, this Sauvignon’s ‘green pepper and jalapeños’ caught the attention of Street XO’s Raphael Thierry, who also highlighted its ‘balanced grapefruit freshness on the palate with a note of fresh kiwi fruit’, while team leader Martin Lam found it a ‘grassy, textbook Kiwi style with keen acidity’. Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins thought it ‘classic and aromatic, with an elegant palate – a match for grilled red mullet’.

£6.48 North South Wines

Jacopo Armenio of Vinarius was impressed by this Gold Lister’s ‘crisp and zesty nose with delicate notes of gooseberry, peach and apricot’, also noting ‘tropical fruits and good structure with balance and a lasting finish’, while Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London described it as ‘grassy, pungent, with gooseberry notes – a really fragrant nose and lovely ripe, citrusy palate’, adding: ‘Really long and fresh, perfect.’

£10.74 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

A full and generous style elevated this to Gold. ‘Passion fruit and mango with yeasty lime aromas, followed by more tropical character with grassy lime and elderflower hints, and it’s long and full on the palate,’ said Kelvin McCabe of Yauatcha, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club found ‘fresh asparagus and lime zest notes, gentle white peach with charming balance on the finish’. Team leader Annette Scarfe MW enjoyed its ‘riper style, with a little spritz and slight bitter notes with great length’.

£7.60 Fuller's

The Golds kept coming for Saint Clair. This was a richer style, with Street XO’s Raphael Thierry noting its ‘ripe, passion fruit nose, then textured palate with vibrant fresh fruits, clean with a long finish’, and Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) picking up ‘aromatic, subtle tropical notes with balanced acidity in the classic NZ style’. Jason Atherton Group’s Stefan Kobald appreciated this ‘crisp, mineral wine, with peach, pear and Granny Smith apple, as well as green cut-grass and peas – pair with grilled salmon in a lemon-butter sauce with fresh asparagus’.

£10.96 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Earning Saint Clair the hat trick, this was ‘rounded and juicy with a core of creamy richness, long on the palate and fresh, almost spicy with light notes of quince and lilies,’ began team leader Simon Woods, while Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky found ‘freshness contrasted by hints of bitter citrus peel, with oaky notes and a rounded feel on the palate’. Markus Dilger of MAD F&B Consulting, meanwhile, was impressed by ‘gooseberry, citrus and pineapple notes, with a smooth body and good length’.

£16.76 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall praised this Gold Lister for its ‘saline nose with subtle, grassy tones, green apple and fresh grapefruit, elegance on the palate; well balanced with a delicacy of fruit, finishing fresh and clean for a very good, food-friendly wine’, while for Luciana Girotto-Beckett of Macellaio RC it was ‘sapid, with body, flinty minerals, fresh and rounded character and a leafy, balanced finish’. Team leader Laurent Richet MS added: ‘Lovely, fruity and appealing either by the glass or during dinner.’ Specifically, a match for risotto or scallops, thought New Street Grill’s Mauro Pirovano.

£8.92 Enotria&Coe

Praised for its juxtaposition of light aromatics with a weighty, rich palate, Geoffray Bénat of Cépages Wine Bistro found this Gold winner to have a ‘smoky nose with a touch of honey, then a rich and intense palate that’s smooth with a touch of flowers, minerality and hints of gooseberry’, with team leader Angela Reddin also highlighting its ‘smoky, mineral nose, apple and lime following in the mouth for a delightful, rich style with great acid-mineral balance’. For Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan, there were ‘aromas of green beans, grassy and herbaceous touches and citrus, with a fresh and lively character’. ‘Drink with oysters and crab,’ was Charlie Young of Vinoteca’s suggestion.

£11.00 Liberty Wines

‘Lots of zing!’ said Caroline Catering’s Richard Brooks as this Sauvignon-Semillon blend was led to the Gold podium. Antonio Cuadros of The Don Restaurant found it ‘very fruity, with peachy strawberry flavours but a nice leesy quality to it, too’, while Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia highlighted its ‘cool fermentation, pear drops and light spritz’. Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin, meanwhile, found it both ‘floral and crisp’, with team leader Simon Woods praising its ‘gentle pear and spicy notes’.

£11.47 Bibendum

There was plenty going on here, ultimately resulting in a generous, significant wine that was undoubtedly worthy of Gold. ‘With its spiced dark plums, this is a tight and muscular style with ripe fruit on the palate and crunchy tannin. Broad and powerful,’ began Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan Group, with Cheese at Leadenhall’s Robert Mason finding it ‘earthy, smoky and meaty on the nose, with brooding red and dark fruits, toasty notes and fine structure, making it a complex and food-friendly wine’. Specifically, thought New Street Grill’s Mauro Pirovano, this would shine alongside a rib-eye steak.

£16.64 Boutinot

The judges didn’t hold back in their praise as they handed over the Gold. ‘Smoked meat and earthy aromas with cooked bramble fruit on the nose, pleasant and juicy, fresh red fruits on the palate with hints of sweet spices and a peppery edge,’ said Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall, also noting ‘ripe and grippy tannins and a good finish’. Team leader Laurent Richet MS found ‘lovely use of oak, balanced with spices, minty freshness and perfumed red rose notes, followed by inky, lovely ripe-textured fruit – a delicious and juicy wine with great structure’. ‘Wild raspberry aromas and a little baked bread, leading to chunky, fresh red fruit flavours. Drink with medium-rare lamb rump,’ recommended Vinoteca’s Charlie Young.

£10.78 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘This is very complex on the nose, giving the impression of some age,’ began Carlos Ferreira of The Sign of the Don as this Aussie blend took Gold. He enjoyed its ‘leather, tobacco and spice notes on the palate, great balance and beautiful finish, showing it still has a lot of potential to improve in the bottle’, while Sumi Sarma of Sumilier was impressed with its ‘terrific body and structure, crisp and grainy, very fine tannins and uplifting, long finish’. A match for roast beef, thought Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins, describing ‘gentle, smoked, ripe cherry notes with fresh tobacco leaf, too, leading to complex red berries and dark spices, culminating in a rich, elegant finish’.

£17.93 Majestic Commercial

‘Floral notes on the nose, hyacinth and roses, herbal notes of oregano mixed with deep, dark bramble fruits,’ began Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall in his praise of this well-priced Gold Lister, charmed by its ‘smooth palate with juicy fruit, ripe and smooth tannins, warming alcohol and fresh acidity, leading to a long, luscious finish, providing good all-round value’. ‘Peppery, earthy, dried herb aromas, grippy and muscular with spiced plum and bitter chocolate notes,’ added Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan Group. Team leader Simon Woods thought it perfectly suited to a rib-eye steak.

£7.49 Frederic Robinson

The judges had nothing but praise, and both a Gold medal and a Food Match Trophy, for Langmeil’s Shiraz. ‘Heavy black fruits are backed by impressive acidity, very fine, ripe tannins and good, judicious use of oak,’ began Sumi Sarma of Sumilier, impressed with its ‘great structure and mid-palate weight, smoke and sweet spice notes, green and black pepper, cinnamon, vanilla oak and body well integrated, all with a long finesse and a herbal, minty note at the end’. ‘Crunchy fruit, very fresh with lots of blueberry,’ added Adam Michocki of Chez Bruce. ‘With white pepper, vanilla and a touch of coconut, this would make a good match with a rib-eye steak with thyme butter,’ suggested The Don Restaurant’s Arnaud Fiol.

£12.83 Berkmann Wine Cellars

A ‘really juicy, joyful and approachable’ style, began Mike Best of the WSET in his praise of this worthy Gold recipient, enjoying its ‘wonderful juicy aromatics and bright, very ripe fruit aromas, medium-bodied style with soft tannins and freshness on the finish’. Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish meanwhile highlighted its ‘violets and red cherries, inky mineral character, lots of tannin with chalky texture on the palate and lively acidity at the end, with more berries and spicy soft fruit’. Best served with black pudding, thought team leader Jade Koch.

£9.35 Liberty Wines

‘Perfectly balanced,’ was team leader Jade Koch’s estimation of this Gold winner, adding: ‘Delicious and ripe, with cherries and strawberries. A warm and rich wine.’ ‘Powerful yet balanced, with spiced dark fruits, and in need of decanting if drinking now,’ began Dan Cohen of Cépages Wine Bistro, while Mike Best of the WSET mused: ‘It has bright, ripe, pure fruit, white pepper and complexity, soft and supple yet powerful tannins, a heroic length and phenomenal integration and depth.’

