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

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

‘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

‘Tight lime and grapefruit notes on the nose,’ began team leader Andrea Briccarello, who found ‘good body, peppery with structure and vibrant acidity, exotic fruit notes on the finish’. ‘Well-balanced fruitiness and minerality, warming with a citric finish and a slight suggestion of sweetness,’ added Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst).

£22.00 Kipferl Ltd.

‘Intense and rich aromas of citrus, confit lemon, good intensity of pink peppercorns on the palate, which is dry with stony mineral notes,’ said team leader Andrea Briccarello, while Corin Ireland of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms enjoyed its ‘richer, fuller body with lots of vegetal and grassy character, fresh herbs and pea shoot notes with white pepper and bell pepper’.

£11.40 Bibendum

‘The nose is clean with a good mineral element, showing acidity in the mouth and an elegant finish,’ began Arnaud Fiol of The Don Restaurant, with Vinoteca’s Charlie Young finding a ‘stony, savoury nose, good ripeness to the fruit on the palate and a touch of residual sugar, balanced by flowing acidity’.

£13.55 Top Selection Ltd

‘Deep colour, buttery and vanilla-driven aromas with quite prominent oaking, but peachy apricot fruits in the background,’ began Marek Rakowski of Harbour Heights Hotel, with team leader Jade Koch noting its ‘oily, waxy style, sweet, honeyed aromatic fruit and intensity, but it keeps hold of its balance’.

£11.66 Matthew Clark

Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) found an ‘intense mineral nose, creamy texture with balanced acidity and clean citrus on the palate, medium in body and finish’, with Corin Ireland of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms also noting ‘good peppery spice notes to the finish, with fresh lemon and vegetal notes’.

£13.50 Berkmann Wine Cellars

A good food-matching choice, with its ‘stony mineral aromas, soft apple fruit on the palate with a slightly pithy, chewy mouthfeel and good white pepper character’, according to team leader Jade Koch, and Marek Rakowski of Harbour Heights Hotel felt it was ‘clean, long, mouthwatering and light’.

£13.21 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

For team leader Annette Scarfe MW there was a ‘delicate spritz on the attack, lovely freshness with an appealing crisp, clean mid-palate’, and Tamas Nemeth of Bread Street Kitchen found it ‘dry, a little savoury in character, with lovely acidity’.

£12.88 Indigo Wine

‘A wine to enjoy by the nose,’ began Simon Cassina of Winexponent, who enjoyed its ‘young, yeasty-creamy aromas on top of green apple and lime, spiced pear drop notes on a lively, refreshing palate, dry and crisp with tart lemon and salty mineral aftertaste’.

£11.04 Liberty Wines

‘Lemon-bright colour, citrus and spice aromas, good intensity with spice notes and complexity on the palate, melon and mineral hints, very long and impressive,’ said Vinoteca’s Charlie Young, while team leader Jade Koch suggested its ‘meaty, full-bodied, savoury green style needs some sweet shellfish or crab’.

£18.89 Liberty Wines

£10.18 Bibendum

£10.17 Ester Wines

£13.85 Top Selection Ltd

£10.53 Matthew Clark

£15.14 Matthew Clark

£9.92 Enotria&Coe

£8.95 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

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

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

Yauatcha’s Kelvin McCabe enjoyed its ‘modern’ style, finding a ‘nose of green apple skins, dried stone fruits and floral notes’, and more ‘youthful green apples and ripe pear fruit on an open, long palate’.

£8.32 Boutinot

‘’Floral, with wild herbs on the nose, yeasty character with apple tart on the palate, chalky notes and fine bubbles,’ said Chez Bruce’s Sara Bachiorri, also noting its ‘clean finish and good length’.

£16.25 Barwell & Jones

Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish found it ‘very correct, with savoury, chalky notes and hints of iodine’, while Chez Bruce’s Sara Bachiorri liked its ‘fine mousse, delicate style of ripe apple and pear with a hint of citrus and minerals on the finish’.

£13.86 Enotria&Coe

£9.37 Enotria&Coe

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

‘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

Le Cordon Bleu London’s Matthieu Longuère MS found ‘sherbet and pear drop aromas, an off-dry palate that’s really juicy and refreshing for a well-made, zippy wine’, with team leader Jade Koch also noting ‘fresh grassy aromas, a little spritz and spring-like blossom notes, crunchy and quaffable style with a note of peach on the finish’.

£8.45 The Exceptional English Wine Company

A ‘good, refreshing, lemony style’, said Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted, while team leader Jade Koch picked up notes of ‘elderflower blossom on the nose and a lighter-style palate with clean, clear, crisp and refreshing character’.

£7.00 Danebury Vineyards

‘Quite grown-up aromas, but very together,’ said Vinoteca’s Charlie Young, adding: ‘A well-balanced palate with orchard fruits and citrus acidity.’ Team leader Andrea Briccarello picked up an individual range of ‘juniper and cucumber aromas, off-dry style, grassy and mineral with notes of camomile and Earl Grey tea’.

£10.79 Matthew Clark, Camel Valley, St Austell Brewery

Sebastian Agnello of The Don Restaurant enjoyed its ‘peach, ripe golden apple and elegant notes of apricot with a good long finish’, while Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group found ‘vegetal asparagus notes, hints of pepper spice and ginger, some wet rock minerality and medium acidity with a long finish’.

£9.08 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Charlie Young of Vinoteca highlighted a ‘savoury nose with a twang of pear’, and Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group found plenty of aromatic style: ‘Jasmine, rose petal, green tea, camomile, green apple and pear, with mineral chalky-salty hints on the palate, easy-drinking but best with some food.’

£9.95 Denbies Wine Estate

‘A good introduction to the style,’ began team leader Jade Koch, continuing: ‘Pretty fruit, juicy and refreshing with a well-balanced palate, and at a good price.’ ‘Light, fresh and easy to drink,’ added Bovey Castle’s Rustem Mingaleev.

£11.99 Denbies Wine Estate

‘An off-dry style that would be good for Asian foods, and put me in mind of a Mosel Riesling,’ said Piotr Artur Tomaszewski of Buddha Bar, who noted its ‘peach and apricot, pineapple fruit with notes of green pepper and green tea, good structure and rounded on the palate’.

£10.07 Sharpham Wines

£9.95 Denbies Wine Estate

£8.05 Liberty Wines

£7.00 Danebury Vineyards

£15.00 Adnams, Clark Foyster Wines, Gusbourne Estate, Wright Wine Co, Tanners Wine Merchants, Butlers, Shepherd Neame, Field and Fawcett, Woodwinters

£14.91 Bibendum

£11.74 Jascots Wine Merchants, Christopher Piper Wines, Davy's Wine Merchants

£10.83 Jascots Wine Merchants, Christopher Piper Wines, Davy's Wine Merchants

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

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

‘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

A characterful style, said team leader Laurent Richet MS, who found it ‘very perfumed, with a profound note of honey, lime curd and fresh linen, lively sharp acidity and a clean mineral finish’. ‘Racy, vibrant, smoky, with lime zest and good balance,’ added Diana Rollan of Hakkasan Group.

£7.99 Frederic Robinson

‘Lovely sweet floral nose, lychee fruit with a touch of sweetness, good though not too perfumed,’ began Timothy Connor of Bread Street Kitchen, with team leader Olivier Marie finding ‘very good varietal character, sweet, ripe, yellow Mirabelle plum and button mushroom, classic and well made’.

£8.99 Frederic Robinson

Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer picked up notes of ‘white pear, jasmine and dried pineapple on the nose, pineapple juice and rosewater with the slightest oiliness, but good acidity on the palate’, while team leader Olivier Marie found it ‘atypical, but has a lovely balance, great length and an amazing mineral finish’.

£10.24 Boutinot

Ivan Ruiz of Wright Brothers noted its ‘soft nose, great balance and acidity, delicate flavour notes of stone fruits and honeysuckle’, while Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer felt it was ‘less intense, with some waxy citrus aromas, sweet pear fruits and golden florals, Turkish Delight notes on the finish’.

£9.91 Bibendum

‘Fresh and perfumed, oily aromas with good acidity on the palate and a slightly sweet, honeyed tone,’ began Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky, with Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan noting its ‘mineral, citrus-lime, fresh and vibrant aromas with stony minerals, and dry, intense style on the palate balanced and easy, elegant’.

£8.64 Liberty Wines

‘Green leaf, citrus and hints of peppery radish on the nose, with fruit flavours ranging from lemon to sweet pears, along with minerals and a slight smoky character on the palate, with broad acids,’ said Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer.

£13.42 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Light on the nose, refreshing with a touch of apricot,’ began Timothy Connor of Bread Street Kitchen, with Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer noting ‘sweet white peaches and some guava aromas, apricot verging on the tinned on the palate with yellow florals and a slight medicinal hint on the finish’.

£14.10 Top Selection Ltd

Timothy Connor of Bread Street Kitchen found it an ‘elegant style, with a lighter nose and balanced palate’, while team leader Olivier Marie highlighted its ‘clean minerality and intensity, very subtle and delicate’.

£10.29 Liberty Wines

£6.99 Frederic Robinson

£13.99 Boutinot

£8.68 Bibendum

£21.77 Top Selection Ltd

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

‘Very pretty on the nose,’ began Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish, highlighting its ‘bilberry, blackcurrant and chocolate’ aromas followed by a ‘juicy, opulent palate with smooth and dense texture and a rounded finish’. ‘Maybe one that needs a bit of bottle age,’ added Sara Bachiorri of Chez Bruce.

£10.95 Louis Latour Agencies

‘It’s all that a good Beaujolais should be,’ declared Sara Bachiorri of Chez Bruce. ‘Floral notes, packed with red and a bit of dark fruit, moderate tannins and acidity but good texture, too, complemented by savoury notes on the finish.’

£8.28 Boutinot

‘Great nose of aromatic, fresh-crushed cranberries and green banana,’ began Agustin Trapero of Avenue, with Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson enjoying its ‘fruit-driven, blackcurrant and jam nose, lovely line of acidity and a whisper of tannin’, concluding simply: ‘Yum.’

£8.67 Oedoria

A ‘good BBQ quaffing wine’, said Sara Bachiorri of Chez Bruce, who found it ‘simple and pleasant, but with very good length and juicy, crunchy fruit with some minerality’. ‘Soft cherry fruit, soft tannins and medium length, supple and juicy,’ added team leader Tom Forrest.

£7.17 Boutinot

‘A very good expression of Beaujolais,’ said Daniele Di Blasio of Pollen Street Social, admiring its ‘very berry fruit on the nose, lively and enjoyable palate and beautiful balance’. ‘Easy drinking yet not simple, very nice,’ added Sara Bachiorri of Chez Bruce.

£11.36 Matthew Clark

£8.85 Louis Latour Agencies

£7.83 Boutinot

£7.62 Boutinot

£11.23 Bibendum

£8.50 Oedoria

£9.86 Matthew Clark

£8.79 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

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

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

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 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 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 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

A unanimous favourite with our panel. ‘New oak dominates currently, bringing flattering coconut and vanilla notes,’ said team leader Olivier Marie, continuing: ‘Technical, but very well made, with good earthy character and chalky tannins to balance.’

£19.20 Famille Helfrich

‘Clean and ripe style, showing lifted, fleshy fruit with dark plum and red berry overtones,’ began team leader Olivier Marie, continuing: ‘Good oak integration with moderate complexity, leather and some balsamic notes on the palate.’

£12.80 Boutinot

‘Textbook, drink now!’ began consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates, highlighting its ‘cedar, hints of cigar box, integrated tobacco and earthy notes all knitting together nicely’. ‘Showing development, tertiary character, complex and à point,’ added impressed team leader Olivier Marie.

£22.06 Bibendum

Consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates found ‘pretty oak character, blackberry and blueberry fruit, though a touch tight and tannic at the moment’, with team leader Olivier Marie adding: ‘Fleshy fruit with good oak integration, nice texture and good length.’ One to decant now or age.

£14.43 Mongravey

‘Good for drinking right now, with beautiful forest fruits in evidence and great length, very typical Bordeaux,’ said Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted. ‘Good, very classic, with roasting nuts, red and black fruits and a smooth, flowing ride,’ added team leader Angela Reddin.

£17.44 Liberty Wines

A wine with ‘a delicate nose and waxy texture’, according to team leader Annette Scarfe MW, who enjoyed its ‘core of ripe lemon, and savoury lees notes on the palate adding texture and structure’.

£11.58 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘A more restrained style,’ began team leader Annette Scarfe MW, who noted ‘quince and lemon peel on the palate and a nice, creamy texture’, while Antoine Cabre of Spring Restaurant noted ‘fresh mineral, lovely fruitiness and nice texture’.

£9.80 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin enjoyed its ‘attractive, peppery violets and fine spicy grain, and savoury style with bitter chocolate notes’, while at the same time noting a little ‘under-ripeness hidden behind the oak, with some coffee-mocha character’. ‘Shows typicity with its fleshy red plum fruit and well-integrated tannin,’ said leader Annette Scarfe MW.

£9.44 Enotria&Coe

‘Correct style, showing bright red fruit, this is a simple but good-value option,’ said team leader Laura Rhys MS, while Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn found ‘tannins, dry leather and warmth on the palate’.

£4.96 Direct Wines Production

Sue Jones of The harrow at Little Bedwyn enjoyed the ‘spicy wood notes, bilberry fruit on the nose and gamey richness’, while Andrea Cotichella of Wernher Restaurant at Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa summed it up as ‘fruity, juicy and rich’, and team leader Laura Rhys MS noted its ‘nice weight on the palate’.

£7.28 Boutinot

Team leader Annette Scarfe MW praised its ‘lovely, attractive nose of black and red bramble fruits’, adding that ‘soft tannins and approachability make it ready to drink now, and very suitable for the on-trade’. ‘Young, but good concentration and potential to be a good wine,’ agreed Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels.

