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Winner Details

Sparkling Rosé: UK

2019  GOLD: 3             SILVER: 5         BRONZE: 3       COMMENDED: 5
2018  GOLD: 2             SILVER: 4         BRONZE: 2       COMMENDED: 4

Eleven medals, three of them Gold, made this a really good year for UK pink fizz. But as much as the numbers, the success here was in the feedback from the tasters. They genuinely liked these, seeing an elegance and delicacy to them that matched the colour beautifully.

Not only that, but the prices are pretty good as well. While the home-grown white fizz is approaching the same price as NV champagne, these remained noticeably cheaper than their pink cousins from across the Channel, with nothing over £30 and most around the £20 mark.

Congrats to Harrow & Hope, which picked up its second Rosé Gold in two years.

FROM THE TASTING TEAMS

‘We found some really good value between £16 and £25 a bottle. It’s what customers are looking for.’Carlos Ferreira, team leader

‘Rosé in general is more seasonal, and English sparkling towards the summer.’ Matteo Cali, Savoy Grill

‘People are demanding more English sparkling wine, and we’re getting more that offer quality, value and an interesting alternative to Champagne labels.’ Diana Rollan, D&D

‘I was expecting something more expressive in terms of fruit, but a few of them I really liked: good acidity, good complexity.’ Virginia Fontò, La Trompette

‘Overall there is a tendency to more residual sugar rather than less, but they were still in balance.’ Charlie Young, team leader

‘People are pleasantly surprised at how good English wine is. A couple of these I’d be hard pressed to distinguish from champagne in a blind tasting.’ Charlie Carter, Ten Green Bottles

Award winners

Found 16 wines

Sparkling: Rosé England

Greyfriars, Rosé NV, Surrey, England

Gold medal winner

This fresh English rosé took Gold amid praise from an impressed panel of judges. Diana Rollan of D&D described a ‘vibrant wine with red berries, raspberries and a creamy strawberry nose, leading to a dry palate with fine bubbles, nice concentration and good length’, while team leader Carlos Ferreira admired its ‘beautiful salmon pink colour, fine acidity and hints of roses, with a toasty long finish’. ‘Perfect as an aperitif, or by the glass, and good value, too,’ concluded 67 Pall Mall’s Terry Kandylis.

£14.00 Matthew Clark, Greyfriars Vineyard

Harrow & Hope, Brut Rosé 2015, Buckinghamshire, England

Gold medal winner

An inevitable Gold winner, this was described by team leader Charlie Young as ‘moreish, with great balance on the nose between red berries and yeast notes, leading to a very well-judged palate with pure, ripe fruit’. Virginia Fontò of La Trompette enjoyed its ‘pronounced, complex nose of red fruit, citrus and floral notes, and a creamy palate of biscuit, vanilla and brown sugar’, before praising ‘a long finish that completes a wine that is amazing value for money’.

£22.08 Jascots Wine Merchants

Goring Estate, Goring Rosé NV, West Sussex, England

Gold medal winner

This earned abundant praise – and a Gold medal – for its ‘complex, elegant notes of toasted bread, cranberry and violet, with a refreshing, vibrant, creamy mousse’, according to D&D’s Diana Rollan. Team leader Carlos Ferreira spoke highly of its ‘beautiful floral nose with toasted nuts and stone fruit, with a palate that is very persistent, with good acidity and a long finish’, which led him to declare this ‘perfect with a starter of oysters or cured salmon’.

£28.88 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Grange Estate, The Grange, Pink NV, Hampshire, England

Silver medal winner

D&D’s Diana Rollan described an ‘attractive nose of strawberries and cream, which was floral, complex and aromatic. Dry, with fine bubbles and great texture, a creamy finish and good balance overall.’

£18.96 Grange Estate Wines

Black Chalk, Wild Rosé 2016, Hampshire, England

Silver medal winner

Team leader Charlie Young described this as ‘super-light in colour with gently perfumed red fruit. Nice and dry with good complexity; there’s lots of interest here. The finish is fresh, elegantly berry-like and moreish.’ ‘A great bottle,’ added Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse.

£24.50 Red Squirrel Wine

Langham, Brut Rosé NV, Dorset, England

Silver medal winner

Team leader Carlos Ferreira found ‘some tropical notes on the nose along with cherry, strawberries and green apple. The plate is complex with beautiful bubbles and well-balanced acidity.’ Roberto Sanchez of Sexy Fish called for some ‘fois gras to match or some fresh crab and prawns’.

£20.90 Christopher Piper Wines, Theatre of Wine , Langham Wine Estate, Lea & Sandeman

Fox & Fox, Mosaic, Brut Rosé 2015, East Sussex, England

Silver medal winner

Matteo Cali of Savoy Grill described an ‘intense and rich sparkling wine with a rounded palate and well-integrated acidity that would be a good food wine’. Meanwhile team leader Carlos Ferreira found ‘roses and toasted brioche, with cherry and plum on a palate that finishes long’.

£22.86 Amathus Drinks Plc

Blackdown Ridge, Rosé 2015, West Sussex, England

Silver medal winner

Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles noted: ‘Creamy, red fruit aromas, a good balance between acid, autolysis and fruit.’ Gian Giacomo Stella of Simpsons Restaurant, meanwhile, enjoyed a ‘nice bouquet of red fruit, baked bread and brioche’.

£15.00 The English Wine Centre, The Haslemere Cellar, Corkage

Camel Valley, Pinot Noir, Brut Rosé 2016, Cornwall, England

Bronze medal winner

Team leader Charlie Young found ‘attractive soft, scented berry fruit and a ripe, sweet fruit palate. A touch sweet perhaps but happily we’re talking fruit sweetness, not gobfuls of granulated sugar.’

£22.45 Matthew Clark, Camel Valley, St Austell Brewery

Gusbourne, Brut Rosé 2015, Kent, England

Bronze medal winner

Team leader Charlie Young found ‘yeast, gentle spice and plum’ and further noted: ‘Layered red fruit flanked with peel, spice and herbs. Impressive, complex and highly drinkable.’

£30.00 Gusbourne Estate

Oastbrook, Rosé 2014, East Sussex, England

Bronze medal winner

Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse noted: ‘A vibrant and intense fresh strawberry and raspberry nose; a delicate palate with a creamy texture; nicely balanced acidity and easy to sip.’

£21.00 Oastbrook Estates Limited

Greyfriars, Rosé Reserve, Brut 2014, Surrey, England

Commended medal winner

Jenkyn Place, Rosé 2014, Hampshire, England

Commended medal winner

Bluebell Vineyard Estates, Hindleap, Rosé 2014, East Sussex, England

Commended medal winner

Enborne Vineyards, Sparkling Rosé 2014, Berkshire, England

Commended medal winner

Redfold Vineyards, Ambriel, Rosé 2014, West Sussex, England

Commended medal winner