£131.72 Mitolo Wines

There was nothing shy about this Gold winner, with ‘plenty of oak but well integrated’ thought J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers, who found ‘spices coming through, riding on a wave of warming alcohol, along with great chocolate and cigar character balanced by smoke notes and baking spices’. Meanwhile, Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan felt it was ‘perfect for a steak, with its plum, cherry and sweet spices on a toasty, meaty nose, long and bold palate with high, ripe tannins, good full-bodied balance and concentration’.

£19.57 Matthew Clark

This Gold winner was a ‘concentrated and expressive wine that would be useful for introducing the style to the uninitiated’, began Adam Michocki of Chez Bruce, who enjoyed its ‘easy-drinking style, with firm but dusty tannins, dark fruit and spices on a long finish’. ‘Fresh and spicy with eucalyptus and mint leaf on the nose, a very well-balanced palate with a clean, long finish, hints of tobacco, leather and mushroom,’ added Carlos Ferreira of The Sign of the Don. ‘Complex aromas of fruit, spice and floral notes, leading to roasted coffee beans on the long finish. Pair with beef bourguignon,’ concluded team leader Lionel Periner.

£16.35 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Complex and mineral, this couldn’t take any less than Gold, thought our judges. Charles Pashby-Taylor of Dabbous enjoyed its ‘black pepper, holly and apple wood nose, quince and capsicum with red and black fruit and more pepper on the palate, with nice wood integration and velvety tannins’, while team leader Olivier Marie remarked on its ‘leafy, stemmy character with herbal tones, a fresh palate with well-managed tannins and oak, high alcohol but in balance – a rustic style with pronounced minerality’. ‘Guilty-pleasure steak sandwiches on a Sunday,’ mused WineEd’s Matthew Cocks.

£19.16 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

This generous Syrah took home Gold, with Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky finding ‘intense, juicy fruit with plenty of dark undertones’, while team leader Simon Woods remarked on its ‘warm, ripe character, supple, herby and fruity on the palate – relaxed and gentle overall, with dark woody tones’. ‘A big, concentrated palate with balanced acidity alongside tobacco, earthiness and coffee shining through here. Pair with bison stew on herbs de Provence rice,’ was Andrés Ituarte of Coq d’Argent’s suggestion.

£17.68 Bibendum

Savoury and herbal, with fruit and spice – this Gold Lister had it all. ‘Jammy and meaty on the nose with hints of old leather, a big and juicy wine on the palate, showing liquorice spice and more meaty notes,’ began Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky, while Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte described ‘cranberry and red cherry notes, with Christmas spice and toast. Very good value.’ A match for duck confit cassoulet, thought team leader Laurent Richet MS.

£9.58 Bibendum

Team leader Martin Lam described this Gold medallist as ‘very attractive, showing vibrant, fresh black fruit aromas and a spiced plum palate’, while Raphael Thierry of Street XO enjoyed its ‘peppery nose with herbal character, cherry fruit, juicy tannin and a fresh finish’. ‘Big, bold and easy-drinking, with tons of fruit,’ added consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates, while team leader Olivier Marie praised ‘a lovely palate with fresh fruit – a match for veal chops with rosemary jus’.

£9.19 Enotria&Coe

Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London was impressed with this excellent Gold winner’s ‘floral and ripe nose, showing cherry and lifted herbal aromas, then understated and juicy on the palate’, describing it as ‘really fresh and elegant – a lovely wine in a low-oak impact style’. ‘Herbal, eucalyptus and savoury notes combine with sweet, dark fruits and some sweet spices. Amazing intensity, complexity and concentration – a match for rib-eye or sirloin steak,’ suggested Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel.

£15.78 Viña I Wines SpA

Spicy, fruity and exceptionally good value, this took home not only the Gold, but a By The Glass Trophy, too. Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted found it a ‘friendly wine with jammy black berries and sweet fruit character’, with Jacopo Armenio of Vinarius finding ‘fragrant, punchy, ripe red and black fruits, showing really good value for money’. ‘Full-bodied style with spices and lovely black fruit, and a touch vegetal,’ added Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London.

£10.62 North South Wines

Taking Gold for its spicy, savoury character, this Kiwi Syrah had ‘bacon and black pepper notes, with grippy, ripe tannins’, began JKS Restaurants’ Sunaina Sethi, while team leader Olivier Marie described it as ‘a complex wine, with cured meat and an animalic, tertiary note, like leather’. Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club also noted ‘sweet cassis with vanilla and smoked aromas, elegant with gentle, fresh mineral style on the finish’, while team leader Annette Scarfe MW highlighted its ‘lovely aromatic, concentrated fruit’.

£23.68 Enotria&Coe

This Gold winner was like a breath of ‘fresh, cold mountain air’ for Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted, with its ‘beautiful, very elegant style and many layers of aromas and fruit characters’. ‘Floral, rose water, pear drop, camomile, beeswax and citrus, rich and complex,’ added Jason Atherton Group’s Stefan Kobald. Buddha Bar’s Piotr Artur Tomaszewski found ‘wet stones on the nose, as well as a very herbaceous character. Peach, pear, green pepper and a touch of red grapefruit make this a good summer wine, ideal for ceviche, white fish sashimi or sole.’

£15.14 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte praised this Gold winner’s ‘candied peach and apricot fruit, well-balanced acidity with white pepper and saline notes on the palate’, while Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group found it ‘fruit-forward with beeswax, citrus and a long finish’. Ian Howard of The White Hart Inn at Lydgate described ‘big pear flavour, with good acidity and length, and slightly off-dry’, while Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London thought it ‘concentrated and intense, as well as good value’.

£6.68 Carson Wines

Classic Zin from Seghesio, and a worthy recipient of the Gold. ‘Aromas of tobacco and dried herbs with blackcurrant and leafy tea notes,’ began Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan, who enjoyed its ‘well-integrated oak and high tannins on the palate, ripe and rounded character with good acidity and cherry notes on a savoury finish’. ‘Intense blackberry and spiciness, leading to a rich and smooth palate with good balance,’ thought Cépages Wine Bistro’s Geoffray Bénat, while team leader Martin Lam thought it had ‘well-integrated fruit and oak, as well as freshness and fruit ripeness – great with gamey stews’.

£17.50 Liberty Wines

Chalking up Gold for Portugal in this category, Resigon was praised for this ‘elegant and herbal wine, with a spicy nose, and good orange marmalade notes. Very sweet, with good acidity’, according to Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel. Team leader Angela Reddin praised its ‘burnt sugar nose, with dense Christmas pudding fruit and spice. Quite sapid and elegant. A hand sell, but worth it.’ £25.12/50cl

£25.12 Size: 50cl Resigon SA

This Gold Lister was ‘complex and beautifully elegant, with a balletic finish’, began team leader Olivier Marie, who found ‘rancio, nutty chocolate and mocha notes with a balsamic character on the finish, and coffee notes, too’. ‘Super-nutty, with a long, oxidised finish,’ added Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer. Team leader Angela Reddin praised a ‘salty, herbal nose leading to a rich caramel palate with salted lemon, and a maple syrup finish’. £10.03/37.5cl

£10.03 Size: 37.5cl Liberty Wines

This Gold Lister was ‘beautifully balanced, with precise aromatics and herbal notes, and a sweet residual sugar level, but it’s in balance’, said team leader Olivier Marie, while fellow team leader Annette Scarfe MW enjoyed its ‘lovely ginger spice aromas, delicate texture and Bramley apple on the palate’. Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club noted ‘herbal, kümmel notes, leading to an elegant floral, camomile finish’. £8.85/75cl

£8.85 Size: 75cl Top Selection Ltd

Alvear struck Gold with this indulgent, rich wine, which was considered by our judges to be beautifully balanced, too. ‘Full of raisins and prunes on the nose, richness, complexity and a true terroir feel on the palate,’ began Yauatcha’s Kelvin McCabe, with Xabier Alvarez of Trangallán adding: ‘Such great length and complexity, with lovely coffee notes on the aftertaste.’ Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel wanted to see this served alongside almond cake or tiramisu. £11.35/37.5cl

