Winner Details

Germany & Austria - Red 

2016 Gold: 2 Silver: 1 Bronze: 2 Commended: 1
2015 Gold: 2 Silver: 3 Bronze: 0 Commended: 1

We’re never exactly inundated with reds from Austria and Germany, but what we do get is often fascinating and varied. This year we had five medal winners, four different varieties and prices from under £8 to over £30, with enthusiasm right the way through from our tasters.

Congratulations to Fritz Allendorf for his second consecutive Spätburgunder Gold, his 2013 following in the footsteps of last year’s 2012. A lyrical, poetic wine of real beauty.

FROM THE TASTING TEAMS

‘The Austrian wines were consistent, beautiful and expressive. Germany takes a step up to another level.’ Sumita Sarma, consultant

‘Germany has some tremendous Spätburgunders from the south; the value is phenomenal.’ Andrés Ituarte, Avenue Restaurant“

Austria offers good quality and consistency. Germany is a difficult sell – the UK market will always choose Burgundy, but Germany often offers better value.” Tobias Brauweiler MS, Hakkasan Group

Award winners

Found 3 wines

Germany & Austria, Red

Eschenhof Holzer, Zero-G, Zweigelt 2013, Wagram, Austria

Gold medal winner By the glass

A distinctive Gold Lister at such a good price, Eschenhof Holzer won a By The Glass Trophy, too.

'Nicely done, this is smooth and spicy, well oaked, but still light and easy drinking,' said L'Ortolan's Guillaume Kaczmar. Consultant Sumita Sarma felt it would be easy to pair with vegetarian or meat main dishes, with its 'ripened black and red cherries, notes of clove and cinnamon spice with vanilla, well-integrated oak and supported by moderate tannins'.

£7.75 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Willi Opitz, Blaufränkisch 2011, Burgenland, Austria

Bronze medal winner

'A great meat wine,' suggested consultant Sumita Sarma, thanks to its 'blackberry and cassis fruit, powerful oak and peppery cinnamon spices, good intensity on the palate and mild leathery notes'.

£11.62 Matthew Clark

Christian Fischer, Classic, St Laurent 2012, Thermenregion, Austria

Bronze medal winner

'Very tasty,' said a satisfied Andrés Ituarte of Avenue Restaurant, continuing: 'Solid focus and a meaty backbone, given the moderate weight of the wine. Great red fruits, spice and herbaceous notes.'

£9.99 Alpine Wines