£16.42 Chateau Chapelle D'alienor

Andrés Iterate of Coq d’Argent was very taken with this ‘great, very well-made wine’, highlighting ‘lots of dusty character and stone minerality, good dark fruit and concentration on the palate with good structure and a lengthy finish’.

£20.00 Maison Liedbergh Limited

Team leader Annette Scarfe MW noted ‘lots of creamy vanilla oak’, and found this a ‘very polished wine, delicious to drink now, with its juicy mid-palate and well-integrated oak’. ‘Big, chunky, with concentration, depth and very dark fruit,’ added Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin.

£29.95 Liberty Wines

Enjoying its ‘bright nose and dense, expressive palate’, Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin also spotted an unusual note of ‘orange zest alongside bitter dark chocolate’, finally concluding that it was ‘tense and vibrant, with very dark, crunchy fruit’.

£14.95 Majestic Commercial

Francisco Macedo of Bovey Castle was struck by its ‘nice deep colour and black fruit characteristics’, picking up ‘black cherries, blackcurrant and blackberries on the palate, well-incorporated tannins, vanilla notes and good structure indicating good ageing potential’.

£15.30 Matthew Clark

‘Black fruits on the nose, then a palate that’s nicely balanced between cassis fruit, vanilla and cedar spice with hints of blackcurrant leaf and well-judged tannins,’ said Francisco Macedo of Bovey Castle. ‘All in balance and great value for money,’ concluded team leader Laurent Richet MS.

£10.65 Matthew Clark

‘Youthful but developing,’ began Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group, continuing: ‘Ripe red fruits and plum with pencil lead and wet forest floor on the nose, then chalky and grippy on the palate with medium acid and tannins.’

£12.00 FARR VINTNERS LTD

One that will benefit from plenty of air at this stage, though Immacolata Cannavo of Hakkasan Dubai found it ‘good value, approachable, with vanilla oak and black cherry fruit, smooth and well balanced’, while Francisco Macedo of Bovey Castle felt it would ‘age perfectly in three to five years’.

£21.34 Top Selection Ltd

Jonathan Giffrin of Claude Bosi @ Bibendum felt it had ‘potential to age and develop, but now shows an elegant nose that’s fairly aromatic with smoky, spicy notes and exotic citrus fruit character’, adding: ‘The ripeness is controlled and it’s a well-crafted wine.’

£18.21 Matthew Clark

Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels was impressed with this ‘complex wine, showing notes of dark cherry, cedar and cigar box with good leathery notes’, while finding the palate ‘concentrated and powerful, with a lingering finish’.

£19.44 Matthew Clark

£8.52 SADEL

£12.16 Boutinot

£15.52 H. CUVELIER & FILS

£17.97 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£14.50 CHATEAU TOUR SAINT-FORT

£14.50 CHATEAU TOUR SAINT-FORT

£11.01 Matthew Clark

£10.79 Matthew Clark

£10.47 Enotria&Coe

£8.99 Enotria&Coe

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

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

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

Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club found ‘fresh red fruit with elegant herbal characters, sour cherry with spice’, while Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering was impressed with its ‘very soft and silky, attractive savoury character, a classy wine developing well in the mouth in a good length’.

£36.04 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

‘Decent fruit character with sour cherries and good use of oak,’ said team leader Martin Lam, with Typing Room’s Fred Marti noting its ‘light, fragrant red berries’, and Charles Ashby-Taylor of Dabbous calling ‘English strawberry fields and wet stones’ to mind.

£19.21 Matthew Clark

‘Gentle on the nose with fresh straw notes and elegant white spices,’ began Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards club, also finding ‘fresh and elegant fruit on the palate with gentle tannin’. ‘Bright and attractive, nicely balanced. Roast lamb comes to mind,’ added Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse.

£19.19 Liberty Wines

‘A surprisingly fruit-forward wine with dark, brooding intensity, after purple fruit and sweet sap on the nose, and finishing with some black pepper,’ thought Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer. MAD F&B Consulting’s Markus Dilger enjoyed ‘plum, blackberry and forest floor notes, with some liquorice, too’.

£105.24 Liberty Wines

Fred Marti of Typing Room found ‘great drinkability, with vibrant fruits, nice layers of flavour and good length’, while team leader Martin Lam noted its ‘cherry brightness, a lick of new oak and very chewy character’.

£15.34 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘A young, spicy wine, with dark forest fruits and and some earthy notes, and a herbal element, too, not to mention some good acidity,’ thought Markus Dilger of MAD F&B Consulting, while Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer liked this wine’s ‘earthiness, as well as some black pepper’.

£31.72 Top Selection Ltd

‘Bright on the nose with red fruit and some earthy notes, but this is good value for money,’ said Giancarlo Cuccuru of The Ned Hotel, with Jacopo Armenio of Vinarius also noting ‘red fruit clusters, sour cherry notes and good savoury character with some intensity’.

£12.60 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering found that this ‘grows on you in mid-palate, and it develops in the mouth, making it quite a big wine for a Burgundy’, adding that: ‘With some flavoursome meat dishes it could show very well.’

£32.73 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£40.69 Top Selection Ltd

£17.69 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 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

‘Open aromas of spring-like white flowers and apple blossom, crunchy Granny Smith fruit and wet stone minerals,’ began Bleeding Heart Group’s Christopher Delalonde MS, who was keen on its ‘clean palate’, and thought it ‘pure, refreshing and stylish with a saline tone and unctuous fruit balance’.

£10.50 Fuller's

‘Classic style, steely with good minerality and ripeness with citrus notes,’ began Ivan Ruiz of Wright Brothers, while Christopher Delalonde MS of Bleeding Heart Group found ‘apples, floral and chalky notes on the nose, minerals and well-knitted flowery tones, followed by an unctuous, generous and balanced palate with great layers and a salty finish, superbly put together’.

£11.18 Bibendum

‘Complexity on the nose, gunsmoke, flint, minerals and citrus,’ said Harry Crowther of M Wine Store, who enjoyed its ‘luscious acidity and persistent, very long finish’, while team leader Martin Lam admired its ‘very elegant, balanced palate with both concentration and restraint’.

£40.05 Liberty Wines

‘Oakier style, acidity is present with citrus fruit and a nice clean palate,’ began Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst), with Street XO’s Raphael Thierry noting its ‘ripe and creamy texture, with a good fruit profile, mineral character and freshness on the palate’.

£24.07 ADVINI

Street XO’s Raphael Thierry highlighted ‘smoky minerality on the nose and a textured, mineral, elegant palate’, while for team leader Martin Lam it was ‘spot-on Chablis, saline and floral on the nose with white flowers, focused and concentrated on the palate’.

£18.30 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Presenting a definitive style, said Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky: ‘Peaches and cream with hints of melon, good acidity with a lovely creaminess and hints of citrus, quite intense and juicy on the palate.’

£9.50 Swig Wines

‘A rich nose of noble Chablis aromas, with fat acidity on the palate, good weight of ripe fruit, and classy style overall,’ said Harry Crowther of M Wine Store, with Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) also picking out its ‘fruit-driven, soft palate, notes of raisins on the aftertaste, and great warmth, texture and concentration’.

£28.50 Laytons

£10.85 Boutinot

£11.00 Fuller's

£13.13 Laytons

£19.47 SAS Louis Moreau

£11.65 Bibendum

£14.60 Liberty Wines

£10.11 Majestic Commercial

£20.63 Berkmann Wine Cellars

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

‘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

‘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

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

‘A very aromatic, straightforward Sauvignon with a nice edge of minerality, good at the entry level,’ began Dan Cohen of Cépages Wine Bistro, while Mike Best of the WSET felt it was ‘competing with the New World and doing a good job, very bright and fruit-driven, with very ripe fruits and citrus acidity’.

£6.45 Matthew Clark

‘Fresh and fruity with a lot of quince and white peach on the nose,’ began Adam Michocki of Chez Bruce, who found it ‘lovely on the palate, with a good balance between acidity and a touch of fruity sweetness, which empowers the flavours, then a long-lasting finish’.

£11.95 Boutinot

Soliciting a ‘Wow!’ from team leader Sam Caporn MW, who thought it showed ‘unusual, almost botrytis character with tropical fruit and spice notes, and is simply delicious’. Sake No Hana’s Tobias Brauweiler MS pointed out its ‘fumé style, vanilla oak and caramel, rich yellow fruit flavours with apple, good balance from start to finish’.

£20.40 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

‘Fresh tropical notes of pineapple on the nose,’ began Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish, finding a ‘dry palate with good aromatic profile, apple and stone fruit flavours, fresh citrus and apricot on the finish with long-lasting acidity’. ‘Juicy fruit with weight and texture on the palate, lovely acidity and finish,’ agreed team leader Laura Rhys MS.

£12.18 Hatch Mansfield

Mike Best of the WSET enjoyed this ‘smoky, toasty, oaky style of Sauvignon, showing very ripe citrus and baked apple fruit, with saline complexity on the palate, an impressively ambitious style’, while team leader Laura Rhys MS picked up on its ‘bold fruit, citrus and tropical style with some toasted complexity and creamy texture’.

£20.40 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

Carlos Ferreira of The Sign of the Don felt this was a ‘very good choice for seafood, with its beautiful aromas of orange mousse and cooked apple, a touch of sugar on the palate and very soft acidity, all very nicely balanced’. ‘Ripe pears, quince jam, very mouth-filling in an off-dry style, and keeps the bracing acidity on the palate,’ added Adam Michocki of Chez Bruce.

£6.97 Boutinot

Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh enjoyed its ‘rich yet compact style with superb delineation of freshness, purity of fruits and minerality, rounded off with hazelnut and cheese rind notes on the finish, great for food matching’.

£14.26 Bibendum

‘Concentrated and precise fruit on the nose, with flavours of green apple and fresh pear, long finish with mineral notes, a classically styled example,’ said Adam Michocki of Chez Bruce, while team leader Tom Forrest also enjoyed its ‘lemon mineral aromas, light yeasty prickle, saline and stony palate with a juicy green fruit finish’.

£8.99 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Restrained initially but has some exotic passion fruit character, too,’ began team leader Sam Caporn MW, who found it ‘a pretty wine that is well balanced and long’, while for Sake No Hana’s Tobias Brauweiler MS it was a ‘classic style, fresh and open, with citrus and nettle aromas, wet stone and lime peel with notes of under-ripe melon on the palate’.

£15.02 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

‘Citrus, green and red apple, mineral notes with orange peel and floral character, nice restraint but bright acidity,’ said team leader Laura Rhys MS, while WSET’s Mike Best felt that it ‘never gets too intense but has great persistence’.

£7.72 Bibendum

For Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish, this had ‘very intense ripe fruit on a complex nose, stone fruit and citrus with mineral notes and white pepper on the finish, long and fruity, zesty and zingy’. ‘Very good, delicious fruit freshness, real elegance and class with gentle persistence, pristine fruit and acid, love it!’ said Mike Best of the WSET.

£20.32 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£15.30 Levin Wines

£8.00 Boutinot

£13.93 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

£11.55 Bibendum

£13.98 Bibendum

£9.95 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£17.25 Jascots Wine Merchants

£17.60 Jascots Wine Merchants

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

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

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

‘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

‘Quite developed on the nose, with some stewed red and black fruit notes,’ began Charles Ashby-Taylor of Dabbous, while Gaetano Giangaspero of Coya Mayfair felt it had ‘velvety, rich soft tannins and good structure’. ‘Mint, dark fruit and cacao, berries and oak with floral hints,’ added team leader Lionel Periner.

£15.65 Matthew Clark

Charles Ashby-Taylor of Dabbous was impressed with its ‘earthy and natural style, with sour cherry and black raspberry on the nose, pleasantly green tannin background with more juicy cherry fruit’, while team leader Lionel Periner highlighted ‘berry fruit and classic Garrigue herbal notes’.

£8.14 Bibendum

‘Red fruits, perfumed rose notes and peppermint with smoke on the nose,’ began team leader Laurent Richet MS, who found ‘salty mineral, meaty characters, plum and black cherry fruit and high tannin’ on the palate. ‘Quite elegant with nice sour red fruit, good structure and balance,’ added Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky.

£14.58 Bibendum

‘Cassis and bell pepper on the nose, and a palate full of black and white pepper character,’ said Charles Ashby-Taylor of Dabbous, adding that this wine will benefit from further cellaring or decanting to be drunk now. Team leader Lionel Periner found ‘red berry and floral notes, velvet tannins and a dry, spicy finish’.

£28.15 Liberty Wines

‘A more Bordeaux style’, began team leader Laurent Richet MS, noting its ‘lovely leathery spices, cassis, cedar and slight green capsicum note’, while Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky enjoyed its ‘big, meaty character with underlying fruit, mineral hints and good concentration’.

£29.85 Liberty Wines

A light, juicy, approachable red, which our judging panel found appealingly fruity with red cherry fruit, soft tannin support and easy-drinking freshness on the mid-palate.

£6.05 Majestic Commercial

Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot enjoyed its ‘wonderfully opulent nose, dark fruit medley and sandalwood, with fleshy opulence on a smooth palate’, and Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club noted ‘fresh raspberry fruit with light herbal aromas, jammy raspberry and cinnamon brûlée on the palate’.

£14.33 Majestic Commercial

Team leader Martin Lam found a ‘sappy, herbal, black olive nose, with a structured, perfumed, quite elegant palate’, and for Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia it was a ‘deep, brooding wine with structured dark fruit and soft, elegant wood spice notes’.

£22.16 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Very pleasant, ripe berry flavours, gourmand style that’s nicely balanced with a long finish,’ began Yohann Pinol of Wiltons, with Sushi Samba’s Maurizio Palomba highlighting ‘black olives and prune on the nose, with good intensity on the palate’.

£11.66 Enotria&Coe

Gaetano Giangaspero of Coya Mayfair enjoyed its ‘beautiful nose of red berries and herbs, and a rich and soft palate with good length’, while team leader Lionel Periner noted ‘dark, cooked fruits, dry and complex palate with notes of cacao, juicy fruit and spice’.

£6.14 Molson Coors

Sushi Samba’s Maurizio Palomba noted its ‘sweet, spicy fruit character and full, weighty palate with ripe tannins and moreish acidity’, while Yohann Pinol of Wiltons also enjoyed its ‘good, fruity style and spicy balance’.

£5.01 Molson Coors

‘Red fruit nose, with fragrant notes of sour cherry and raspberry tart, light toasty oak touches on a rich palate with soft tannin and some darker tones,’ said Gaetano Giangaspero of Coya Mayfair. ‘Versatile character, but needs a little more time for the oak to integrate fully on the finish,’ added Charles Ashby-Taylor of Dabbous.

£17.11 Matthew Clark

Full of ‘delicate red fruit, good acidity and mineral balance with a salty character on the palate’, said Gabriel Liotta of Hakkasan Hanway Place, with team leader Jade Koch noting ‘bitter chocolate and blackcurrant notes, big and waxy style, could benefit from a little time’.

£15.65 Matthew Clark

‘Rich and ripe on the nose, followed by a toasty palate with silky tannins, well balanced and pleasant to drink,’ said Yohann Pinol of Wiltons.

£6.49 The Oxford Wine Company

‘Crunchy red fruit, delicious juicy character and acidity, and extremely good value,’ said an impressed James Hocking of The Vineyard Group, while team leader Martin Lam found ‘lifted, bright fruit, fresh and simple style with a slightly dry finish’.

£4.20 Kingsland

Team leader Laurent Richet MS admired its ‘lovely balance, with rich tannin structure and ripe fruit’, while Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky noted ‘redcurrants with hints of leather and perfumed notes, sharp sour cherry on the palate and bold tannins’.

£12.45 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£5.02 Direct Wines Production

£9.13 Boutinot

£11.54 Boutinot

£6.39 Boutinot

£10.25 Bibendum

£9.63 Bibendum

£8.74 Bibendum

£7.95 Bibendum

£12.70 Liberty Wines

£16.42 Domaine Jones

£8.21 Enotria&Coe

£7.69 Enotria&Coe

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

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

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

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

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

Consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates enjoyed this wine’s ‘bright and fruity nose, showing floral character’, also highlighting its ‘rich, full mouthfeel, fresh apricot and toasted pineapple fruit with ginger spice notes and good length’.

£6.85 Carlsberg UK

‘Baked apricot, citrus and honey aromas, some viscosity on the palate with hints of sweetness, a nice wine,’ began James Hocking of The Vineyard Group, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club highlighted ‘sweet white plums and light florals, apple and sweet asparagus notes with a beautiful fresh finish’.

£6.53 Boutinot

Popular with all our tasting panel members, this showed ‘beautiful structure, floral and dry character with golden apple fruit and a touch of residual sugar’, according to Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted, and ‘would be well suited to Asian cuisine for a gastropub’. ‘Halva on the nose with herbal notes and chalk, the palate is great, fresh with depth and length,’ agreed team leader Angela Reddin.

£8.02 Bibendum

Street XO’s Raphael Thierry enjoyed this ‘classic style’, with its ‘peach and apricot fruit, good texture and lovely fresh finish’, while Alessandro de Angelis of Jamavar noted its ‘sunny and fresh nose, citrus notes and exotic finish’.

£5.80 Majestic Commercial

Team leader Laura Rhys MS found this ‘bright and interesting, with rich, ripe fruit on the nose, a tropical and stone fruit palate with candied citrus notes and well-integrated oak’, while WSET’s Mike Best found ‘lots of sunshine in this glass, with nutty, full-bodied, creamy and floral character’.

£12.00 Inverarity Morton

Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot found ‘a complex nose of citrus and honeysuckle, with tropical notes and oak spice on the palate’, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club noted ‘apple and gentle basil notes on the nose, and hints of mushroom complexity on the palate’.

£26.42 Top Selection Ltd

Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted found ‘dusty pear aromas, great oily texture with peachy fruit on the palate, medium body and golden apple notes on the finish’, while team leader Angela Reddin highlighted ‘dried pineapple with a spiced apple kick, and a good palate with some length’.

£8.09 Liberty Wines

A ‘very well balanced wine’ for The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira, who enjoyed its ‘fresh acidity and alcohol, crispy green and yellow apple fruit with good minerals and a beautiful finish’, while WSET’s Mike Best noted its ‘creamy, high quality oak, subtle but persistent concentration that will pair well with richer dishes’.

£17.16 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates found ‘fairly heavy oak on the nose, but lovely balance and flavours on the palate with good typicity and an oily finish’, with Buddha Bar’s Piotr Artur Tomaszewski noting ‘pear and apricot, and a lot of rosemary and thyme’.

£6.25 Boutinot

‘Waxy richness on the nose, and a nicely zesty and refreshing palate,’ began team leader Martin Lam, with Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club also finding ‘lemon flowers, light herbal chive notes and fresh green apple’.

£6.89 Bibendum

Street XO’s Raphael Thierry enjoyed its ‘tropical nose with ripe peach and apricot, a fragrant and very aromatic style with good texture and freshness, but a pleasant touch of balancing bitterness on the finish’.

£8.19 Liberty Wines

‘Floral, peachy character, a refreshing and commercial style,’ said Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted, with team leader Angela Reddin noting: ‘Quince and red apple on a clean palate, flavoursome, balanced and good length.’

£7.14 Liberty Wines

While Giuseppe Longobardi of The 3A Pub Company found plenty of flavour, with its ‘apricot, peach, honey, yellow flowers and melon, with marzipan and a touch of bitterness on the finish’, The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira felt it was ‘a nice match with fish, with good fresh acidity and a slight vegetal note’.

£6.19 Liberty Wines

£5.01 Molson Coors

£4.82 Direct Wines Production

£7.19 Bibendum

£8.95 Bibendum

£8.00 Liberty Wines

£7.67 Bibendum

£6.21 Majestic Commercial

£16.42 Domaine Jones

£6.64 Liberty Wines

£6.98 ADVINI

£6.98 ADVINI

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

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

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

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

‘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

‘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

‘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

‘Ripe fruit on both nose and palate, with tangerine and blood orange, some oak structure and some lemon zest to finish,’ thought team leader Laurent Richet MS. Sara Bachiorri of Chez Bruce found this to have ‘tropical notes on the nose, while being lovely and mineral in style overall – pure and precise’.

£14.97 Boutinot

‘Citrus, mineral and elderflower aromas, then a palate of crispy minerality and a gentle ripe, sweet peach finish,’ began Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club, with impressed team leader Annette Scarfe MW finding it a ‘leaner style, with delicate white flowers and fresh lemons, unoaked and clean’.

£9.50 Boutinot

Team leader Annette Scarfe MW highlighted ‘lovely use of cedar oak, giving great toasty structure’, finding it ‘concentrated and intense, yet with elegance and poise, and a long citrus finish’, with Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club picking up more complex notes of ‘sour apple with gentle ginger notes, elegant mineral flavours finishing with earthy, balsamic character’.

£34.71 Bibendum

Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan noted a ‘honeyed nose of quince and mango, dry, ripe and long palate with good acidity and freshness, concentration and tropical papaya character with lemon meringue hints’. ‘Nice oak integration, smoky and almost nutty character already,’ added J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers.

£12.32 Bibendum

Guillaume Mahaut of ETM Group enjoyed its ‘restrained nose of fruity and floral notes, rounded palate with melon and notes of tropical fruit’, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club highlighted some interesting notes of ‘unripe apple and fresh basil leaves, with gentle white peach and light floral character on the palate’.

£12.95 Bulles Blanc Rouge

Plenty going on here for Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall, who highlighted its ‘buttery, nutty, toasted peanuts and toasted bread aromas with hints of peach, nectarine and dried apricot, then a well-integrated concentration of flavours, balanced weight and texture’, adding that it was ‘smooth as a smooth thing and long, very long’.

£17.11 Matthew Clark

‘Toast, nutty oak, bready lees and slight hints of smoke on the nose,’ began a satisfied Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall, who liked its ‘delicate stone fruits and gentle citrus, with good texture, body and integrated oak flavours, making it a rounded and complex wine with elegance and finesse’.

£13.74 Liberty Wines

An ‘investment wine’ for team leader Angela Reddin, who found it ‘initially shy, but some nice florals, citrus and orchard blossom on a restrained palate with medium weight and good length’, while Hakkasan Group’sDiana Rollan enjoyed its ‘citrus, red apple, floral and mineral aromas, fresh and lively palate with great flinty mineral character, and elegant balance’.

£36.59 Liberty Wines

‘Smoked apple aromas with green tea leaves, light and buttery on the palate with mineral earth notes,’ said Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club, with Guillaume Mahaut of ETM Group also noting a ‘restrained nose, a little shy at the moment, but more revealing on the palate with notes of crème pâtissière and a mineral backbone’.

£17.88 Enotria&Coe

‘Elegant and floral with apple blossom character on the nose, and ripe stone fruit with a creamy hazelnut character on the finish,’ said team leader Olivier Marie. ‘Beautiful nose with peach, apple, pear and camomile,’ added Dario Barbato of Individual Restaurant.

£8.80 Castelnau Wine Agencies

‘Preserved lemon and yellow flower aromas with touches of nectarine, this has a deliciousness,’ began team leader Angela Reddin, continuing: ‘It’s fleshy without being blowsy, showing lovely understated oak and a mineral streak.’

£14.52 Bibendum

‘A subtle and elegant style, appley and fresh on nose and palate with zesty character, lemony fruit on the finish with touches of nautical saline minerality,’ said team leader Olivier Marie.

£19.54 Liberty Wines

£13.17 Davy's Wine Merchants

£11.95 Domaine de la Jobeline

£16.17 Domaine de la Jobeline

£9.43 Castelnau Wine Agencies

£8.67 Boutinot

£16.74 Bibendum

£9.95 Bibendum

£20.61 Bibendum

£12.67 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£15.19 Liberty Wines

£19.87 Hallgarten & Novum 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

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

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

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

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

‘Petrol aromas, grassy fresh with nettle notes, makes you really want to get your nose in the glass,’ began Simon Cassina of Winexponent, finding ‘a clean palate of sweet baked apples and a pinch of cinnamon, lime and fresh acidity’.

£5.26 CellarVino

Luciana Girotto-Beckett of Macellaio RC was impressed with its ‘floral and perfumed, yet intense red berry nose’, finding a ‘medium-bodied palate with meaty and floral notes, long and fresh with soft tannins’. ‘Really juicy and well made, lovely refreshing finish,’ addedLe Cordon Bleu London’s Matthieu Longuère MS.

£10.31 Matthew Clark

‘Fantastic aromas of melon and ripe pineapple, as well as tertiary notes of kerosene and slate,’ began an enthusiastic Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels, continuing: ‘The palate is complex, showing vibrant limey acidity, with great minerals complementing the fruit structure. Fantastically well-made wine.’ ‘Taut and tense, full yet refined, lithe and generous, all reined in by crisp acidity,’ added team leader Simon Woods.

£15.68 Matthew Clark

Neil Tabraham of Paris House enjoyed its ‘lovely, petrolly Riesling nose, limes and citrus, with pineapple and baked lemons on the palate, which is long and fresh’, while Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels remarked on its ‘aromas of ripe stone fruits along with hints of slate, a sensational coated mouthfeel packed with ripe melon, peach and pineapple, attractive, refreshing acidity and a long finish’.

£22.43 Matthew Clark

Team leader Simon Woods found it a ‘quite spicy, broad-shouldered style with some earthy quince and fennel notes in with the citrus’, while Neil Tabraham of Paris House liked its ‘lovely Riesling tropical nose, warm ripe fruits and nice balance of acidity and length’.

£13.10 Indigo Wine

‘Pure slate and minerality, very persistent on the palate, clean with great balance and a great finish,’ began Tim McLaughlin-Green of Sommelier’s Choice, with team leader Simon Woods highlighting ‘lots of power, but piercing acidity, an excellent style, powerful but restrained, with suggestions of strawberry, red fruit and vanilla’.

£29.99 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Charming mineral and petrolly aromas, ripe peach with notes of green tea on the palate, then a complex finish,’ said Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club, with Federico Forte of Plateau picking up ‘gooseberry, apricot, Williams pear, complex fruit with hints of white pepper, mango and grapefruit’.

£29.28 Liberty Wines

Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club enjoyed its ‘lemon flower with light, sweet herb aromas, sweet white peach fruit on the palate with fresh minerality and an elegant finish’.

£16.94 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£9.96 Bibendum

£10.72 Bibendum

£13.75 Bibendum

£8.12 Bibendum

£8.31 Indigo Wine

£13.14 Liberty Wines

£16.94 Liberty Wines

£10.44 Liberty Wines

£23.34 Liberty Wines

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

‘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

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

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

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 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

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

‘Lots of red fruit and floral touches on the nose,’ began Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish, who enjoyed its ‘freshness and lovely acidity on the palate, lots of cherry and redcurrant flavours with hints of light spices on the finish, perfect for summer’.

£7.72 Clark Foyster Wines, Matthew Clark

Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group enjoyed its ‘green pear, melon and nectarine aromas with youthful oyster shell notes, fresh and long mouthfeel on a bright, beautiful wine’, while Sebastian Agnello of The Don Restaurant found it ‘aromatic, with lovely white flowers, candied peel and zesty orange notes’.

£8.54 Boutinot

Mike Best of the WSET found this to be ‘full of power and structure, bright red fruits and bold, firm tannins along with integrated high alcohol and acidity’, concluding: ‘Impressive and savoury and would suit something like roast beef fillet.’

£12.73 Bibendum

‘Smoky, cheese rind character on the nose, showing oak usage with stone fruit on a rich and creamy, long palate,’ said Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group, with Vinoteca’s Charlie Young highlighting a ‘savoury, Burgundy-like nose with richness and some upfront sweetness’, and team leader Andrea Briccarello picking up ‘sea shell notes, textbook Greek intensity and ripe nectarine with salt and lime notes on the finish’.

£19.28 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Quite deep, dark fruits combined with notes of the pine forest, intense but well balanced,’ said Dan Cohen of Cépages Wine Bistro, while Mike Best of the WSET admired some ‘real polish on this wine, which will provide value at the premium end of a list and offers great excitement of something with real power and concentration, a superb match with well-aged steak’.

£15.31 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£7.69 Southern Wine Roads

£10.63 Southern Wine Roads

£10.42 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£9.29 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£18.19 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

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 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

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

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

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

‘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 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

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

Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia enjoyed its ‘elegantly soft nose with a restrained, classy palate’, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club highlighted its ‘fresh cherry and balsamic notes on the nose, and a palate of sour cherry with herbal and vegetal notes’.

£5.67 Davy's Wine Merchants

‘Dark cherries and spice on the nose, packs plenty of fruit and quite oaky on the finish, but overall very balanced,’ said Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish, with Yauatcha’s Kelvin McCabe also noting ‘cherries, plums, dusty tannins and a soft finish’.

£4.50 Crown Cellars

‘Light red and black cherry with some firm tannins, but quite juicy and drinkable,’ said team leader Sam Caporn MW, with Alessandro de Angelis of Jamavar alighting on its ‘jamminess, cherry and redcurrant, medium body and crunchy, red berry, flowery finish’.

£5.40 Tate Smith

Sushi Samba’s Maurizio Palomba found ‘plenty of dark cherry and soft, ripe tannin, with refreshing, clean acidity’, while team leader Jade Koch found it ‘more complex, with sweet bramble and blackcurrant fruit character and a drying finish’.

£5.93 Matthew Clark

Yohann Pinol of Wiltons noted its ‘nice ruby red colour, red berry aromas with cassis notes, a complex and well-balanced palate and long, fresh finish’, with team leader Jade Koch finding ‘pretty apple and blackberry fruit, with lots of clarity and vanilla notes making it very moreish’.

£4.79 CyT UK

‘Clean, with lovely ripe red cherry character, herbal notes and stone fruit, then dark plum on a rounded and expressive palate,’ said team leader Olivier Marie, while Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer also noted ‘sweet oak spice and sap, purple floral and pink peppercorns’.

£4.12 CellarVino

Team leader Jade Koch noted its ‘good perfumed style, with blackcurrant fruit on a dry palate with a nice touch of tartness, and a hint of warmth on the finish’, while Sushi Samba’s Maurizio Palomba found it ‘smoky, with dark cherry notes and lovely grip’.

£4.25 CyT UK

‘Balanced and intense with good fruit balance and acidity,’ began Sushi Samba’s Maurizio Palomba, with Yohann Pinol of Wiltons agreeing: ‘Very complex nose, peppery with violets and cassis, good smooth tannins and elegant structure.’

£5.39 Boutinot

‘Attractive nose, good texture on the palate, tannins are firm but solid acidity,’ began Harry Crowther of M Wine Store, with team leader Angela Reddin adding: ‘Would certainly be suited to pubs and by the glass.’

£4.50 Fuller's

Xabier Alvarez of Trangallán enjoyed its ‘crunchy plum and cherry fruit and very good freshness’, while Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish felt it was a ‘clean red, well made, with touches of complexity’.

£5.35 Boutinot

‘A little closed on the nose, but rich and complex on the palate, showing ripe black cherries, some earthy mineral tones and good style for incredibly good value,’ said Jonathan Giffrin of Claude Bosi @ Bibendum.

£4.90 Boutinot

‘This is value,’ said James Hocking of The Vineyard Group, ‘with its nice depth of flavour, ripe berry and spice notes, a touch of vanilla from oak and a long finish.’ ‘Fresh cassis with light mint leaf notes, dark cherry and jammy notes,’ added Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club.

£5.20 Atlantico UK

Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish highlighted ‘good spicy, fresh red fruit aromas and flavours and nice spicy notes on a long finish’, while team leader Simon Woods summed it up as ‘proper wine, juicy and slightly spicy’.

£4.93 Tees , Taste Turkey

Team leader Laurent Richet MS enjoyed its ‘juicy, fruity style, with a touch of black pepper spice, simple but easy drinking, and very joyful by the glass’, while Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan found ‘red berries and bubblegum notes, strawberry and cherry aromas, dry and intense with sweet spices and a touch of bitterness, but juicy and vibrant’.

£5.64 Majestic Commercial

Team leader Tom Forrest found ‘medium intensity black fruits on an attractive, ripe nose, with crisp raspberry and tayberry fruits on the palate and soft tannins’, while consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates felt it had ‘some depth and layers, with dark berry fruit’.

£4.79 Majestic Commercial

Alessandro de Angelis of Jamavar found ‘berries and plum on the nose, dark spices and good acidity on the palate with a mouthwatering finish’, with team leader Sam Caporn MW summing it up as a ‘soft, very easy-drinking crowd-pleaser’.

£4.83 Majestic Commercial

‘Blackberries and liquorice, fresh and fruity on the nose, dry and fresh with a ripe, round, balanced palate, savoury with a good, approachable style,’ said Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan, with team leader Laurent Richet MS finding it ‘vibrant and structured, lovely by the glass or with food’.

£5.10 Crown Cellars

Jonathan Giffrin of Claude Bosi @ Bibendum was keen on its ‘ripe, soft tannins and good red fruit expression’, while team leader Annette Scarfe MW noted ‘delicate hazelnut notes on the nose and a simple but well-made wine, presenting good value’.

£6.00 Matthew Clark

‘Red and black fruits on nose and palate, supported by a bit of tannin and good acidity with a beautiful finish,’ said The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira, who was sure it would be ‘nice to have with your Sunday roast’.

£5.05 HT White & Co

Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club was pleased with its ‘jammy plum and spice nose, fresh and light palate with rhubarb and baking spice notes’, while team leader Martin Lam found it ‘herbal and aromatic, appealing and well made, fault-free and drinks well’.

£4.25 Lanchester Wine Cellars

Our panel found plums and dark fruit compote character, some concentration and more earthy, vegetal notes on the palate with a hint of liquorice on the finish.

£4.45 Lanchester Wine Cellars

‘A good New World style, jammy and juicy fruit, would work well in a pub or bistro,’ said team leader Jade Koch, with Gabriel Liotta of Hakkasan Hanway Place enjoying its ‘nice ripe fruit character, slightly jammy but dry, and good value for money’.

£4.57 CyT UK

‘Tastes of real wine,’ began J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers, highlighting its ‘woody and berry aromas, chocolate and oak stave notes on the palate with grippy tannins, rounded and great value’.

£4.57 CyT UK

‘Pleasantly enticing nose with a sweetness of fruit and liquorice,’ began Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot, with Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club noting ‘spicy rhubarb aromas, gentle herbal and spice character, perfumed cassis on the palate with jammy baked apricot notes’.

£5.50 Fuller's

Giuseppe Longobardi of The 3A Pub Company felt this was a ‘lovely foodie wine, with its green pepper and fruity nose leading to a balanced fruit palate with vegetal notes’, while Mike Best of the WSET found it ‘medium bodied, approachable with mixed spice character’.

£4.85 Boutinot

Ivan Ruiz of Wright Brothers found ‘blueberry fruit and refreshing acidity with plenty of tannins’, and Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer enjoyed its ‘smoky, earthy bacon and dark garrigue aromas, plum and chalky tannins with black bramble fruits and pepper’.

£5.30 Fuller's

Scott Levy of Smith & Wollensky found ‘lots of fresh fruit on the nose, dry on the palate with richer, fruity meaty notes’, while Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan highlighted ‘black fruit, liquorice and Morello cherry intensity, easy character on a dry, rounded and balanced palate’.

£5.33 Bibendum

‘Tannins are ripe and well integrated, it’s velvety and smooth on the palate with a long finish, and very food-friendly,’ said Gabriel Liotta of Hakkasan Hanway Place. ‘Very approachable with good fruit,’ agreed team leader Jade Koch.

£5.26 Bibendum

Team leader Annette Scarfe MW found ‘ripe red plums with an attractive herbal streak bringing freshness’, while Jonathan Giffrin of Claude Bosi @ Bibendum noted ‘characterful leafy and black fruit, full body balanced by good acidic backbone and ripe tannins’.

£5.35 Bibendum

Team leader Sam Caporn MW was impressed with its ‘really lifted fruit compote/summer pudding aromas and juicy, pretty palate that’s full of character and fruit’, while Alessandro de Angelis of Jamavar found ‘cherry and kirsch, intense new oak, slightly mineral character and a well-defined finish’.

£5.26 Bibendum

A pleasing, uncomplicated style for Portland Restaurant’s James Fryer, who picked up ‘red fruits, chocolate and sweet spices on the nose, juicy red fruit palate with more notes of milk chocolate and good acidity’.

£5.83 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£4.15 Crown Cellars

£5.05 Dayla

£5.93 Matthew Clark

£5.83 Matthew Clark

£4.89 CyT UK

£5.99 Louis Latour Agencies

£3.83 Broadland Wineries

£3.62 Broadland Wineries

£5.29 Terre and Terroir Ltd

£5.61 Boutinot

£5.85 Boutinot

£5.65 Boutinot

£4.71 Boutinot

£5.48 Boutinot

£5.67 Boutinot

£4.50 Fuller's

£5.95 Fuller's

£5.95 Fuller's

£4.50 Fuller's

£5.15 Boutinot

£4.09 LWC Drinks Ltd (Merchant and Shippers)

£5.47 Majestic Commercial

£4.62 Majestic Commercial

£4.16 Majestic Commercial

£5.48 Majestic Commercial

£4.25 Majestic Commercial

£4.44 Majestic Commercial

£5.50 Majestic Commercial

£4.59 Greene King

£4.53 Majestic Commercial

£5.50 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£5.97 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£4.71 Boutinot

‘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

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

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

‘Red fruit, plenty of strawberry on the nose with hints of floral aromatics, dry with nice acidity on the palate, well balanced and light on the alcohol,’ said team leader Lionel Periner, while Corin Ireland of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms found ‘crunchy cranberries and raspberries with a dry, elegant finish’.

£4.66 Molson Coors

Noting its dark pink colour, team leader Lionel Periner picked out its ‘red fruit, candied touches and floral aromas, dry, medium body with a nice balance, finishing fresh and spicy’, while Corin Ireland of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms found it ‘much drier than expected, with good character of melon and strawberry fruit’.

£5.83 Matthew Clark

Vinoteca’s Charlie Young enjoyed its ‘melon fruit on a fresh nose, great balance and good fruit intensity on the palate and pleasant red berry fruit character’, while Arnaud Fiol of The Don Restaurant found ‘good minerality on the nose and balance in the mouth’.

£4.85 Boutinot

‘Attractive orange and nectarine character on nose and palate, mid-weight style with a clean, mineral and drying finish,’ said team leader Jade Koch, with Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse noting ‘nice nose that hints of spring, clean taste that will match well with green veg’.

£4.90 Boutinot

A very pale salmon pink colour, with ‘an elegant and fresh nose offering floral notes, too, nice acidity on the palate and a refreshing dry finish’, said Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst), with team leader Andrea Briccarello also finding ‘roses and lilies, followed by raspberry and cherry freshness, nicely balanced’.

£5.15 Boutinot

£3.83 Broadland Wineries

£5.48 Boutinot

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

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

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

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

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

‘Fresh citrus with gentle floral aromas, pink grapefruit on the palate followed by a very clean mineral finish,’ said Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club. ‘Perfect as an aperitif, or for fish dishes such as lemon sole,’ added Simon Cassina of Winexponent.

£4.15 Crown Cellars

‘Bold, juicy fruit, stone fruits and citrus with some delicate spice notes,’ began team leader Laura Rhys MS, while Benoît Poulain of Adam’s Restaurant enjoyed its ‘explosive aromas of white peach, strong salinity on the attack, lovely nectarine taste and smooth intensity’.

£5.05 Carlsberg UK

Consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates found ‘floral, orange blossom on the nose with lychee notes, then a palate that offers creamy, delicate drinking with bright floral notes and a lingering finish’. ‘Soft, easy palate, hint of sweetness, good for Asian food,’ added team leader Martin Lam.

£5.00 St Austell Brewery

‘Ripe and aromatic, floral style, good for those who prefer a sweeter style,’ began team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, with Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte noting ‘quince, mango, and kiwi fruit notes with a ripe, fruity palate, good value’.

£5.05 Dayla

‘Nice nose of stone fruits, pear, apple and peach, fresh and delicate on the palate,’ said Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish, while Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge also found ‘ripe fruit with a fresh contrast of lime and grapefruit, medium-bodied with quite high acidity on the palate’.

£5.99 Boutinot

Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering found ‘immediately attractive fruit aromas, light but fresh and balanced’, and thought it ‘perfectly enjoyable by the glass, though it lacks the weight for anything beyond the lightest foods’. ‘Pear drop aromas, soft with decent appley fruit,’ added Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson.

£4.10 CellarVino

An ‘attractive’ style for Bleeding Heart Group’s Christopher Delalonde MS, who found an ‘exuberant nose of honeysuckle, dried flowers, ripe grapes and hints of marshmallow, acidity adding lift to the palate and notes of bitterness and minerals bringing more weight and length’.

£3.90 CellarVino

‘Bright stone fruit aromas with a hint of melon, round and unctuous, showing a little residual sugar on the palate,’ said consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates, ‘but a good, approachable, easy-drinking style, punching above its weight.’