£11.35 Size: 37.5cl Bibendum

Taking Gold for its rich, intense character and vibrant fruit, this Moscatel Roxo was described by Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel as having ‘pronounced raisin, sultana, orange and kumquat marmalade notes, with good acidity and a fine and rich texture’. Team leader Angela Reddin was impressed by ‘nutty richness, espresso and citrus peel, leading to a warm, long finish’. £22/50cl

£22.00 Size: 50cl Raymond Reynolds

Our panel members were unanimous on this Gold winner, with Giuseppe Longobardi of The 3A Pub Company highlighting its ‘toasted fig, caramelised orange, toffee and nice fresh balance’, and WSET’s Mike Best finding it a ‘truly delicious wine, with wonderful complexity, balsamic notes, freshness and great length’. Equally good with foie gras or sticky toffee pudding, according to Geoffray Bénat of Cépages Wine Bistro. £26.45/75cl

£26.61 Size: 75cl Liberty Wines

‘Just delicious,’ was team leader Angela Reddin’s summation of this Gold medal winner, going on to describe ‘concentrated and intense raisined fruit, candied nuts, caramel and spice that goes on and on’. ‘Deep and dense, with good grip on the palate and treacle toffee notes on the finish,’ added team leader Simon Woods. ‘Orange marmalade and walnut notes – this is sweet, but nicely balanced,’ concluded Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel. £16.33/37.5cl

£16.39 Size: 37.5cl Liberty Wines

‘A lovely expression of colheita,’ praised team leader Annette Scarfe MW, going on to describe ‘hazelnuts and sweet cinnamon spice, with a fresh, juicy palate’. Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot very much enjoyed its ‘lovely mellow Christmas cake character with a huge, rounded palate explosion’, while Vinoteca’s Charlie Young highlighted ‘walnuts and molasses, great acidity and power leading to flavours of ground walnuts, stewed plums and currants’. Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish thought this was best served with orange cheesecake. £21.70/75cl

£21.70 Size: 75cl Boutinot

Team leader Annette Scarfe MW enjoyed this Gold medal LBV’s ‘lovely, plush, juicy primary fruit with Christmas cake spice and richness on the palate, a lovely core of acidity, dense, dark chocolate and liquorice coming through on the finish’, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club noted its ‘fresh cherry fruit and gentle balsamic aromas, with cigar tobacco and leather notes adding complexity to a powerful, fruit-driven character’. The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira saw this all adding up to a perfect match for blue cheese. £19/75cl

£19.00 Size: 75cl Atlantico UK, Top Selection

It couldn't be anything but Gold for Quinta do Vallado’s 10 Year Old, which Xabier Alvarez of Trangallán described as having ‘candy and flowers on the nose, with dark preserved fruits and hints of rose, a light palate with juicy fig and plum, cherry fruit and red liquorice on the finish’. Team leader Laurent Richet MS described this as a ‘muscular style of port, with spice, honey, caramel and date notes, and a persistent finish’, while Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh summed it up: ‘Good balance of acidity and sweetness, with fine wood and oxidation.’ £13.32/50cl

£13.32 Size: 50cl Bibendum

Rich dried fruit and beautiful nutty notes elevated this tawny to Gold. ‘Church wood, great figgy fruit and acidity, then a lingering finish. Lovely stuff,’ said a satisfied Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh, with Tobias Brauweiler MS of Sake No Hana highlighting ‘dark chocolate and coffee powder, complex caramel and preserved fruit flavours, nicely balanced alcohol and sweetness’. Ideally suited to complement ‘cooked figs with blue cheese and walnuts’, thought Elly Owen of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall. £26.25/75cl

£26.25 Size: 75cl Hallgarten & Novum Wines

This wowed our judges with its complexity, depth and individuality, earning it not only a well-deserved Gold, but the Caspar Auchterlonie Award for the competition’s top fortified wine. Le Cordon Bleu London’s Matthieu Longuère MS praised ‘toffee-fudge and honeyed mead aromas, with lovely fruit on a palate that’s really fresh and minty, with a slightly gritty texture and wonderful length’. ‘Powerful and warming,’ began J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers, adding: ‘This is very mineral and well developed, with elegant, dried apricot fruit and a saltiness too.’ Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish was taken by its ‘rich, complex, nutty nose, as well as a peppery note, leading to a spicy finish with a touch of nutmeg. Ideally suited to either a cheese board or sticky toffee pudding.’ £14.62/37.5cl

£14.62 Size: 37.5cl Sogrape Vinhos SA

‘A lovely example, plush and luscious with a generous mid-palate packed with an explosive fruit compote of sweet plums and spice, with great length on the finish, too,’ said impressed team leader Annette Scarfe MW of this Gold medal winner. Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club admired its ‘rich red cherries with gentle balsamic notes, sweet herbal character on the palate with rich, developed fruit character on the finish’. ‘Buy now and hide it while you can,’ suggested team leader Tom Forrest, with The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira in agreement: ‘Showing well, despite still being a baby, but it will become a big vintage port in 15–20 years’ time.’ £36.55/75cl

£36.66 Size: 75cl Liberty Wines

Team leader Sam Caporn MW felt this complex and mature Gold Lister showed ‘nice development and notes of caramel and baked fruit on the nose, followed by a balanced, integrated and seamless character on the palate with a long and nutty finish’. Andrés Iterate of Coq d’Argent appreciated its ‘caramel and brown sugar notes, along with a creamy, Fig Newton, brioche flavour’. £92/75cl

£92.00 Size: 75cl Liberty Wines

Taking one of the two white port Golds in this year’s competition, this was a ‘complex, elegant and nutty’ style according to Le Cordon Bleu London’s Matthieu Longuère MS, who enjoyed its ‘dried flowers and lovely fruit with freshness and elegance on the finish’, while team leader Jade Koch found ‘pretty orange character, drying on the palate with marzipan notes emerging and great character and length’. ‘Good intensity and definition of fruit, with notes of date, raisin, prune and cooked apple,’ added Jacopo Armenio of Vineries. £14.50/37.5cl

£14.50 Size: 37.5cl Hayward Bros

It was no surprise that this colheita snapped up Gold. ‘Coffee and walnuts, dark chocolate, youthful yet harmonious, notes of finely ground nuts and Christmas cake and very smooth texture. Oh yeah!’ exclaimed a very satisfied Charlie Young of Vinoteca. Meanwhile, for Sebastian Agnello of The Don Restaurant, its ‘walnuts, toasted hazelnuts and cooked prune character make it the perfect match with cheese’. J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers had a sweeter match in mind, saying: ‘Caramelised almonds and developing fruit would make this great with chocolate and coffee cake.’ £48.35/75cl

£48.35 Size: 75cl Hayward Bros

A beautiful blend of fruit and minerality, elevating this Vinho Verde to Gold. Immacolata Cannavo of Hakkasan Dubai enjoyed its ‘open, mineral, flinty style with white pear, clean acidity and floral notes’, while Charles Pashby-Taylor of Dabbous found ‘limes and pineapples, with a nutty, almond and citrus palate’. The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira highlighted its ‘smoothness and vegetal, lemon-lime character with peachy softness’, adding that it would be ‘perfect with fatty fish’.

£9.63 Bibendum

Judges were enamoured with abundant fruit and freshness here, awarding this Gold. Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW found it a ‘generous, fleshy white with zesty acid’, while the Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins found ‘pear aromas with light rose notes, sweet pear with fresh green apple character and a rich, complex finish’. Charles Carron Brown of The Forest Side Grasmere, meanwhile, found ‘jasmine tea and white flowers, as well as orange blossom and sherbet notes alongside Bramley apples, all with crisp acidity’.

£16.58 QUINTA DA ESPINHOSA

Fruity and savoury in equal measures, judges thought this easily worthy of Gold. Team leader Jade Koch described ‘leather notes, and a really juicy palate, with cherry fruit, and a drying finish’. Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer agreed that this was ‘super-juicy, with floral notes, as well as a chalk and pepper on the palate, with great acidity’. ‘Nice fruit extraction and deep intensity, with elegant tannins and a long finish – amazing with quail,’ concluded Gabriele Galuppo of Theo Randall at the InterContinental.

