England
2019 GOLD: 5 SILVER: 1 BRONZE: 1 COMMENDED: 3
2018 GOLD: 4 SILVER: 3 BRONZE: 3 COMMENDED: 9
And so the English juggernaut rolls on, though – this being England – it does so politely, after checking in its rear-view mirror first and without exceeding the speed limit. Another year, another record number of Gold medals, with an interesting range of whites and a second consecutive red Gold as well.
Our tasters were very positive about what was on offer here – particularly at the entry level, where the zest and freshness was deemed a useful tool in the sommelier’s arsenal. Indeed, perhaps the most surprising element of all here was not the number of medals but the pricing. The UK isn’t a particularly cheap place to make wine, yet half the medal winners were under £10, making it one of the best-value parts of the competition. Even the top wines were fairly priced.
It’ll be interesting to see how this section does next year, when the large, sun-filled bottles from the 2018 vintage hit the market. We expect further great things, from both reds and whites.
FROM THE TASTING TEAMS
‘I approach English reds with a sense of excitement. They aren’t new, but they’re definitely something that needs to be sold by a sommelier. Even if you worked in a very English restaurant, people aren’t just going to pick it off the list.’ Sarah Jane Evans MW, team leader
‘They’ve really got potential, but they just need some more time to ensure they plant the right grapes in the right places.’ Rémi Cousin, Le Gavroche
‘They’re still subject to the vagaries of the weather and vintage variation in the UK. But the wines were good, and some showed well at the inexpensive end of the flight.’ Tom Forrest, team leader
‘The reds were still too green, and not balanced. I think we have all the weather conditions for Pinot Noir, so that could be something for UK reds, but it’s still a very niche thing.’ Andre Luis Martins, Cavalry & Guards Club
‘I work in a very traditional restaurant, and English sparkling doesn’t sell as well as it should. English reds would probably fare even worse, but in the right environment, like a food pairing, it’s an interesting option to have.’ Harry Ballmann, Wiltons
‘I found that the easy, simpler wines here gave more exciting results. As soon as they tried to work them more, or age them, the wines were less interesting.’ Bianca Potenza, Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam