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Winner Details

Other Fortified Wine

We’ve frequently had all manner of unusual wines in this category in the past, sent in from every corner of the globe. So geographically, at least, 2020 was a fairly quiet year – all our Golds, for instance, came from Spain or Portugal.

That said, there was plenty here among the other medals to intrigue the curious sommelier. Besides the usual superb Madeiras, Moscatels and Aussie Muscats, there were vermouths, Turkish sweeties and our first ever entries from Denmark.

From The Tasting Teams

‘We tried a fortified wine from Denmark, which was unusual. Rich in spice, dense and herbaceous, it was an after-dinner drink, or could be mixed in cocktails instead of vermouth.’ Emanuel Pesqueira, Edwardian Hotels London

‘Restaurants should have vermouths on as an aperitif. For me, these are more about feelings and occasion.’ Agostinho Leite, Bistrot Pierre at The Royal William Yard

‘I’d use these richer wines in a dessert flight or a cheese flight. I’ve had success doing unusual wines that don’t usually sell on their own with cheese and they work amazingly. People come back and ask for them.’ Tim Smith, Winesurfer Consulting

‘I work in an Italian restaurant, where people actually order vermouth, and we use it a lot in cocktails. It works well just over ice.’ Gaston Adolfo, Margot

‘Madeira works really well paired with anything rich. There’s just that great balance between nuttiness and clean acidity. Absolutely great value.’ Timothy Connor, Heddon Street Kitchen

‘We didn’t have to fight very hard for quality in the Madeira flight. These are under-recognised categories that sommeliers are really getting behind.’ Claire Love, Loves Consultancy

‘The Danish vermouth brought me back to my childhood of a very specific memory sitting in my room with a scratch-and-sniff book that smelled like blueberries!’ Tim Smith, Winesurfer Consulting

Award winners

Found 21 wines

Other Fortified Wine

Adega de Pegões, Moscatel de Setubal NV, Península de Setúbal, Portugal

Gold medal winner Food Match

'Sweet sultana fruit on both the nose and palate, with some white pepper notes too. Moderate concentration and a vibrant finish.'
Claire Love, Loves Consultancy.

'This is typical and luscious, with rich tropical fruits, peach and apricot.'
Deniz Bayram, Novel Wines.

'This has a great deal of fruit character that's really well defined.'
Salvatore Russo, The Hippodrome Casino.

£8.72 Size: 75cl Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Justino's Madeira, Malvasia 10 Years Old NV, Madeira, Portugal

Gold medal winner

'Delicious, with burnt sugar, dried apricot, dried fig, caramel and roasted hazelnut notes.'
Deniz Bayram, Novel Wines.

'Chocolate notes with orange peel, aromatic herbs and caramelised apple.'
Sam Winterbottom, The Albert Square Chop House.'
This is showing great complexity and great fruit characters. A lovely colour too!' Salvatore Russo, The Hippodrome Casino.

£25.52 Size: 75cl Liberty Wines

Poças, Soberbo Vermouth NV, Douro, Portugal

Gold medal winner

'Orange peel on the nose leads to lovely characteristics from the oxidation. Lots of fig jam and Seville orange marmalade on the palate.'
Agostinho Leite, Bistrot Pierre at The Royal William Yard.

'Rich, sweet dried fruits and sweet masala spices - some lovely aromatics.'
Laura Rhys MS, team leader.

'Superb, with an appealing nose and a clean, refreshing palate.'
Rémi Cousin, Le Gavroche.

£11.60 Size: 75cl House of Townend

Casa Mariol, Vermut Blanco NV, Catalonia, Spain

Gold medal winner

'Resinous, herbal and intense, with woody herbs and anise, as well as some syrupy sweetness.'
Angela Reddin, team leader.

'Subtle sweet spices and some orange peel, as well as some refreshing acidity that's balanced by a warm, long finish.'
Lucie Hammerschmiedova, Portland Restaurant.

'Very herbal and perfumed, with balanced sweetness. A bargain.'
Oliver Zelenczuk, London Shell Co.

£15.45 Size: 75cl Top Selection

Chambers Rosewood, Rutherglen, Muscat NV, Victoria, Australia

Silver medal winner

'Delightful and luscious, with old English marmalade notes, figs and dried fruit, and a luxurious mouthfeel - a perfect accompaniment for Osborne pudding.'
Gary Newborough, The Aristologist.

'Luscious, intense and complex, with notes of sweet spice, ginger, caramel and raisins.'
Lucie Hammerschmiedova, Portland Restaurant.

£8.95 Size: 37.5cl Liberty Wines

Chambers Rosewood, Rutherglen, Old Vine Muscat NV, Victoria, Australia

Silver medal winner

'With complex notes of treacle and figgy pudding, with some quince and orange peel, this is dense and viscous.'
Nigel Lister, St. Swithins Wine Shippers.

'Burnt Demerara sugar, spice, toffee and rancio notes, with some spiced nuts and Christmas pudding notes, leading to a raisined, mouth-coating texture that's unctuously sweet and massively complex, with layers of spice. A perfect example.'
Angela Reddin, team leader.