£9.46 Liberty Wines

Spring Restaurant’s Antoine Cabre enjoyed this Gold winner’s ‘lovely, attractive nose with nice freshness, a sharp attack but fresh and fruity character, and well-balanced spices’, while team leader Annette Scarfe MW also found it ‘juicy and spicy, with a warming finish but soft and structured, ripe tannins’. Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins found ‘rich cherry notes with some meaty character, too’, while team leader Lionel Periner recommended this be paired with duck.

£7.56 The Portuguese Fine Wine Company

‘A spicy and rich, ripe and full-bodied wine that’s finely balanced with great fruit ripeness and sufficient structure to age well,’ began Jonathan Giffrin of Claude Bosi @ Bibendum as this Touriga Nacional took Gold. Team leader Annette Scarfe MW found it a ‘big, ambitious style, still youthful, but will integrate and soften nicely’. Jason Atherton Group’s Stefan Kobald, meanwhile, could see this pairing beautifully with a t-bone steak.

£18.37 Bibendum

Team leader Martin Lam found a Gold-worthy wine here, with its ‘floral, perfumed aroma notes, and deep red-fruited, savoury-sweet palate’, commenting on its good value for money. Meanwhile, Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot noted ‘dark berries and eucalyptus notes with subtle depth of flavour’. ‘Blackcurrant, black cherry and chocolate, with some herbal notes, too, leading to cinnamon and plum on the palate, with some fresh acidity – great with lamb curry,’ thought Markus Dilger of MAD F&B Consulting.

£9.37 Casa Ermelinda Freitas - Vinhos, Lda

An appealing, savoury style, accompanied by plenty of fruit, was enough to elevate this to Gold. ‘Dark fruit with some animal characteristics, prominent tannin yet good freshness on the palate, too, this will improve further with time,’ said Street XO’s Raphael Thierry, while team leader Sam Caporn MW found it ‘well structured and classic, with tight red and black cherry aromas’.

£8.83 Boutinot

‘This Gold absolutely nailed Rhône Syrah, with that lovely meaty, spicy pepperiness and fantastic texture on the palate, good acidity and a nice grippiness to the tannins,’ said an impressed Neil Tabraham of Paris House, adding: ‘Exceptionally good value for money and could sit comfortably on any wine list.’ Team leader Laura Rhys MS praised its ‘rich, bold, crunchy fruit, prune character and nice, vibrant complexity’, with WSET’s Mike Best concluding: ‘Wow, balanced and vibrant, so versatile and food friendly.’ Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW thought this a perfect match for ‘venison with blackberries or beetroot’.

£15.57 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

A complete wine for team leader Angela Reddin, earning it Gold. ‘Lifted framboise and sweet plum aromas, a whiff of Asian spice, and a generous, fruit-laden palate held together by nice acid and svelte tannin. Lovely,’ she said. Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia described ‘an elegant, light and meaty wine, with cooked fruit and touches of spice’, while team leader Sam Caporn MW enjoyed its ‘classic summer pudding aromatics’.

£12.53 Majestic Commercial

Herbaceous and packed with red fruit, this took Gold for Domaine de la Solitude. ‘Eucalyptus and lifted cherry notes, with an elegant and perfumed palate,’ thought Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia. ‘A really well-made wine, with spice and red-berry fruit,’ praised team leader Sam Caporn MW, adding: ‘Seamless and characterful. This is young, with lots of potential, and a great match for bresaola with porcini mushroom risotto.’

£24.34 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

A Gold-worthy wine of ‘massive complexity’ for team leader Angela Reddin, who found it ‘inky deep with soy and balsamic notes on the nose, olives and hot earth, then cassis and herbs on a palate of vibrant fruit weight, layers of flavour and a long, driving finish’. Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan also noted ‘toasty coffee notes, dark chocolate and smoky black pepper with cassis, plenty of tannin and full character’. ‘A lovely wine for steaks and game,’ suggested Caroline Catering’s Richard Brooks.

£18.99 Boutinot

Taking Gold for its complex, savoury, herbal character, this was described by team leader Andrea Briccarello as having ‘tomato leaf and basil, with great freshness and complexity, and layers of fruit, with a long, spicy finish’. The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira praised ‘tropical notes on the nose and elegance on the palate, with notes of lemon ice cream and biscuit’, while Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London found ‘mineral, flint notes, with beeswax, too – lovely, elegant and complex’.

£54.87 Arba Wine

This Gold Lister represented a classic style for team leader Jade Koch, with its ‘pale and pretty colour, refreshing strawberry and peach fruit, mineral touches on a clean palate and dry on the finish’. ‘Juicy and fresh, lovely fruit and a very long finish,’ added Le Cordon Bleu London’s Matthieu Longuère MS. ‘One to serve very cold on a hot day at a barbecue,’ thought team leader Laurent Richet MS.

£6.48 Molson Coors

‘Perfectly structured, like Champagne for rosé,’ began Piotr Artur Tomaszewski of Buddha Bar in his description of this Gold winner, praising its ‘strawberry and cherry fruit with a touch of redcurrant, hints of smoke on a soft, well-built, refreshing palate that shows a touch of oak and lovely creamy texture’, recommending: ‘You can definitely drink this with salmon or any light food.’ ‘It’s a good, complex wine that really stands in a category of its own,’ added Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London.

£70.96 Bibendum

Its complex, fruit-forward style assured Château Roquefeuille of a spot on the Gold List. Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group found ‘light extraction but pure fruit aromas and flavours of stone fruits, apple, pear and quince with fresh strawberry undertones and keen acidity’, while for Vinoteca’s Charlie Young this showed ‘good intensity on the nose, and a great balance of expressive, ripe and pure fruit with juicy acidity – quite a classy style’.

£12.58 Gassier SAS

Versatility, food-friendliness and vibrant fruit – this had all the hallmarks of a Gold-winning wine. Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall enjoyed its ‘fresh, wet stones and bright red cherry aromas, then raspberry, strawberry and slight tropical hints on the palate with refreshing acidity, juicy, vibrant fruit flavours and a fresh finish’, while Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin also picked up on its ‘orange peel, raspberry and violet notes, delicate and subtle, crisp, crunchy fruit character’. Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants thought this was ‘great value, and a real food wine, great with salmon tartare’.

£8.27 Enotria&Coe

Snapping up a well-deserved second Gold for Bodegas Yuste in the category, this was ‘really focused, with a great mouthfeel’, began Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte, impressed with its ‘green apple, brioche and almond complexity with fresh lemon notes and beautifully balanced length’. ‘Very dry, with a lifted, saline character and a herbal note, with fresh acidity overall,’ added team leader Sam Caporn MW. £16.04/37.5cl

£16.04 Size: 37.5cl Top Selection Ltd

The first of two Golds this year for Fernando de Castilla, this was ‘topaz-brown with an old golden tinge, with plums, honey, cooked apples, nuts and spices on the nose’, began Bleeding Heart Group’s Christopher Delalonde MS, impressed with its ‘complex palate of wet leather and stone, cooking spices, dried nuts and dried flowers, ginger and darker spice notes, with beautiful and vivid acid structure, all superbly knitted and poised, through to a long and savoury finish’. ‘Great balance and style, and full of umami character,’ added team leader Angela Reddin. £24.59/50cl

£24.59 Size: 50cl Boutinot

Fernando de Castilla chalked up a second Gold, this time for its Pedro Ximénez. ‘Coffee and chocolate characters with dates and mixed nuts, this is sweet and complex, and sticky with a long finish and great mouthfeel,’ said Neil Tabraham of Paris House. Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW described this as ‘toasted, leafy and salty, with a silky, dense and powerful palate, with thrilling freshness’, while Bleeding Heart Group’s Christopher Delalonde MS liked its ‘peat and tar notes on the nose, with honey, orange peel, ginger and molasses’. £21.78/50cl

£21.87 Size: 50cl Boutinot

Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish found this superb Gold winner to have an ‘aromatic nose of classic oxidative notes, with bright, fresh and riper fruit notes and great complexity’, followed by ‘good freshness all the way on a dense and rich palate, showing quince and beeswax notes’, with team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW summing up: ‘Clean, pure, racy, mineral, pungent and long.’ £9.99/50cl