£4.16 CellarVino

Neil Tabraham of Paris House liked its ‘aromatic, grassy gooseberry nose, clean and fresh, with a slight lemon pith astringent note on the palate balanced by leafy lime freshness, making it a nice versatile food wine’. ‘Crisp, refreshing, green apple, asparagus and lemon, clean and well made, and perfect for drinking on a summer’s day,’ agreed Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels.

£4.99 Boutinot

Simon Cassina of Winexponent enjoyed its ‘lovely aromatic pear drop aromas, fresh and intense, clear taste of apples and lemon’, suggesting that its ‘medium weight can be a perfect match with a cider pork belly dish’.

£5.67 Boutinot

Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin found ‘grassy green fruit with fragrant lime, quite intense on the palate with vegetal notes’, while team leader Laura Rhys MS felt it was ‘good value, with crisp fruit and lively acidity, bright citrus character’.

£4.50 Fuller's

‘Dry and dusty, a fashionable style, refreshing and light, lively fruit and value for money, good with grilled pork,’ said Tanya Mann of Linden House Stansted, with Tamarind of Mayfair’s Chantal Serrano noting ‘lemon and peach aromas, fresh and intense with some texture on the palate’.

£4.25 Majestic Commercial

Agustin Trapero of Avenue highlighted ‘stone fruits and yellow plums, velvety texture and a long finish’, while Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson noted ‘citrus and peach with green apples, it’s clean, delicate and perfect pouring fare’, and team leader Laurent Richet MS advised: ‘Don’t serve it too cold.’

£5.67 Davy's Wine Merchants

‘Fresh and zingy, aromatic nose with lots of grapefruit zest, flavours of grapefruit, lemon, lime and tropical passion fruit on the palate,’ said Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall, concluding: ‘Clean, refreshing and value.’

£5.45 Lanchester Wine Cellars

‘Uncomplicated, but clean and precise, delicate, bone dry and appealing,’ began team leader Annette Scarfe MW, with Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club finding ‘stone fruit and light floral notes, soft apple and spices on a light palate with hints of petrol character’.

£5.93 Matthew Clark

‘Fresh fruit on a charming nose,’ began Tony Denis of Mosimann’s, continuing: ‘Complexity between apricot and peach fruit and notes of citrus, combining for good freshness overall, with nice acidity. Generous style, and a versatile match for gastro pubs.’

£5.85 Levin Wines

Team leader Martin Lam found a ‘wet stone waxiness with touches of honeyed richness, quite saline on the palate and aromatic on the finish’, while for consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates it was ‘citrus, lean, fresh and racy, good for summer drinking’.

£4.57 CyT UK

Federico Forte of Plateau highlighted ‘nice Sauvignon Blanc character, notes of asparagus and kiwi fruit, a little bit of mango and green apple, good acidity with fragrance on the palate and medium length’.

£5.50 Fuller's

Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish found a ‘delicate nose of apple, pear and candied citrus, a good fresh attack on the palate with more body than many’, while Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte highlighted ‘touches of saline minerality balanced with soft fruits, simple but nice, with a good long finish’.

£4.83 Boutinot

‘Pear and green apple aromas, quite fresh on the palate with apricot fruit and wet rock mineral notes, good length, too,’ said Plateau’s Federico Forte, with team leader Annette Scarfe MW noting: ‘elegant, with a crisp mineral finish’.

£4.50 Fuller's

‘Rich and ripe on the nose, bold stuff with lots of tropical fruit, this will have broad appeal,’ began Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson, with team leader Laurent Richet MS noting ‘golden apples, floral aromatics with a slight note of bitterness on the finish’.

£4.50 Fuller's

‘Pure, floral character on the nose, flinty palate with crisp acidity and crunchy plum fruit, refreshing and clean style,’ said Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin. ‘Good balance, everything in line, with a floral freshness,’ agreed Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh.

£5.85 Boutinot

Team leader Tom Forrest liked its ‘attractive nose of herbs and spice with tropical fruit notes, and creamy vanilla oak spice on the palate’, while Tamarind of Mayfair’s Chantal Serrano highlighted ‘buttery honey and camomile with peach and vanilla notes, discreet oak and an intense palate’.

£5.20 Atlantico UK

A straightforward, fresh and clean style, with our tasting panel finding medium intensity on the palate with light floral notes and subtle, delicate flavours, green fruit freshness and a dry finish.

£4.09 LWC Drinks Ltd (Merchant and Shippers)

‘Full, fleshy style, lovely depth of character with citrus and chalky notes on the palate, hints of waxy cheese rind and a nice touch of complexity,’ said Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh.

£4.59 Greene King

‘Lime citrus on the nose, light and a touch austere, but it’s elegant on the palate with good structure and mouthfeel,’ said Neil Tabraham of Paris House, with team leader Simon Woods finding ‘simple and easy pear fruit with slight herbal touches and a pleasant tang to finish’.

£4.53 Majestic Commercial

£4.66 Molson Coors

£4.60 Crown Cellars

£5.40 Refreshers

£4.77 The Oxford Wine Company

£5.93 Matthew Clark

£6.00 Levin Wines

£5.65 Boutinot

£4.85 Boutinot

£4.98 Boutinot

£5.60 Boutinot

£5.15 Boutinot

£4.85 Boutinot

£5.95 Fuller's

£4.50 Fuller's

£5.49 Boutinot

£5.15 Boutinot

£6.00 Kavaklidere Saraplari

£4.62 Majestic Commercial

£5.50 Majestic Commercial

£4.64 Greene King

£5.50 Enotria&Coe

£5.50 Enotria&Coe

£5.28 Bibendum

£4.83 Majestic Commercial

£5.25 Crown Cellars

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

Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) found ‘floral aromas and hay with lemon zest on a quite complex nose, with good acidity and medium weight on the palate’, while Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London described it as ‘elegant and perfumed, and really mineral on the finish’. Team leader Andrea Briccarello also found ‘grassy notes, with passion fruit and guava, and great structure and finish – a match for seafood’.

£9.43 Bibendum

‘A honeyed, acacia nose with apple and custard notes on the palate, vibrant character with some glycerol on the finish,’ said Street XO’s Raphael Thierry, while team leader Martin Lam found it ‘intriguing, quite complex with ripe fruit aromas and a juicy tropical fruit palate’.

£16.99 Maluxfood & Wine Co

‘Earthy, animal, leathery aromas here, dry and ripe on the palate with balance, black berry fruit and good freshness to finish,’ said Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan. ‘Black fruits, tar, meat jus, chocolate, full of dark promise and cries for venison,’ added team leader Angela Reddin.

£10.20 Maluxfood & Wine Co

£10.20 Maluxfood & Wine Co

£9.68 Matthew Clark

£11.51 Matthew Clark

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

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 richer, more phenolic, yellow plum style, distinctively Italian,’ began team leader Sam Caporn MW, while Avenue’s Agustin Trapero found intriguingly ‘expressive, green asparagus and kiwi notes with touches of cinnamon and a green tea aftertaste’.

£12.70 Eurowines

‘A fruity and elegant style, with fine structure and white flower notes,’ began Andrea Cotichella of Wernher Restaurant at Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa, with The Harrow at Little Bedwyn’s Sue Jones thinking its ‘pear drops, cleanness and beautiful balance’ added up to an ‘excellent value wine’.

£6.12 Eurowines

A ‘delicately aromatic’ style, according to Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot, who enjoyed its ‘light pear drop aromas and more tropical, warm fruit on the palate’.

£8.18 Eurowines

Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish found a ‘fresh, balanced attack and slightly savoury palate, with underripe apricot, notes of lemon and fresh herbs’. ‘Delicate and intriguing nose. Lively but not sharp on the palate,’ added Pollen Street Social’s Daniele Di Blasio.

£12.00 Liberty Wines

Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn admired its ‘lovely balance of dryness and richness’, and team leader Laura Rhys MS highlighted some notes of ‘candied citrus, with creamy oak overtones, ripe fruit character and full weight’.

£12.07 Cantina Orsogna

Team leader Laura Rhys MS found ‘some richness and viscosity balanced by ripe citrus fruits’, while Andrea Cotichella of Wernher Restaurant at Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa highlighted its ‘floral, fruity elegance and good length, with a touch of sweetness on the finish’.

£7.60 Vinicola Tombacco srl

‘A lovely golden colour leads into tropical, peachy, Mirabelle and mango fruits on the nose,’ began a very keen Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot, continuing: ‘There’s an element of creamy oak and generous levels of alcohol on the palate, but it’s well integrated and the wine really opens up well.’

£22.09 Alivini

Finding complex notes of ‘peachy stone fruit, pear and lemon tart’ on the nose, Yauatcha’s Kelvin McCabe noted ‘more peach with vanilla and honey notes, nice salinity and mineral on a long finish’.

£10.45 Enotria&Coe

‘Good minerality with light citrus and floral hints on the nose, then very elegant on the palate with good acidity and finish,’ said Frédéric Billet of Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa.

£8.23 Eurowines

A rich, full-bodied wine that caught the imagination of all our panel members, with team leader Angela Reddin commenting: ‘Summer meadow flowers, honey and lime notes with furry peaches and butter. Great balance of complex flavours, acid, mineral and length, and showing a light touch of tannin on the finish.’

£19.49 Eurowines

Andrés Ituarte of Coq d’Argent was delighted with this ‘simple but delicious, bright white with a spritz’, highlighting its ‘lemon zest and bright acids with a touch of salinity’, while team leader Angela Reddin noted ‘greengage, stewed apple and a touch of Dolly Mixture on a rounded, chalky palate’.

£7.49 Eurowines

‘A fruit bomb!’ began team leader Sam Caporn MW, continuing: ‘A very ripe, white and yellow stone fruit style, not subtle perhaps, but tasty.’ Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson found it ‘rich and textured, broad with baked honey and lemon pith, great with food’.

£15.00 Liberty Wines

Mattia Mazzi of Lutyens highlighted a ‘suave and floral nose, with a sleek and elegant palate, and intense fruit notes of bruised apple’, while Avenue’s Agustin Trapero liked its ‘gentle nose with yellow apple and hay, white fruit flavours and bitter aftertaste’.

£12.00 Boutinot

‘Mineral and dried pear aromas, followed by fresh fruit and nice saline notes on a smooth palate,’ said team leader Tom Forrest, who found ‘pear drop flavours, then fresh lemon citrus on the finish’. Daniele Di Blasio of Pollen Street Social enjoyed a ‘nice balsamic touch on the nose’.

£6.35 Boutinot

‘Nice stuff,’ began Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson, who enjoyed its ‘restrained nose of dried herbs and peach notes’, followed by a ‘dense, warm palate with hints of nuts on the finish’. Avenue’s Agustin Trapero noted its ‘dry white flowers with camomile touches and bitter almond finish’.

£7.52 Boutinot

A characterful combination, said team leader Olivier Marie, of ‘grassy herbal notes, sugar snap peas with a lift of horseradish and rocket leaf spice, followed by fresh greens and more herbs through to the finish’.

£9.70 Fattoria Mantellassi

An ‘intense and interesting’ wine for team leader Laura Rhys MS, who noted ‘citrus and mineral aromas, with good mid-weight complexity on the palate’, while Sosharu’s Masahito Suzuki enjoyed its ‘fine entry, mineral and almond elements’.

£9.29 Enotria&Coe

£14.20 Davy's Wine Merchants

£8.85 Eurowines

£8.05 Eurowines

£7.14 Liberty Wines

£6.00 Boutinot

£8.57 Cantina Orsogna

£6.12 Bibendum

£6.33 Bibendum

£9.58 Enotria&Coe

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 ‘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

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

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

Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) highlighted ‘some ageing and a grippy palate, but it retains freshness with some complexity on the palate’, and team leader Andrea Briccarello found ‘fruity savoury notes on the nose, good tannin structure and complexity on a vibrant palate with sour cherry and plum notes’.

£8.18 Eurowines

Team leader Lionel Periner found ‘forest fruit aromas and a hint of spice, full-bodied palate with plenty of acidity’, and fellow team leader Andrea Briccarello though that it ‘needs ageing or decanting, but is showing smoked fruits and savoury complexity, lots of extraction and concentration with intense oak notes and grippy tannins’.

£15.80 Eurowines

‘A serious wine with jammy red and black fruit on the nose, ripe but structured tannins with a complex and layered mid-palate,’ said team leader Annette Scarfe MW, with Plateau’s Federico Forte noting ‘plum and cherry, wood and green pepper leafy notes, showing ageing potential or decant to drink now’.

£51.50 Delitalia

‘A hint of gamey character and sweet spices, a little floral on the finish with smooth texture and balanced tannins,’ said Corin Ireland of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms, with Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) noting: ‘Rich body and colour, still firm tannins with dark berry fruit richness and light roasted notes.’

£11.17 antonio castelnuovo wines

‘Berries and dark fruit on the nose with light floral hints,’ began team leader Lionel Periner, who enjoyed its ‘depth of fruit flavours, smooth tannin and well-integrated oak finishing dry and long with spicy notes’.

£8.70 Boutinot

Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club found ‘perfumed rose and floral aromas, sour cherry with fresh character on the palate and an elegant finish’, while Simon Cassina of Winexponent picked up ‘balsamic notes and hints of orange peel on the nose, blackcurrant and sweet cinnamon spices, though it’s light on the palate’.

£9.65 Alivini

‘Classic bitter cherries with chalky tannins and savoury notes, with fresh, vibrant acidity,’ said team leader Annette Scarfe MW, with Simon Cassina of Winexponent adding: ‘Savoury and tannic, but so packed with fruit intensity and sense of its origins.’

£7.39 Boutinot

‘Light yet meaty aromas on the nose, aromatic in style with incense spice notes, an interesting wine with grainy tannins and a long finish,’ said Neil Tabraham of Paris House.

£8.78 Matthew Clark

This was ‘a lovely expression of Sangiovese’ for team leader Annette Scarfe MW, who found ‘chalky tannins with bitter red cherry fruit, subtle and appealing’. Federico Forte of Plateau felt it was ‘very pleasant, showing good balance between fruitiness, acidity and body, and versatile with many foods’.