£13.50 Size: 37.5cl Liberty Wines

Henriques & Henriques, Single Harvest, Verdelho 2007, Madeira, Portugal

Silver medal winner

'This opens with dried apricot and date notes, as well as some allspice and nutty undertones, leading to a slatey finish.'
Sam Winterbottom, The Albert Square Chop House.

'Complex flavours of bitter oranges with nuts and acacia flowers.'
Lionel Periner, team leader.

'There's vibrant acidity here, with a textural carob note.'
Claire Love, Loves Consultancy.

£24.23 Size: 75cl Mentzendorff & Co

Justino's Madeira, Terrantez 1978 1978, Madeira, Portugal

Silver medal winner

'Opening with elegant bitter cherry and orange peel on the nose, and leading to a highly concentrated, tangy orange/bitter-lemon palate, and with a very textural and complex coffee and smoky vanilla finish.'
Claire Love, Loves Consultancy.

'A popping, mouth-watering acidity, and all of the components well-integrated.'
Timothy Connor, Heddon Street Kitchen.

£180.75 Size: 75cl Liberty Wines

Casa Ermelinda Freitas, Moscatel Roxo de Setúbal 2010, Península de Setúbal, Portugal

Silver medal winner

'Delicious complexity, with some oxidation, subtle oak, caramel, toffee and dried apricots, and some fresh acidity.'
Deniz Bayram, Novel Wines.

'This has a rich, silky texture with some marmalade notes on the finish.'
Lionel Periner, team leader.

'An outstanding wine with well-defined and complex fruit characters, and a very long finish.'
Salvatore Russo, The Hippodrome Casino.

£20.50 Size: 50cl Atlantico UK

Frederiksdal, Kirsebaervin, Rancio NV, Lolland, Denmark

Silver medal winner

' 'A juicy and refreshing wine with a clean finish - you could have more than one glass.'
Rémi Cousin, Le Gavroche.

'Some very figgy pudding, dried fruit with brandy and toasted Christmas pudding notes. There's cinnamon, clove and allspice, with a rich and sweet palate joined by some brisk acidity.'
Nigel Lister, St. Swithins Wine Shippers.

£25.99 Size: 50cl Top Selection

Cazes, Ambré de Cazes 2005, Roussillon, France

Bronze medal winner

'This is complex, with some subtle flor undertones and great tertiary notes of dried fruits and caramel.'
Deniz Bayram, Novel Wines.

'A great example, with an abundance of concentrated fruit.'
Salvatore Russo, The Hippodrome Casino.

'Light but decadent, in a clean and pure form.'
Timothy Connor, Heddon Street Kitchen.

£13.50 Size: 37.5cl Enotria&Coe

Justino's Madeira, Sercial 10 Years Old NV, Madeira, Portugal

Bronze medal winner

'Complex and intricate, with tangy lemon verbena and sultana notes on the nose, and a sweet-and-sour note too.'
Claire Love, Loves Consultancy.

'Very nutty, with macadamia and hazelnut notes joining dried apricots and orange peel - typical, with a rich and long finish.'
Deniz Bayram, Novel Wines.

£25.49 Size: 75cl Liberty Wines

Hijos de Alberto Gutiérrez, De Alberto, Dorado 2019, Rueda, Spain

Bronze medal winner

'A very complex and delicious wine, with some sherry-style flor influence and notes of macadamia, toffee and umami.'
Deniz Bayram, Novel Wines.

'Light, fresh and delicate.'
Timothy Connor, Heddon Street Kitchen.

'This has a lovely nutty flavour on the palate, with a very long finish.'
Salvatore Russo, The Hippodrome Casino.

£30.00 Size: 50cl JUNTA DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN/ICE

Diren, Mahlep 2019, Eastern Anatolia, Turkey

Commended medal winner

£7.99 Size: 50cl Taste Turkey

Cazes, Muscat de Rivesaltes 2019, Roussillon, France

Commended medal winner

£15.22 Size: 75cl Enotria&Coe

Domaine de Coyeux, Cuvée Les Trois Fonts, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise 2008, Rhône, France

Commended medal winner

£17.16 Size: 75cl Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Quady, Essensia, Orange Muscat 2016, California, USA

Commended medal winner

£11.34 Size: 37.5cl Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Curatolo Arini, Marsala Riserva 2012, Sicily, Italy

Commended medal winner

£13.75 Size: 75cl Liberty Wines

Casa Ermelinda Freitas, Moscatel de Setúbal NV, Península de Setúbal, Portugal

Commended medal winner

£8.60 Size: 75cl Atlantico UK

Casa Mariol, Vermut Negre NV, Catalonia, Spain

Commended medal winner

£11.59 Size: 75cl Top Selection

Frederiksdal, Kirsebaervin, Reserve NV, Lolland, Denmark

Commended medal winner

£23.42 Size: 50cl Top Selection