£9.99 Size: 50cl Top Selection Ltd

Tony Denis of Mosimann’s was very taken with this Gold medal amontillado’s ‘nutty flavours, spirituous perfume, sweet preserved fruit notes and complexity on the nose, followed by a palate that’s beautiful throughout, showing fig, grilled hazelnuts and a splendid finish with dark chocolate richness’, adding: ‘Honest sherry for a reasonable price, this will be ideal for both young or expert palates.’ Bleeding Heart Group’s Christopher Delalonde MS also noted some ‘savoury notes of smoke and leather, as well as a salty, tangy mid-palate’, while team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW was impressed by ‘a powerful nose and a towering grip on the palate, softened by orange and caramel notes’. £20.37/50cl

£20.37 Size: 50cl Whyte & Mackay Limited

Valdespino’s PX was lavished with praise by our judges, who awarded it Gold in the process. Tim McLaughlin-Green of Sommelier’s Choice found it ‘extremely rich, with prunes and caramel figs’, while Neil Tabraham of Paris House highlighted ‘dark chocolate, dried figs and coffee bean intensity’. Team leader Simon Woods felt it was ‘big and syrupy, with notes of treacle toffee, cough sweets and slight hints of wintergreen mint, with great length on the palate’. £15.05/75cl

£15.16 Size: 75cl Liberty Wines

A Gold not only for its excellent value for money, but for fresh fruit and food-friendliness, too. ‘Zesty on the nose,’ began Dan Cohen of Cépages Wine Bistro in his praise, continuing: ‘Slightly softer on the palate, a very decent, exotic, entry-level choice.’ Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish also noted its ‘rich texture, and contrast of a touch of sweetness on the finish, with a hint of bitterness on the palate’. Team leader Annette Scarfe MW said: ‘Lovely purity of fruit. A clean and fresh wine, with citrus peel and grapefruit. Ideal with seafood.’

£6.74 Bibendum

‘Nutty, savoury and toasty, a wine with real intrigue,’ began Mike Best of the WSET of this Gold winner, taken with its style and individuality. ‘If you’re looking for something different, this wine will keep on giving and developing in the bottle, and what a great match for pork chops with sage,’ he concluded. Team leader Laura Rhys MS also noted ‘mandarin orange and citrus, nice weight, bright, juicy and herbaceous’, with Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms thinking it ‘complex and elegant, with pear and apple, as well as guava and custard apple’.

£11.45 Boutinot

An earthy, spicy, complex character made this a clear candidate for Gold. Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) was taken with its ‘richness of colour and intense yet elegant, earthy character on the nose’, followed by ‘soft mouthfeel and good tannins, roasted notes, coffee and liquorice, and a complex finish with a spicy lift’. Team leader Andrea Briccarello agreed, noting: ‘Wild game and wild berry aromas, spices and garrigue herbs on the palate with a savoury, complex style, notes of forest fruits and sweet spices on the finish.’ Best with smoked beef fillet, thought Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse.

£51.65 Enotria&Coe

‘Pretty, raspberry fruit aromas, drying tannins on the palate, chocolate richness and slight floral hints with chewy red fruit,’ said team leader Jade Koch in praise of this Gold Lister, while Marek Rakowski of Harbour Heights Hotel was impressed with its ‘ripe strawberry taste, good oak structure and a very good price level’. Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte, meanwhile, was taken with ‘crushed cranberry and a steely mid-palate, with a long red-fruit finish’. ‘Bold and beautiful – a match for lamb tagine,’ concluded Elly Owen of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall.

£13.04 Boutinot

Walking away with a Food Match Trophy as well as the Gold, this had ‘a savoury nose, good structure and depth – quite a serious style with dark fruit and bite, but good integration too,’ according to an impressed Charlie Young of Vinoteca. ‘Dark, inky, bone dry on the palate, really attractive, complete and calm on the finish with a hint of milk chocolate,’ added team leader Jade Koch, while Marek Rakowski of Harbour Heights Hotel highlighted ‘perfect extraction, ripe tannins and smoky vanilla notes, inviting a pairing with steak’.

£10.64 Boutinot

This worthy Gold winner had ‘soft aromas on a bright, inviting, fruit-focused nose,’ began team leader Martin Lam, who was keen on its ‘rounded palate, good depth and maturity of fruit’, while consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates enjoyed its ‘fresh, raw, meaty aromas and leather notes on the nose, then a zippy, refreshing yet elegant palate that has great body and many layers’. Elly Owen of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall pictured it alongside ‘fillet with bone-marrow butter and wood-fired veg’.

£27.50 Eurowines

A clear candidate for Gold, this accessible Albariño was ‘very appealing, with soft fruit and great minerality on the palate, with gentle acidity, too,’ said team leader Jade Koch, with Gabriel Liotta of Hakkasan Hanway Place finding it ‘ripe, fruity and very approachable, with a little sweetness on the aftertaste’. ‘Precise and mineral, with a salty, sea breeze note, making this a good match for stone crab and pickles,’ suggested team leader Laurent Richet MS.

£8.87 Indigo Wine

This Gold Lister had an attractive savoury, mineral character to accompany its generous fruit, impressing our judges. James Fryer of Portland Restaurant found an array of flavours: ‘Almond skin, smoke and white peach on the nose, apricot and almond beurre on the palate with pear and apricot stone fruit, clove and cinnamon spice.’ For team leader Laurent Richet MS, it showed ‘tangerine, cream soda and crushed stones – this needs a plate of oysters’.

£9.43 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Another Gold for Paco & Lola, this time with an unusual offering that intrigued our judges. ‘Full of apricots on the nose, as well as a floral note, and a touch of honey,’ said Lukasz Walkowiak of Oxo Tower Restaurant of this ‘full-bodied wine with persistent finish’. Chez Bruce’s Sara Bachiorri added: ‘A ripe style, with candied ginger, and oak giving it some creaminess. Not for everyone’s wine list, but would be fun to work with – a good wine to match with pork stew, or liver dishes.’

£18.54 Matthew Clark

The first of a pair of Albariño Golds for Paco & Lola, this was described by team leader Lionel Periner as a ‘top-class’ example, which showed ‘complex lime citrus, green tea and almond on the nose, then nicely balanced acidity on a creamy, mineral palate with a dry, fresh and elegant finish’. ‘Typical Albariño, with good texture, and a lingering finish. A very enjoyable glass of wine,’ summarised Chez Bruce’s Sara Bachiorri. ‘In need of a seafood platter,’ added team leader Laurent Richet MS.

£12.62 Matthew Clark

The judges were enamoured with this wine’s fresh, sprightly style, awarding it Gold. ‘A little higher residual sugar here, and it’s brighter for it,’ began team leader Jade Koch, adding: ‘Acidity is quite perky, and there’s a nice spritz on the finish.’ Chez Bruce’s Sara Bachiorri was reminded of ‘the sea shore – mineral and fresh – but the palate shows honey notes, along with lemon peel. Rich yet fresh, and long-lasting. This could be served with seafood risotto.’

£10.77 Bibendum

Timothy Connor of Bread Street Kitchen liked this Gold-winning Godello’s ‘fresh lemon and jasmine, well-rounded character’, while Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer highlighted ‘smoke and hazelnuts, under-ripe guava aromas with flavours of almond milk, peach skin and baking spices’. For Chez Bruce’s Sarah Bachiorri, this was reminiscent of ‘a baked apple pie, with a salty finish – nice texture and richness’.

£12.99 Matthew Clark

A red Gold to complement Losada’s equivalent white win, this was ‘revealing a bit of age, with tobacco leaf, mushroom and mature leather notes on the nose, perfect for a steak house’, began The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira, with Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall finding: ‘Lots of sweet spices, earthy cigar box and pipe tobacco notes, a meaty nose then lots of brooding, dark fruits with ripe, grippy tannins on a balanced, complex palate.’ A match for ox cheek, thought team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW.

£10.98 Matthew Clark

A classic example, according to our judges, and deserving of a Gold medal. ‘Moderately intense on the nose, with black fruits of prune and blackcurrant,’ began Chantal Serrano of Tamarind of Mayfair, continuing: ‘Dry on the palate, with fresh cherry and berry fruit and a light floral note.’ ‘Leafy tobacco and jammy character, good balanced acidity, good, easy, rounded wine would go well in a pub,’ added Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted. Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW described ‘a meaty aroma, with tar, leading to punchy acid and rustic tannin – a powerful, individual wine. Serve chilled with Morcilla de Burgos.’