£14.00 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£13.30 Eurowines

£26.23 Eurowines

£6.58 Molson Coors

£11.50 Eurowines

£8.12 antonio castelnuovo wines

£13.97 Cantina Orsogna

£9.13 Cantina Orsogna

£9.51 Bibendum

£15.25 Cantina Orsogna

£11.95 Matthew Clark

£27.61 Alivini

£14.51 Alivini

£24.02 Enotria&Coe

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

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

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

‘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

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

‘This is a really big wine,’ began Carlos Ferreira of The Sign of the Don, continuing: ‘Still a little green, but shows lots of complexity, black fruits and spice, leathery tobacco and oak, and will continue to age very well. If you enjoy this type of wine, you can decant it now and have it with a big steak!’

£19.07 La Sala

‘Dusty, earthy, sweet spice nose with delicate tobacco and red fruits,’ began Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall, continuing: ‘Smooth and elegant on the palate, showing stewed tomatoes and savoury character, with fine ripe tannins. Very moreish.’ ‘Perfect with hard cheeses,’ added The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira.

£8.89 Boutinot

‘Grippy tannins and juicy red fruit that is pure,’ began Andrés Ituarte of Coq d’Argent, also highlighting ‘lots of worn wood notes, tomato leaf and spice with great length – this is good value’. ‘Rich tannic structure, some herbal notes and good overall balance,’ added Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish.

£15.09 Liberty Wines

‘Dark fruit, blackcurrant and plum with black cherry, well-integrated spice and oak on the palate, still feels very young but has good potential,’ said team leader Laura Rhys MS, while Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin found it ‘dense, tense and concentrated, with big structure, fleshy dark fruits, bitter chocolate notes and chunky tannins’.

£19.52 Enotria&Coe

‘Tobacco and wet leaves, black and red fruits on the nose with hints of mint and pine, a well-balanced palate with a beautiful finish,’ said The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira, with Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall finding ‘elegant and charming, whiffs of meat and oak and lots of bright red fruits’.

£7.65 Matthew Clark

Coq d’Argent’s judge Andrés Ituarte enjoyed this ‘lighter style of Chianti, refreshing and a touch floral, elegant while also showing a nice earthiness’, with Mattin Larraburu of Sexy Fish also noting ‘hints of gunpowder on the nose, and good mineral notes bringing nice balance’.

£16.04 Liberty Wines

‘Bright cherry aromatics, lively cherry on the palate with grainy tannins, and will improve further with some age,’ said team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW. ‘Ripe, concentrated red fruits, well balanced with cedar, vanilla and other spices,’ added Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge.

£15.87 Enotria&Coe

£7.60 Eurowines

£11.25 Eurowines

£8.89 Boutinot

£8.00 VinumTerra

£9.50 VinumTerra

£6.72 Bibendum

£16.75 Bibendum

£11.48 Enotria&Coe

£10.47 Enotria&Coe

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

‘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

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

‘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

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

Team leader Sam Caporn MW enjoyed its ‘attractive, rich baked fig and plum aromas, round, fruity and spicy palate’, while Agustin Trapero of Avenue noted its ‘ripe, creamy black fruit, rich cherry and chocolate, and coffee finish’.

£19.18 Eurowines

Buddha Bar’s Piotr Artur Tomaszewski found this ‘medium bodied and round, with plum and cherry fruit, very fresh with fine tannins’, while senior judge Olivier Gasselin enjoyed its notes of ‘cherry in brandy, quite generous, ripe and crunchy texture with fine depth and elegance’.

£13.05 Eurowines

Sara Bachiorri of Chez Bruce found this ‘rich, concentrated, perfumed and textured’, and enjoyed its ‘sweet, ripe, dark fruit flavours, with chocolate, clove and star anise notes followed by a long and balanced finish’.

£31.50 Eurowines

Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW found ‘berry and fennel herbal notes on the nose, with a savoury palate that’s mid-weight and complex, long and interesting’, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club picked out ‘fresh strawberry and floral notes, sweet-sour red fruit palate with rich herbs and minerals’.

£13.55 Winetraders

‘Complex baked fruits with smoky, chocolatey aromas crunchy and juicy on the palate with some bitter-choc notes,’ said Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin, with team leader Annette Scarfe MW finding it a ‘lean style, quite elegant with ripe berry fruit and a spicy richness’.

£10.76 Boutinot

‘Easy-going, with red fruit and minty hints on the nose, smooth tannin on the palate,’ began team leader Lionel Periner, while Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge noted ‘ripe cherries and plums, violet and lavender floral notes with medium body and low tannin’.

£5.99 LWC Drinks Ltd (Merchant and Shippers)

‘Red cherry, rose petal, raspberry jam and a touch of volatility on the nose,’ began an impressed Kelvin McCabe of Yauatcha, adding: ‘Cherries, spicy and juicy, on a palate that’s vibrant and long, with fresh acidity making it fine for now and years ahead.’ ‘A wine for meditation,’ agreed Sara Bachiorri of Chez Bruce.

£35.96 Top Selection Ltd

A ‘rich, dense style showing redcurrant acidity and chalky tannin’, said team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, with Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club also noting ‘sweet cassis and fresh floral aromas, with intensity and gentle herbal notes on the palate’.

£15.29 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Red fruit, lightly leafy notes, and massively structured,’ began team leader Sam Caporn MW, with Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson going further: ‘Great nose, bright fresh fruit of cherry and strawberry. Really good, balanced by grippy but integrated tannins. Strawberry jam, yet great freshness to finish.’

£39.02 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘A plush more opulent style of Valpolicella, with soft tannins and ripe red berry fruit,’ began team leader Annette Scarfe MW, with Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels picking up on some ‘dried fruits, sour cherry and tertiary mushroom and leather notes on a complex palate’.

£10.24 Liberty Wines

Hamish Anderson of Tate Catering found it ‘very good, in the context of inexpensive Amarone’, commenting on its ‘dried fruits and good, attractive spice on the nose, chocolate richness and a bitter edge on the palate, with some brighter fresh notes on the finish’.

£18.59 Liberty Wines

Piotr Artur Tomaszewski of Buddha Bar enjoyed its ‘red fruits, raspberry and sour cherry’, also finding ‘cigar box and pencil shaving notes on a rounded, well-balanced palate with ripe tannins and good structure’, concluding: ‘Very good quality.’ ‘Powerful and complex, showing good typicity of the region,’ added Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels.

£18.28 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Dark cherries, raspberries and plums, with some leather too. A complex wine, with good acidity and length,’ said Markus Dilger of MAD F&B Consulting, while Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson described this as ‘creamy and textural, with dark plum notes, and rich tannins’.

£16.82 Enotria&Coe

A ‘not too heavy, and easy-drinking wine’ said Jose Luis Hernandez of Hakkasan Hanway Place, who noted: ‘Chocolate and oaky notes on a fruity nose, some meaty notes and dried fruit but fresh on the palate, candied fruits too, with concentration and richness, nicely balanced.’

£11.48 Ca' del Colle

‘Full on, with dark berries and chocolate richness, a great sociable drinking wine,’ began Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse, with Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering finding an ‘appealing, plummy nose, tangy fruit with an exciting zing, brilliant for all kinds of Italian meat and tomato dishes’.

£7.75 Fuller's

‘An approachable wine with refreshing acidity that will work well with lighter dishes,’ began Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels, highlighting its ‘good value, with aromas of red cherry and raspberry and a hint of spice’.

£7.30 Fuller's

‘Well balanced and rounded, in a fresh style with lots of plum and cherry fruit on the palate,’ began Piotr Artur Tomaszewski of Buddha Bar, continuing: ‘Complexity will develop further with a couple more years in the bottle, but it is still a very good quality wine.’

£15.06 Boutinot

Team leader Angela Reddin praised ‘a spiced fruit cup nose, along with some dried fruit notes’, while Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson enjoyed the ‘quite restrained and complex nose, with sour cherry and spice, as well as some earthiness. Very Italian in feel, with bright acidity and grippy tannins. Very good for the price too.’

£6.00 Moreno Wines, Try Wines, The Great Grog Company Limited

‘Concentration, jammy plum and cherry spirit notes on the nose, balsamic and herbal notes on the palate with a long finish,’ said Federico Forte of Plateau, with Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering suggesting its ‘tangy, big, mouth-filling style would be a special match with strong-flavoured cheeses’.

£13.21 Bibendum

‘Dark spice and baked red fruit aromas, sweet and sour cherry on the palate with light, fresh herbal notes to finish,’ said Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club, while Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering concluded: ‘Big wine, complexity and warmth. Will stand up to some big gamey, even spicy dishes.’

£10.50 Enotria&Coe

‘Fresh and pure on the nose, with lovely defined fruit character, red cherry ripeness,’ said Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson, concluding: ‘Mid-weight tannins are there, but some elegance too, making it a good value option.’

£27.21 Enotria&Coe

£19.99 Frederic Robinson

£28.00 Mondial Wine

£13.55 Winetraders

£5.50 Fuller's

£28.95 Boutinot

£35.66 Bibendum

£13.97 Vinicola Tombacco srl

£11.89 Alivini

£22.00 Alivini

£7.99 Direct Wines

£34.86 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£18.59 Liberty Wines

£15.06 Liberty Wines

£7.41 Enotria&Coe

£8.69 Enotria&Coe

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

‘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

Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group was impressed, finding it ‘very pleasant, with strawberry, raspberry, milk chocolate and hints of oak on the nose, strawberry patch earthiness and well-controlled acidity and tannins, with chalky minerals for a youthful wine with good potential’.

£22.25 Eurowines

‘Earthy, mushroomy style with good fruit, blackberries and a touch of vanilla, white pepper and nice acidity,’ said Frédéric Billet of Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa, who also found ‘mint and violets on an elegant, balanced palate’.

£18.71 Bibendum

A good-value ‘crowd pleaser’ for Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group, with its ‘dark fruits, blueberry and Ribena aromas, oaky vanilla with clove and a juicy, complex palate with medium tannins’. ‘Good balance, good wine,’ added team leader Angela Reddin.

£6.79 Berkmann Wine Cellars

A ‘light and delicate’ style for Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group, who found it appealing, with its ‘strawberry, meaty aromas and red fruit earthiness on a gently oaked, balanced palate’, while Andrés Ituarte of Coq d’Argent enjoyed its ‘crushed berries, cranberry, earthy floral notes’.

£18.12 Liberty Wines

Offering a different range of flavours and textures, with Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte finding ‘wet stone, rustic body and tomato leaf, plush and pure, balanced red fruits’ and team leader Angela Reddin pointing to ‘cherry, cassis and plum-scented woodsmoke, autumn forest notes, showing refinement and elegance’.

£8.63 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Iodine and sweet fruit on the nose, cherry stone bitterness on the palate but the tannins are soft and smooth, with great length and balance,’ said team leader Angela Reddin, and it was ‘great value’ for Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte, with ‘plum, red cherry, earth and tobacco showing through’.

£8.63 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£10.95 Ellis of Richmond

£12.95 Try Wines

£7.62 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£8.63 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£16.45 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘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

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

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

Agustin Trapero of Avenue found it ‘open and aromatic, with white flowers and a hint of fennel and artichoke, white pepper notes on the finish’, while Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering felt it was ‘very lively and zingy, and such a good match with creamy dishes and many fish dishes’.

£14.42 Eurowines

Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh enjoyed its ‘seductive nose and rich palate, silky texture with mango and pineapple fruit, nutty notes on the finish’, while Frédéric Billet of Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa highlighted a ‘blackcurrant leaf nose, exotic palate with very good acidity, papaya and lime fruit’.

£19.64 Eurowines

‘A ripe nose with honeyed acacia notes, elegant in the mouth with plenty of stone fruit character,’ began Arnaud Fiol of The Don Restaurant, with Harbour Heights Hotel’s Marek Rakowski noting ‘a deeper colour, apple fruit surrounded by buttery notes, good body and texture with well-balanced, subtle oak’.

£14.10 Bibendum

‘Vanilla oak is forward on the nose, then a stone fruit palate with peach blossom notes, good length and pleasant acidity,’ said Frédéric Billet of Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa, who found it ‘well balanced and elegant with hints of white pepper on the finish’. ‘Delicate fruit, with complexity and structure,’ added team leader Laura Rhys MS.

£22.81 Bibendum

Richard Allen of Adam’s Restaurant highlighted an ‘intense, perfumed nose, lots of candied apricot on the palate, very aromatic with a lingering finish’, and team leader Olivier Marie felt it was a ‘wonderful wine, ripe and fleshy with waxy, honeyed texture on a lovely palate with mineral notes balance and elegance’.

£10.79 Bibendum

‘Wow,’ said team leader Laurent Richet MS, much taken with this wine’s ‘clean and balanced, long and persistent character with beautiful ripe fruit of yellow plums and golden apple, touches of vanilla and tangerine with wet stone minerals on the finish’.

£30.47 Enotria&Coe

‘Lovely aromatic nose on a rich, opulent wine with notes of spice, roses and cream,’ began Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson, who also found a ‘broad, fat palate, but with enough freshness to make it a great match for Asian foods’. ‘Very attractive, holds well on the palate,’ added Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering.

£7.79 Boutinot

Team leader Laura Rhys MS found ‘bright citrus fruit, lovely minerality with some spicy notes and good texture on the palate’, while Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin noted ‘green fruit, precise and pure with smoky floral mineral character, nutty and saffron notes on the finish’.

£11.95 Ellis of Richmond

A typically drinkable, clean style with pear and apple fruit, with team leader Jade Koch highlighting ‘fresh peach aromas and good balance on a pretty palate that shows some slightly lactic character but remains refreshing’.

£6.00 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Pear and ripe apple aromas, lovely minerality and gentle saltiness on the palate complemented by vibrant fruit flavours all the way through,’ said Benoît Poulain of Adam’s Restaurant.