£7.08 Davy's Wine Merchants

A great-value Gold from Navarra, this had ‘mineral aromas and oily texture, with leesy character and good acidity, lovely ripeness and a hint of oak, well made and balanced’, according to impressed team leader Laurent Richet MS, who concluded: ‘Almost over-delivers at the price.’ Fellow team leader Lionel Periner praised ‘nice apricot aromas and a floral note, leading to a dry, aromatic palate, with good length – a match for octopus terrine with avocado’.

£10.78 Enotria&Coe

Taking Gold for Txakolí, this had, according to Smith & Wollensky’s Scott Levy, ‘salty savoury notes with lime zest, nice sharp dryness with hints of green apple’, while team leader Olivier Marie found a ‘salty mineral nose, lovely concentration of fruit on a slightly perlant palate’. The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira found ‘a tropical nose, with peach and mango, and some creaminess’, while team leader Lionel Periner praised its ‘fresh and well-balanced palate, with a dry finish’.

£9.81 Boutinot

‘Appealingly juicy,’ said team leader Annette Scarfe MW of this Gold-worthy wine, enjoying its ‘delicious, opulent, rich and ripe fruit with notes of liquorice and cinnamon spice’, while Simon Cassina of Winexponent rated it ‘excellent, with black berries and great concentration, good use of oak on a full, spicy palate’, advising: ‘This will be good for further ageing.’ Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW thought this was ideally suited to barbecued goat or seared red meat.

£16.58 Bodegas Príncipe de Viana

Flying the flag for Valdejalón, and taking home Gold in the process, this was ‘a nice, refreshing, summer breeze wine’, began J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers, finding ‘floral notes and fruit well integrated with the oak’, while team leader Tom Forrest picked out ‘aromatic notes, pear and green apple and lemon acidity’. Fellow team leader Angela Reddin found ‘Asian pear on the nose, leading to lemony spritz on the palate, with clean lines and a well-driven, mineral finish – a match for goose barnacles’.

£8.36 Jascots Wine Merchants

A full, fruity character elevated this to Gold, with consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates noting ‘pear and apple, spice and ginger hints – oily and mouth-filling’. Buddha Bar’s Piotr Artur Tomaszewski found ‘creamy honeysuckle, camomile, fresh grapefruit, banana, pineapple and a long, herbaceous finish’. For Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson, there was ‘some honey and spicy oak with tropical fruit, and a rich, creamy palate with lemon peel and more spice – good for spicy prawns’.

£12.26 Indigo Wine

Gold was the only outcome for this complex, fascinating wine, with ‘plums and blackcurrant, leather and coffee notes, good spice and black pepper character on the palate with a great finish’, according to an impressed Frédéric Billet of Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa, who concluded: ‘Certainly a foodie wine, but would also be great on its own by the fire.’ ‘Great flesh, fruit and poise, broad-perfumed with fine purity and character,’ agreed Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin. A perfect match for wild boar, thought team leader Sam Caporn MW.

£17.49 Boutinot

‘Big and chunky, with very dark berry fruit on a finely balanced, fleshy palate with notes of dark chocolate,’ said Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin in praise of this clear Gold winner, while Benoît Poulain of Adam’s Restaurant enjoyed its ‘lovely blackcurrant nose, slightly rustic style but smooth, gentle oak and good balance of ripe fruit on the palate’. Team leader Sam Caporn MW found ‘fragrant spice and oak’, making this ‘a very commercial style’.

£8.04 Liberty Wines

A full and rounded style, with everything it needed to earn Gold. Team leader Tom Forrest found ‘buttery lemon aromas followed by a creamy-textured palate with soft pickled lemon notes, spicy oak and malo character on the finish’. ‘Ripe pear, unctuous and expressive with lemon shortbread and physallis notes,’ added consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates. Team leader Angela Reddin thought this was ‘all about the purity, and a good match for sea bass’.

£23.95 Bancroft Wines

This Gold Lister was ‘delicious for the price – just what people want and expect from Spain’, began Marcin Oziebly of The Wild Rabbit, finding ‘strong vanilla and notes of coconut oak, lovely ripe fruit and a long finish’, while team leader Angela Reddin highlighted its ‘dark black stone fruits with some cassis notes, a generous, fleshy and spicy palate, with great balance and length’. Frances Bentley of Individual Restaurants thought it ‘refined and elegant, with spice, balance and finesse on the palate – a match for lamb shoulder’.

£7.77 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Ruby colour and medium-bodied structure,’ said Buddha Bar’s Piotr Artur Tomaszewski of this Gold medal reserva, finding ‘cherries and plums on the nose with farmyardy hints, cinnamon and pencil shaving notes on a fresh, rounded palate, showing more cherry and plum fruit – and it’s good value for money, too’. Meanwhile, Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted enjoyed its ‘light, elegant nose, lovely mix of red fruits, blackberry and forest floor, with refreshing acidity’. Vinoteca’s Charlie Young thought ‘savoury, spicy, fresh aromas and some power on the palate, with acidity to match’ made this perfect for slow-cooked pork belly.

£12.42 Bibendum

This was a gran reserva worthy of Gold, with team leader Annette Scarfe MW finding ‘good concentration of dark berry fruit with rounded acidity, a pleasantly juicy mid-palate and good length on the finish’. Fellow team leader Sam Caporn MW found it ‘a lovely wine, and still quite youthful, with spicy oak, which would pair well with tapas such as chorizo and patatas bravas’.

£15.95 Liberty Wines

This could only be Gold, with Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted dubbing it a ‘beautiful, old school wine, a treasure in a glass’, and relishing its ‘dry, cherry fruit and forest berries, leafy character with lots of waves of flavour – a meditation wine that will keep happily in the cellar, with its kick of acidity helping it to age well’. ‘A lovely complex wine, quite spicy and savoury, as well as elegant and fresh,’ added Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London, while Geoffray Bénat of Cépages Wine Bistro recommended it be served with venison fillet.

£19.93 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Exceptional value like this could only be rewarded with Gold. This remarkably priced wine exemplified a ‘relaxed style’, according to team leader Simon Woods, who went on to describe it as having ‘gentle, juicy berry fruit with a light, jammy edge – a perfect match for lasagne’. Charles Pashby-Taylor of Dabbous highlighted its characters of ‘smoked meats with ripe raspberry and cherry fruit’, while Dario Barbato of Individual Restaurants enjoyed its ‘nice, fresh fruit style on the nose with dusty tannins and good acidity on the palate’.

£5.83 Hatch Mansfield

Another versatile and great value offering from Rioja, earning the category another Gold. Team leader Simon Woods was impressed by this wine’s excellent ‘balance and dry tannins, as well as an appealing mint note’, while Alessandro de Angelis of Jamavar loved the ‘freshness on the palate, with crunchy cherry fruit and some grippy tannins’. For Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall, there was ‘bramble fruit, charred wood and charcuterie notes with a floral character, good body, depth and intensity, finishing with a finesse’.

£6.16 Majestic Commercial

Finding a traditional style, as well as some maturity, judges elevated this to Gold. Team leader Simon Woods found it to be ‘gentle and ripe, with big structure but good fresh, vibrant and plummy berry and spices behind’, while Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish identified ‘coffee, chocolate, green pepper and a spicy finish’. J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers praised ‘a nutty, meaty, chocolate and dark fruit expression’.

£22.90 Bibendum

Judges singled this out for Gold for its freshness and approachability. ‘Elegant with light menthol and a pleasing finish, and very easy to drink,’ began Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky, with team leader Simon Woods also noting ‘juicy dark berry and redcurrant aromas, then a lively and ripe palate’. Fellow team leader Annette Scarfe MW praised ‘dark cherries and plums, with refreshing acidity and a clean and precise finish – lovely with suckling pig’.

£7.50 Boutinot

‘Rich and yeasty, showing yellow fruits and good mousse,’ began Street XO’s Raphael Thierry of this worthy Gold winner, with team leader Sam Caporn MW finding ‘intriguing aromas and flavours with apple notes, tight acidity and a pretty, fresh, yeasty style’. Sumilier’s Sumi Sarma enjoyed ‘mouthwatering acidity with underlying minerality’, while The Ned Hotel’s Giancarlo Cuccuru saw this working well with seafood.

£22.92 Bibendum , Matthew Clark

A delicate and mineral character led Palmer to the Gold podium with its blanc de blancs. ‘Fresh style, with lemon and marzipan, brioche and green pepper notes on the nose,’ said Piotr Artur Tomaszewski of Buddha Bar, who found ‘lemon and lime fruit with camomile and wild strawberry on the palate, which is elegant and well structured with a lightly oxidative character’. ‘Fantastic acidity makes this a perfect pairing for lobster thermidor,’ added Marek Rakowski of Harbour Heights Hotel.

£28.72 Bibendum

Ultra-dry Gold winner Drappier earned judges’ praise for its rich complexity and food friendliness. ‘Complex aromas with lemon, good typical character on the palate with slightly high acidity,’ began Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted, with team leader Angela Reddin finding ‘plenty of autolysis, biscuity and mineral notes, good for gastropubs’. ‘Pair with tandoori chicken,’ suggested Tamarind of Mayfair’s Chantal Serrano.

£29.79 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Mike Best of the WSET enjoyed this off-dry Gold Lister’s ‘rich and inviting, bold green apple fruit on the nose, followed by balanced sweetness and freshness on the palate, which would pair very well with grilled king scallops’, while Giuseppe Longobardi of The 3A Pub Company also noted ‘toasted nuts, baked peach with marzipan on a toasty finish’. ‘It would be interesting to try this not only with desserts, but with a dish like vegetable curry and rice, too,’ concluded Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted.

£27.32 Bibendum , Matthew Clark

Describing this highly acclaimed Gold winner, Giuseppe Longobardi of The 3A Pub Company found ‘hazelnuts and cream on the nose, then a lemon and grapefruit palate with baked fig notes on the finish and a touch of warm butter’, while The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira enjoyed its ‘red and green apple nose, creamy, oily texture, hints of rose and amazing finish’. ‘A haute cuisine wine suited to white-meat dishes,’ said Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted, adding: ‘I could sip this all night. A meditation wine for champagne lovers.’

£40.24 Bibendum , Matthew Clark

Unanimously awarded Gold, Taittinger’s Comtes de Champagne opened with ‘green and red apples, some sweet peach and golden fruit notes on the nose’, according to Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer, who went on to note ‘rich, sweet apricot fruit on the palate with notes of yellow flowers and toasty brioche’. Team leader Angela Reddin also identified ‘mushrooms and meadow flowers’, and praised its ‘amazing complexity delivered with grand elegance. Perfect for dégustation menus, and a match for lobster, native oysters, or anything with white truffle.’

£96.06 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

Ivan Ruiz of Wright Brothers enjoyed this Gold Lister’s ‘great, expressive nose, full body and persistent acidity with rounded character and good, ripe fruit’, while Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer picked up flavours of ‘quince paste and red apples, pear flesh and red fruits’, concluding: ‘Super-pretty and elegant.’ For Bovey Castle’s Francisco Macedo, this ‘fresh, vibrant wine, with its nice ripeness and toasty notes, would be good with seafood’.

£48.66 Berkmann Wine Cellars

This example rose to Gold with, according to Timothy Connor of Bread Street Kitchen, ‘a fresh nose, good body, lots of primary fruit, but secondary characters developing, and marzipan on the finish’, while Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer noted: ‘Yogurt and apple with light sawdust aromas, tart yellow fruits and Nashi pear notes.’ Team leader Angela Reddin thought it was well suited to fine dining restaurants.

£59.44 Matthew Clark

Understated at first, Lyme Bay’s Classic Cuvée soon won judges over with bright freshness and a great price tag. Neil Tabraham of Paris House spoke of a ‘bright nose, grapefruit and green apples’, while Antonio Cuadros of The Don Restaurant enjoyed its ‘strawberry fruit and quite saline style’, also finding ‘barnyard notes, but subtle and elegant on the palate with a good, rounded finish’. ‘Generous minerality with a touch of steeliness and lovely mousse,’ added team leader Olivier Marie.

£17.26 Lyme Bay Winery

Earning its place on the Gold List with generous fruit and freshness, this sparkler was described by James Fryer of Portland Restaurant as having a ‘green apple nose, leading to red apple and cherry blossom, and a very pretty finish’. ‘Good mousse with refreshing green fruit, rather yeasty, but good acidity with brioche notes and a long finish,’ said Francisco Macedo of Bovey Castle. ‘Well balanced, good for an aperitif,’ concluded team leader Laurent Richet MS.

£24.51 Liberty Wines

Snapping up another Gold for England, this was ‘opulent, with bags of character, and would work wonders with food’, according to Charles Carron Brown of The Forest Side Grasmere. Remarking on its unusual fruit flavours and a particularly ‘smoky’ character, Francisco Macedo of Bovey Castle highlighted its ‘peach notes and creamy texture with firm bubbles, blood orange and fresh apple juice with a good finish’.

£21.77 Jascots Wine Merchants

This ripe Chardonnay-based blend proved ‘that the UK has a place in the fizz market’, according to Charles Ashby-Taylor of Dabbous. Team leader Sam Capon MW joined in its praise, describing a wine that had ‘pretty balance, nice autolysis, good freshness and a saline note’. ‘This is a fashionable style, classy and nutty with salty mineral notes. It would be good for a high-end restaurant,’ concluded Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted.

£21.96 Laithwaite's Wine

Simonsig Estate snapped up Gold with its approachable yet complex fizz. Mattia Mazzi of Lutyens found it to be ‘dry, lean and refreshing, with minerals and a good fruit component’, while Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson highlighted its ‘bright acid, nice toast and cream – plenty here for the price’. Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin suggested serving this with foie gras terrine.

£9.40 Jascots Wine Merchants, Alexander Wines, C&O Wines

Arras took Gold for Tasmania, demonstrating a ‘beautiful’ style, according to Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson, who found a ‘fine, complex nose, elegant, pure and really good’, adding: ‘It’s tightly wound, and very un-New World, somehow. Poised, long and complex.’ Team leader Simon Woods enjoyed its ‘complex, ripe, rounded and nutty’ notes, while Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin suggested it would be a perfect match with fresh rock oysters.

£26.61 Liberty Wines

This lightly sparkling Gold medallist had a ‘deep ruby colour with bramble fruit aromas and a refreshing palate’, began Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot, with team leader Martin Lam adding: ‘Sappy and dry, though a touch of residual sugar on the finish, interesting and good for food.’ Specifically, this would be ‘great with charcuterie or spicy lamb’, said Elly Owen of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall.

£14.90 Eurowines

This semi-sweet Italian fizz rose to Gold with its ‘attractive, ripe tropical fruit nose, and notes of pineapple, melon and passion fruit,’ according to Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels, who found it ‘lively and refreshing on the palate, with a medium sweetness’. Vinoteca’s Charlie Young described a ‘vibrant wine, with lovely balance – drink with panna cotta with tropical fruit’.

£8.87 Ca' del Colle

This extra-dry prosecco took Gold not only for its fine balance and complex fruit, but for displaying some excellent value for money, too. It had notes of ‘bergamot and pear, as well as some candied apple’, according to Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms, while team leader Lionel Periner found ‘fresh lime and nice exotic fruit, making this a good match for pear with saffron mousse’.

£9.67 Eurowines

This prosecco, praised for its ‘popular’ style by team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, took Gold, she explained, for its ‘clean, green apple freshness and light, fun fizz with a tangerine finish’. Carlos Ferreira of The Sign of the Don appreciated its ‘complexity on nose and palate, with vanilla and green fruit’, while Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse found it ‘enjoyable drinking wine, that would be great with ginger prawns’.

£9.95 Eurowines

Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London was impressed by this prosecco’s ‘peach, perfumed, floral aromas’, adding that the palate was ‘really creamy and fresh, quite juicy and ripe with a lovely finish’, while team leader Jade Koch noted its ‘well-balanced sweetness and minerality, as well as apple fruit on the finish, making it very drinkable’. ‘Its stone fruit and good acidity make this a match for fresh fish dishes,’ suggested Carlos Ferreira of The Sign of the Don.