£16.31 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Gergely Barsi Szabó of Sager + Wilde found ‘aromas of peach and apricot with lime, complexity and good structure’, while team leader Olivier Marie enjoyed its ‘very good intensity, hints of persimmon and underlying spices, white pepper and horseradish, good complexity and weight with a savoury saline finish’.

£18.01 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£12.05 Try Wines

£17.60 Bibendum

£7.52 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£22.64 Matthew Clark

£23.41 Matthew Clark

£16.31 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£7.64 Liberty Wines

£24.84 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£16.90 Enotria&Coe

‘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

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)

‘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

‘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

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

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

Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall enjoyed its ‘fresh lemon, lime and gooseberry aromas, and minerally, ripe and fresh palate that’s clean, mouthwatering and great value’, while The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira found ‘stone fruits, really good balance, white grape juice character on the mid-palate with lots of freshness’.

£6.99 Frederic Robinson

A pleasant combination of ‘elegant florals and subtle orchard fruits on the nose’ for Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall, followed by ‘touches of butter and a slight note of petrol oiliness on the palate, which is minerally and flinty’.

£20.08 Eurowines

‘Crisp nose, with some notes of green apple flesh on the nose, more citrus-led on the palate,’ said Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst), with team leader Lionel Periner highlighting ‘citrus and spring flower notes, a well-balanced, dry palate with a lime character on the finish’.

£7.13 Liberty Wines

A feast of fruits for Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge, who found ‘citrus fruits with notes of ripe peach and apricot, tropical flavours of pineapple, mango and melon, a slight sparkle on the attack, full-bodied with high acidity and a long finish’.

£14.59 Liberty Wines

‘Light pear fruit aromas with some notes of celery and minerals,’ began team leader Tom Forrest, noting ‘some oak spice with creamy pear on the palate, elegant fruit style, some spice and a soft finish’. ‘Good to have with fatty fish in the summer,’ added The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira.

£18.34 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Soft and nutty, almond and blossom aroma notes, pear and apple fruits on the palate with more of that nutty character on the finish, a good length finish with lively touches of fresh lemon zest,’ said team leader Tom Forrest, with Robert Mason of Cheese at Leadenhall tipping it as ‘complex and unusual, great with a strudel as an alternative to a dessert wine, but dry’.

£20.40 Eurowines

‘Fresh melon and apple, very juicy acidity, refreshing on the palate with a touch of spice and grassy character,’ said Corin Ireland of Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms, while team leader Andrea Briccarello found ‘slight richness with plenty of citrus and nicely balanced’.

£5.20 Society of Vintners

‘Red apple and citrus nose with a bit of viscosity in the mouth, long and nutty on the finish, this is good value at the price,’ began Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte, while Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge highlighted ‘high intensity, citrus fruits and ripe white peach with stony minerality’.

£5.80 Liberty Wines

Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge enjoyed its ‘tropical fruits, mango and pineapple with apricot and peach aromas, floral citrus notes on the palate with mineral touches and a very long finish’, while Coq d’Argent’s Andrés Ituarte found it ‘very apple pie, an interesting style, with cloudy apple, cinnamon and clove’.

£10.44 Top Selection Ltd

£7.13 Eurowines

£7.45 Eurowines

£13.63 Boutinot

£6.79 Liberty Wines

£7.00 Forth Wines, Moreno Wines

£9.89 Bibendum

£11.43 Vinicola Tombacco srl

£8.52 Liberty Wines

£13.53 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£13.93 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£13.26 Enotria&Coe

‘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

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

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

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

Giancarlo Cuccuru of The Ned Hotel found this a ‘luscious wine, with good fruity aromas, big tannins and strong, dark fruits on the palate’, while team leader Martin Lam noted its ‘mature fruit nose and big, robust style’, adding: ‘Braised meat required.’

£40.00 GIV UK

Like ‘warm cherry pie and vanilla custard’, said Charles Pashby-Taylor of Dabbous, who enjoyed its contrasting ‘good green notes with balanced tannins’, while team leader Martin Lam noted its ‘tight, cherry fruit nose and black fruit on the palate, savoury and sweet, and big!’

£14.90 Eurowines

‘Dusty and oak-tinged on the nose, medium bodied and quite complex with a savoury character,’ began team leader Martin Lam, with Jacopo Armenio of Vinarius finding ‘dark fruits, blueberry on the palate high tannins but a deep, long finish’.

£13.95 Eurowines

Team leader Laurent Richet MS found this a ‘lovely perfumed style with ripe fruit on nose and palate, high tannin but good acidity’, while for The Vineyard Group’s James Hocking it was an ‘elegant wine, with earthy aromas and tarry character’.

£24.23 Alivini

Our tasting panel highlighted this wine’s notes of kirsch, Morello cherry and some stewed red fruit elements on the nose, with a range of black and red fruit flavours and sour cherry notes on a medium-bodied palate, complemented by fresh acidity.

£11.35 Boutinot

A wine whose ‘good tannin structure and balance’ was filled out by ‘raisin, Christmas pudding, clove and sweet spices’, for consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates, with team leader Olivier Marie finding it ‘unctuous, showing complex, oxidative aromatics with dark cocoa bean and roast coffee notes’.

£19.95 Boutinot

Immacolata Cannavo of Hakkasan Dubai found it ‘very perfumed with plenty of cherry and tar and high tannins’, while Bovey Castle’s Francisco Macedo added that it was ‘integrated, with high acidity and good fruit, cherry, cedar and tobacco with great depth, and showing signs of maturity’.

£51.04 Boutinot

Best to allow this a bit of air before serving, as Michael Fiducia of Coworth Park Ascot pointed out: ‘Initially closed on the nose with a lot of grip, but it opened up nicely on second tasting.’ And consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates enjoyed its ‘perfumed, floral elegance with balance on the palate and polished tannins’.

£11.61 VinumTerra

This was ‘farmyard and smoked meats’ for consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates, who also highlighted its ‘leathery complexity, brett characters and concentration’, with team leader Olivier Marie finding it a ‘lovely wine with enticing aromatics, if high on the alcohol’.

£29.90 Bava Azienda Vitivinicola

Showing ‘great character with intensity’, according to Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club, this had ‘dark cherry fruit and smoked spices with notes of pine on a good, lengthy finish’. ‘Intensely flavoured, but delicate body with herbal, leafy touches,’ said team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW.

£34.37 Bava Azienda Vitivinicola

Team leader Laurent Richet MS said this would be ‘worth ageing, with its cedar and cherries, olive tapenade undercurrent, high tannin and acidity with grippy tannins’, while The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira found more ‘red fruits, cherry and strawberry, with leather notes and youthful tannins’.

£51.89 Liberty Wines

A ‘restrained’ style, said team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, noting ‘delicate, elegant red fruits with well-controlled tannin’, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club found it ‘rich, punchy with baked red fruit and cherry aromas, black spices and a lightly meaty character’.

£25.19 Liberty Wines

Federico Forte of Plateau enjoyed its ‘very balanced palate, with bushberry flavours and a hint of herbal, balsamic aftertaste’, adding that it showed ‘good ageing potential’, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club picked out notes of ‘wild strawberry with gentle violet aromas’.

£28.50 Enotria&Coe

Francisco Macedo of Bovey Castle was impressed with its ‘leather and tobacco, raspberry and cedar complexity, showing ripe fruit but good tannins and acidity’, while The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira noted ‘a nice bit of age, and smooth, leathery black pepper and mushroom palate’.

£16.98 Alivini

A ‘savoury, textured wine, very light body with echoes of tar’, according to team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, while Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering found it ‘big and earthy, with a real mouthful of intense savoury flavours, such a good match for full-on dishes’.

£23.23 Boutinot

‘Fresh, with strawberry notes and red fruit on the palate, really enjoyable and a versatile wine,’ said Giancarlo Cuccuru of The Ned Hotel, with team leader Martin Lam describing it as ‘fresh and Pinot-like’ in style.

£11.00 Alivini

Team leader Laurent Richet MS highlighted ‘cedar, raspberry eau-de-vie and tar’ notes, while James Hocking of The Vineyard Group was very keen on its ‘earthy, forest-floor aromas, and opulent, full-bodied, powerful palate with great acidity and minerality’.

£26.51 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£12.33 Davy's Wine Merchants

£10.92 Davy's Wine Merchants

£32.45 Eurowines

£17.55 Eurowines

£11.05 Viticoltori Associati di Vinchio Vaglio Serra

£10.45 Alivini

£21.71 Boutinot

£10.91 Ester Wines

£32.74 Bibendum

A wine with a difference. Antonio Cuadros of The Don Restaurant loved its 'rustic, black olive' style, and team leader Olivier Marie found it a 'lovely, complex wine with rose petal, pot pourri, dried red flowers on the nose and a creamy texture with spicy incense on a sweet, ripe, jammy palate'.

£16.59 Alivini

£15.39 Liberty Wines

£27.80 Enotria&Coe

£11.99 Enotria&Coe

‘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

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

‘Very aromatic,’ thought team leader Tom Forrest, adding: ‘Soft, ripe peach notes lead to a chalky, mineral finish.’ ‘Very fruity on the nose, with high acidity that’s very well balanced with that fruit,’ added The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira. ‘Soft, smooth and delicate,’ concluded Dan Cohen of Cépages Wine Bistro.

£8.49 Boutinot

‘Ripe golden apples with lovely pear elements, very pleasant to drink,’ began Marcin Oziebly of The Wild Rabbit, with team leader Angela Reddin noting ‘meringue and dried yellow flowers, apple flavours with a nutty edge’, and Tony Denis of Mosimann’s adding: ‘Complex nose with minerals, aromatic style, elegance and freshness, a convivial, lovely wine, easy to drink.’

£11.00 VinumTerra

‘Full-on lactic and leesy nose, which continues into the palate, which is complex and delicious,’ said team leader Martin Lam. ‘There was balance and finesse here, with good structure and some appealing fruit, not to mention some attractive honeysuckle notes,’ said Frances Bentley of Individual Restaurants.

£26.63 Liberty Wines

‘A welcoming wine, and good value,’ began Tony Denis of Mosimann’s, who found a ‘fruity nose of lemon, watermelon and orange notes, elegant flavours with freshness, ripe stone fruit character, a slight touch of sweetness, lively and delicate style’. ‘One for the cognoscenti,’ suggested team leader Angela Reddin.

£10.27 Bibendum

‘Apple blossom and spring flowers on the nose with notes of quince, some minerals and a lot of herbal freshness,’ said Bleeding Heart Group’s Christopher Delalonde MS, who enjoyed its ‘clean palate, vibrant with delicate fruit delivery, elegant and mouth-filling, with a long, primary fruit finish’.

£12.77 Bibendum

£10.80 Alliance Wine

£23.84 Eurowines

£11.55 Viticoltori Associati di Vinchio Vaglio Serra

£7.49 Boutinot

£9.64 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£13.58 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

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

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

‘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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Black cherry and rose petals on the nose, firm structure in a well-crafted wine,’ said Harry Crowther of M Wine Store, with team leader Martin Lam advising: ‘Decanting is required for it to reveal its full personality, with lifted red fruit on the nose, a bit subdued, with sour cherry on a savoury-saline palate and drying tannin.’

£18.99 Eurowines

‘Ripe and juicy, earthy character with good dense texture, gentle red berry fruit that’s balanced with firm tannins,’ said team leader Simon Woods, with Neil Tabraham of Paris House noting ‘sweet black fruit nose, rustic but juicy palate with grippy tannins, needs a big steak’.

£6.81 CellarVino

‘Pure and spicy aromas, savoury, ripe and spicy on the palate with dark plum fruit and ripe tannins,’ said Vinoteca’s Charlie Young, with Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group noting its ‘bright fruit, meaty and spicy, black pepper character with grainy tannins’.

£6.41 VinumTerra

Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group enjoyed its ‘fruit-forward, ripe, blueberry and sour cherry style, with notes of cigar box and forest floor, with a soft palate and nicely integrated tannins making it a juicy wine’, while Vinoteca’s Charlie Young picked up ‘rich aromas laced with coffee and mulberries, fresh acidity and bitey tannins with elegance on the finish’.

£7.65 Boutinot

A wine of ‘immediate appeal’, according to team leader Martin Lam, who found ‘crisp red apple fruit and spice notes, despite a rather dumb nose’, and Harry Crowther of M Wine Store highlighted its ‘attractive fruit, aromatic character and good structure’.

£7.54 Bibendum

‘Juicy, fresh red plums on the nose with cherry touches, a wisp of oak on a nicely balanced palate,’ began team leader Martin Lam, with Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst) finding ‘light violet notes on a fresh nose, cranberry fruit on the palate with good acidity’.

£7.23 Bibendum

‘The nose is very beautiful and complex,’ began The Sign of the Don’s Carlos Ferreira, continuing: ‘Tobacco leaves and tomato, blueberry and black cherry with leather, the acidity and tannins are very well in balance, and it’s a really good wine for the price.’ ‘High tannins, but with this acidity it’s going to be amazing in a couple of years,’ added Adam Michocki of Chez Bruce.

£9.60 Bibendum

The consensus among our judges was that this would benefit from a couple more years of ageing, but team leader Tom Forrest also found: ‘Volatile, slightly balsamic cherry notes with some liquorice and oak spice, soft cherry and cedar on the palate with soft tannins and a warming finish.’

£15.40 Matthew Clark

‘Cherries, candied fruits and caramel notes on an elegant nose,’ began Jacopo Mazzeo of The Pig Hotel (Brockenhurst), who enjoyed finding ‘lots of fruity berry notes on the palate, which is complex and fresh’, while Street XO’s Raphael Thierry noted ‘good fruit concentration, cherry and red fruits with good oak and tannic structure, ready to drink but can be kept for many years’.