£12.80 Vinicola Tombacco srl

This proved worthy of Gold for its rich, substantial structure, not to mention abundance of citrus and berry fruit. Antoine Cabre of Spring Restaurant noted ‘a very strong flavour, mineral and complex, fresh, well balanced and lovely’, while Jonathan Giffrin of Claude Bosi @ Bibendum found it ‘developed with lovely complexity, ripe fruits, vinous character and spicy notes on the palate, combining savoury notes and sweet pastries’. Team leader Laurent Richet MS thought this an ideal partner for salmon en papillote.

£26.65 Bibendum , Matthew Clark

‘Opulent and characterful, round with a creamy texture,’ began Claude Bosi @ Bibendum’s Jonathan Giffrin of this Gold winner, noting: ‘Rich and developed on the nose with ripe orchard fruits, notes of baking spices and creamy pastry touches.’ ‘Very expressive, fresh and lovely,’ agreed Antoine Cabre of Spring Restaurant. ‘Concentrated and well balanced. A great option for seafood, and salmon in particular,’ suggested Lukasz Walkowiak of Oxo Tower Restaurant.

£40.76 Liberty Wines

This Gold Lister offered a style enjoyed by all of our judging panel, with a ‘lovely attack of elegant mousse with a refreshing berry compote style, complex mid-palate with good length’, said team leader Annette Scarfe MW, while Jonathan Giffrin of Claude Bosi @ Bibendum noted its ‘ripe, elegant, refined style, savoury, precise aromas, roundness and soft bubbles’. A match for fish dishes, said New Street Grill’s Nuno Pereira.

£38.76 Liberty Wines

Taking home Gold for its refreshing, elegant structure, with a pleasant touch of minerality, this rosé was praised by Lukasz Walkowiak of Oxo Tower Restaurant for ‘ripe strawberries, yeasty brioche and an impressive finish’. Jonathan Giffrin of Claude Bosi @ Bibendum enjoyed its ‘fresh, orchard aromas and notes of citrus and pastries’, finding the palate ‘fragrant and racy, refreshing with good tension and an acidic background’. Team leader Laurent Richet MS recommended this be served with creamed chicken with green beans and sweet potato wedges.

£27.00 Bibendum , Matthew Clark

Beautifully balanced acidity and minerality took this delicate rosé sparkler to Gold. ‘A pretty style, which shows nutty autolysis notes on the nose and has a viscous feel on the palate, but is quite pure and citrusy in flavour, and very long-lasting,’ said Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London. ‘An al fresco cob salad in the summer’ was the perfect pairing for Sara Bachiorri of Chez Bruce.

£23.60 Armit

Freshness and light fruit gave this Italian rosé what it needed to take Gold. Yohann Pinol of Wiltons noted its ‘very elegant fruit, fine bubbles and delicate red berry aromas’, while team leader Jade Koch found it ‘clean, clear and bright, with delicate fruit and flower petal flavours’. ‘Floral, carnation and honeysuckle, as well as lovely citrus notes,’ were a highlight for Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London, who paired this with scallop carpaccio and pink grapefruit.

£10.50 Berkmann Wine Cellars

This luxurious Gold winner was well liked by all members of our judging panel. ‘Full, rich and unctuous, with dried apricots, exotic fruit touches and a mouthwatering saline finish,’ said consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates, backed by Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia, who found ‘wonderfully opulent honeysuckle and acacia honey’. ‘Balanced, with lots going on,’ thought team leader Jade Koch, adding: ‘Delicious, mouthfilling and mouthwatering, too, with a creamy, oily, honeyed palate.’ £26/37.5cl

£26.00 Size: 37.5cl Enotria&Coe

Taking the Gold for Chile was this exceptional late harvest wine from Errazuriz. Masahito Suzuki of Sosharu enjoyed its ‘tropical fruit sweetness with acacia notes and long finish’, while Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn alighted on its ‘viscosity, guava, melon and elegance on the palate’. Markus Dilger of MAD F&B Consulting liked ‘orange peel, apricot and honey, not to mention some exotic fruit notes, too. There’s good balance, great acidity, and a long finish.’ £6.36/37.5cl

£6.36 Size: 37.5cl Hatch Mansfield

Worthy of Gold for its fantastic value for money alone, this picked up a By The Glass Trophy, too, impressing judges with ‘crunchy red fruit and good tannins, balanced acidity and great personality’, according to Vinoteca’s Charlie Young. Team leader Annette Scarfe MW loved its ‘fantastic value and vibrant red fruit’, while J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers liked the ‘cherry nose, and a little woodiness on the palate’.

£5.29 Taste Turkey

This Gold winner certainly wasn’t lacking in big, bold character, although it proved to have some finesse, too. Le Cordon Bleu London’s Matthieu Longuère MS enjoyed its ‘perfumed, black pepper, herbal and slightly medicinal’ nose, finding the palate ‘quite lean and spicy, really herby with good power and a long finish’. ‘Brambly and powerful with lots of weight, and very dry, rustic tannins,’ agreed team leader Jade Koch. This made it a good option for lamb with pistachio, according to The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira.

£12.95 Sonvino

‘Big, creamy depth, crunchy tannins, dark fruit, pepper and huge concentration,’ said an enthused Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan Group on encountering this obvious candidate for Gold. Team leader Annette Scarfe MW added: ‘An ambitious wine, with lashings of new vanilla French oak on the nose, very sleek and polished, and packed with fruit.’ ‘A lovely nose, with plum, leather and cherry, as well as some sweet spices, with the oak well integrated on the palate. A match for steak with herbs de Provence,’ concluded Sexy Fish’s Julien Sahut.

£21.85 Mey Icki Sanayi ve Tic. A.S /Kayra Wines

A Gold to go with Urla’s two Silvers in this category, this impressed our judges with its abundant fruit and ripe tannins. ‘Clean with dark fruit on the nose, very intense,’ began Rustem Mingaleev of Bovey Castle, continuing: ‘Dark fruit character of plums, cherries and blackberry on the palate with high tannin and full body, definitely needs red meat.’ ‘Great texture and weight, good chewy concentration,’ added team leader Jade Koch. A great match with venison stew, thought fellow team leader Tom Forrest.

£23.00 Armit Wines

Our panel found this to be a rich, bold style, and undoubtedly worthy of Gold. ‘Well balanced, with rounded tannins,’ began Sexy Fish’s Julien Sahut, describing ‘juicy cherry, plums and pepper’. ‘A lovely example, with vibrant, crunchy redcurrant and cranberry fruit – delicious and inviting you to have another sip,’ added team leader Annette Scarfe MW, who thought this would be an excellent match with grilled lamb.

£8.62 Connolly's Wine Merchants Ltd

Judges were convinced of this Cappadocian’s place on the Gold podium by some tangy fruit and a textured palate. Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky enjoyed its ‘light nose with warm, honeyed tones, elegant and well-balanced palate with good acidity’, while team leader Simon Woods found ‘clean, ripe, gentle pear, and tangy and honest style with a slightly pithy bitterness to the finish’. ‘Bright, refined, elegant and mineral – a match for oysters Rockefeller,’ thought Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin.

£13.79 Connolly's Wine Merchants Ltd

Taking Gold amid high praise from judges, this Côtes du Rhône Blanc was described by Gaetano Giangaspero of Coya Mayfair as having ‘a velvety nose and elegant palate, creamy texture with fresh, balanced acidity and good persistence’, while team leader Lionel Periner pointed out ‘candied lemon aromas, well-balanced palate with nice, elegant fruit style’. An ideal partner for poultry with a creamy sauce, thought Sexy Fish’s Julien Sahut.

£7.23 Hatch Mansfield

An impressive balancing act between richness and freshness earned this Gold. ‘A rich, honeyed style with oak ageing that enhances the vanilla character on the palate, but it’s long and has good acidic balance, too,’ said Gaetano Giangaspero of Coya Mayfair. ‘Ripe and creamy, with tinned peaches and apricots. Well rounded, with an oily texture,’ added team leader Annette Scarfe MW, while Sexy Fish’s Julien Sahut appreciated ‘ripe apple, stone fruit and some mineral notes, with a long finish’.

£14.25 Boutinot