£27.06 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Summer pudding character, quite charming and warm, with a lifted character of fresh red berry fruits,’ began team leader Sam Caporn MW, while Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh found a ‘line of complexity and finesse, purity of red and blue flowers, plum and spicy notes’.

£9.67 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Cassis and plum on the nose, followed by more red plum jammy notes on a fruity palate,’ began Kelvin McCabe of Yauatcha, with team leader Annette Scarfe MW noting ‘rich, ripe strawberry aromas with generous use of new oak, giving a plush and ripe style’.

£9.84 Liberty Wines

‘Bright with dark fruits, rich and juicy on the palate with some meaty notes and spicy complexity,’ said team leader Laura Rhys MS, with WSET’s Mike Best noting ‘baked but still high acidity and fresh, interesting and food-friendly with ripe aromatics’.

£7.61 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Cherry and fresh beetroot aromas with a musky hint, dried cherries in the mouth, quite light in body and in general, but easy to drink,’ said team leader Angela Reddin, with J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers finding it ‘super-fresh with a good amount of flavour intensity, and a bit of animal character hiding in the bushes’.

£7.61 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Sake No Hana’s Tobias Brauweiler MS found it ‘rich and clean, with blackberries, spice and thyme herbal notes on the nose, young on the palate with hints of charcoal and oak, bacon meaty character and fresh acidity and tannin’, while team leader Sam Caporn MW felt it was ‘dense and nice, quite a polished, modern style’.

£10.97 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Adam Michocki of Chez Bruce found this a ‘fruit-driven, juicy wine with high tannins and a pleasant spicy character, very intense with loads of expression and a long finish’, while Sumi Sarma of Sumilier noted ‘figs, ripe plums, raisins and prunes, well rounded and soft on the palate with a hint of pine needle greenness’.

£16.40 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Popular with all the judges, this showed ‘mineral, fresh, lively black fruit with tobacco and dark chocolate on the nose’, said Hakkasan Group’s Diana Rollan, then ‘a drying and full-bodied palate with good concentration and superb texture’. J Corey Evans of St Swithins Wine Shippers felt it ‘holds tons of fruit and will age beautifully, but will sell like hot cakes now in the right restaurant’.

£19.95 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Generous and powerful, vibrant character with figs and plum, spicy meats and tannin with notes of lavender on the finish,’ said Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh. ‘Tight fruit and big, yet elegant, with poise and structure,’ added team leader Sam Caporn MW.

£17.80 Enotria&Coe

‘Stewy red cherry fruits with notes of liquorice on the nose, followed by a soft palate of fruit compote, cherries and prunes, with hints of liquorice and spice, chunky texture and softish tannins, but it needs big food,’ said team leader Tom Forrest.

£8.09 Boutinot

Damien Trinckquel of Galvin Brasserie de Luxe Edinburgh found it ‘fresh and vibrant, with cherry fruit and crushed spices and mineral, toasty on the finish’, and Xabier Alvarez of Trangallán admired its ‘good perfume, great middle palate and volume’, finding it ‘drinkable and fast-developing’.

£8.09 Boutinot

There were ‘earthy black fruits on a meaty, complex nose’, said Stefan Kobald of Jason Atherton Group, ‘and a developing palate showing wild berries with herbaceous undertones, balanced tannin and acidity, and a chalky mineral note’.

£13.89 Boutinot

‘Crunchy red fruit and currant aromas, unoaked and fresh, clean on the palate with crisp acidity but some richness on the finish, and it’s good value,’ said team leader Annette Scarfe MW, and Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club also found notes of ‘spiced plum jam and baked cherry, with sweet spices on a fresh finish’.

£6.53 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£6.50 Crown Cellars

£16.00 GIV UK

£15.18 Eurowines

£8.60 Eurowines

£10.36 Eurowines

£8.18 VinumTerra

£10.00 Ionica Wine Cellars Limited

£5.30 Fuller's

£15.10 VinumTerra

£10.98 Ester Wines

£7.60 Vinicola Tombacco srl

£7.60 Vinicola Tombacco srl

£8.32 Matthew Clark

£14.55 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£11.59 Liberty Wines

£20.52 Liberty Wines

£16.20 Liberty Wines

£13.99 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£9.60 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£11.54 Enotria&Coe

£14.94 Enotria&Coe

£9.95 Enotria&Coe

£9.70 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

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

Team leader Lionel Periner enjoyed its ‘open, fresh citrus juice aromas and dry, rich body and good length’, while Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge found plenty of fruit complexity: ‘Pineapple, mango, banana on the nose with ripe apricot and sweet cinnamon spice on a full-bodied palate.’

£15.64 Eurowines

A richer style here, with Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London noting ‘vanilla and toasty, nutty aromas, also quite nutty and savoury on the palate, enjoyable’, and team leader Jade Koch finding ‘pear drops, thick texture and honeyed sweetness on the finish’.

£14.44 Boutinot

Laure Patry of Jason Atherton Group was taken with its ‘yellow peaches, mineral and dried almond notes, good structure on the palate with medium acidity’, while Jose Luis Hernandez of Hakkasan Hanway Place was impressed with its ‘toasty, floral, elegant and restrained nose, with yellow fruit and fresh apples on an intense, concentrated palate’.

£12.78 Matthew Clark

Luciana Girotto-Beckett of Macellaio RC found it ‘aromatic, fresh and crisp with apricot fruit on the palate and a long, pleasant finish’, while Le Cordon Bleu London’s Matthieu Longuère MS enjoyed its ‘peachy perfumed freshness and lovely citrus fruit palate’.

£7.61 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Good body and spicy notes with a little spritz on a clean, juicy palate,’ began team leader Jade Koch, with Luciana Girotto-Beckett of Macellaio RC noting ‘nice balance on a palate of yellow flower and honey notes’.

£13.86 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£12.35 Eurowines

£10.28 Boutinot

£5.50 Majestic Commercial

£8.09 Bibendum

£12.39 Matthew Clark

‘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

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

Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering enjoyed a ‘riper, richer mouthful of fruit with some depth, and it grows and grows on the palate’, concluding: ‘Lovely wine!’ And Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse suggested its ‘ginger tangerine, summery aftertaste would be great with a vitello tonnato’.

£12.10 Eurowines

Would make a ‘good all-rounder’, said team leader Martin Lam, with its ‘ripe stone fruit nose and juicy fruit palate’, and Jacopo Armenio of Vinarius highlighted its ‘fleshy fruits and medium-bodied, floral character’.

£10.35 Eurowines

A more aromatic style, said Plateau’s Federico Forte, with its ‘peach and rose aromas, very delicate and elegant with acacia tree notes, followed by a medium-length palate, balanced by nice acidity and melon fruit’.

£9.60 VinumTerra

Federico Forte of Plateau found this ‘good on the palate and quite refreshing, with unripe apricot notes and white melon’, while for team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW it was: ‘Individual, vividly flavoured and memorable, with pithy grapefruit style and a long, long finish.’

£28.37 Berkmann Wine Cellars

A ‘vividly aromatic’ style for team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, who noted ‘jasmine and peaches, a full-bodied palate with a tang of limes and a long finish’, while Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse found it ‘very bouncy’.

£14.35 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Reductive, but in the good way,’ Piotr Artur Tomaszewski of Buddha Bar mused, finding: ‘Lemon and lime, jasmine and camomile teas with nutty and farmyard notes, too. Plenty of oak character adds further dimension.’

£17.57 Enotria&Coe

Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club was keen on its ‘gentle lychee aromas with herbal characters, then light tangerine fruit on the palate with more herbs and an elegant finish’. ‘Good with truffle risotto,’ added Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse.

£10.11 Enotria&Coe

‘Aromas of apricot and slightly bruised green apple,’ began Charles Van Wyk of FJB Hotels, adding: ‘Has a fantastic, coating mouthfeel with slightly waxy notes on the palate, but finishes with vibrant acidity.’

£11.29 Eurowines

‘Fleshy style with lots of stone fruit,’ began team leader Martin Lam, with Jacopo Armenio of Vinarius adding: ‘Crisp but intense, with peach and apricot, medium bodied and slightly creamy in texture.’

£7.65 Boutinot

Giancarlo Cuccuru of The Ned Hotel enjoyed its ‘rounded peachy fruit and good body’, while Charles Pashby-Taylor of Dabbous highlighted its ‘fleshy fruit, good balance and nice acidity’, and team leader Martin Lam summed it up as: ‘Full of white floral notes, and very good indeed.’

£9.96 Ester Wines

‘Very clean and fresh, showing some notes of eucalyptus on the palate, which has great depth,’ said Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse, suggesting: ‘Food match with salmon, asparagus and smoked mozzarella.’ ‘Very pleasant on its own, but would go with a range of salads and chicken dishes,’ said Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering.

£6.70 Bibendum

Our judges found classic notes of ripe but light and fresh citrus fruits with intermingling layers of herbs and gentle floral touches, supported by a creamy richness of texture, making it ideal for calamari and mussels or lighter pasta dishes.

£12.62 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘This is made for the summer!’ said an enthused Giancarlo Cuccuru of The Ned Hotel, noting its ‘lemon fruit and crisp, refreshing character’, while Jacopo Armenio of Vinarius found it ‘mineral with clean fruit flavours of pear and citrus, and a creamy feel’.

£7.18 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Team leader Annette Scarfe MW highlighted ‘greengage with a slight spritz and attractive lemon zest’, while Hakkasan Group’s Olivier Gasselin noted ‘bitter-sweet fruit, grassy and smoky yet clean and minerally too’.

£10.11 Enotria&Coe

£8.99 Boutinot

£14.00 VinumTerra

£11.89 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£9.45 Enotria&Coe

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

‘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.

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‘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

‘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

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

Team leader Jade Koch found ‘lots of fruit and blackcurrant character’ and enjoyed its ‘elegant, refined style that leaves you with a lovely sense of balance and harmony’, while Vinoteca’s Charlie Young noted ‘dark and spicy aromas, a dry palate with plenty of flowing acidity, comes across as a little on the leaner side’.

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‘The nose is ethereal, with lots of dried fruits, cherry and cranberry, and a complete palate with great fruit and tannin balance with subtle spices,’ said a satisfied Arnaud Fiol of The Don Restaurant. ‘Massive and delicious, with great fruit concentration,’ said team leader Jade Koch, while Marek Rakowski of Harbour Heights Hotel felt it ‘needs a few more years, and it will grow into an exceptional wine’.

£112.08 VINI ITALIANI DA SOGNO sas

‘Lovely purity and composure, great palate,’ said Vinoteca’s Charlie Young, who found it ‘a traditional style, not too heavy but with great drinkability’, while Marek Rakowski of Harbour Heights Hotel felt that its ‘dark cherry fruit, fresh and intense flavours give this wine a few years to develop’.

£19.29 Boutinot

Marek Rakowski of Harbour Heights Hotel enjoyed its ‘ripe strawberry with tobacco notes and hints of tarragon herbs on the nose, superb freshness on the palate with great tannic structure’. ‘Roasted aromas on the nose, medium bodied with tannins present but well integrated, and it needs meat,’ suggested Arnaud Fiol of The Don Restaurant.

£30.65 Bibendum

‘Pleasant nose of sour cherry, strawberry and blueberry, with touches of liquorice and chalk with a fine finish,’ began Agustin Trapero of Avenue, while Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering ‘loved it, gorgeous intensity and a huge wine, fresh and clean on the nose but big, juicy, intense and warm on the palate’.

£13.44 Liberty Wines

‘Red pepper, cherry and plum on an elegant but powerful nose,’ said Tony Denis of Mosimann’s, who liked its ‘clean palate, harmonious with a touch of peppery spice’. Team leader Angela Reddin noted: ‘Bramble fruit and tobacco leaf greenness, herby notes integrating on the balanced palate with finely tuned tannins.’

£24.59 Liberty Wines

‘Integrated and evolved on the nose, this is dark and perfumed, with some tannin present but nicely balanced overall,’ said team leader Martin Lam, advising: ‘Young still and needs time, but demands food for drinking now!’ ‘Luscious ripe fruit, soft, well made and enjoyable,’ agreed consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates.

£30.59 Liberty Wines

Giancarlo Cuccuru of The Ned Hotel enjoyed its ‘suggestions of flowers on the nose, then juicy, well-defined red fruit flavours on the palate with some notes of soft spice, this is drinking really nicely and has good length’, while consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates found it ‘very gluggable, meaty and spicy on the nose, fresh and light-bodied on the palate’.

£16.62 Liberty Wines

One to keep, suggested Marcin Oziebly of The Wild Rabbit: ‘Pure class, in a modern style, with lots of new oak this has just started to develop, but the complexity it is beginning to show is stunning.’ ‘Intense, concentrated, compact palate, beautiful ripeness and balance with great structure,’ added team leader Angela Reddin.

£42.43 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Very easily identifiable style, happy, pretty, cherry fruit, very Italian so needs a ragu,’ began team leader Jade Koch, with Vinoteca’s Charlie Young finding ‘fresh, pure, mineral aromas, nice ripeness with dark berry fruit, good acidity and decent tannins’.

£14.55 Enotria&Coe

‘Smoky, balsamic notes to start, with some sweet cherry, tobacco leaves and vanilla pods too,’ described team leader Andrea Briccarello, while Ian Howard of The White Hart Inn at Lydgate appreciated ‘red plum and good integration of oak and acidity, with good length, and some spice and leather notes – a great steak wine’.

£43.36 Enotria&Coe

‘Lovely oak spices and toast flavours, high tannin with ripe fruit, vibrant black cherries on the palate with a floral edge,’ said team leader Laurent Richet MS. ‘Classical, with a great nose, fresh and refined with red fruit and subtle spices,’ added Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson.

£22.60 Liberty Wines

Agustin Trapero of Avenue found ‘blackcurrant and big sour cherry with a hint of red flowers, roses, peppery cured meats and black spice notes’, while team leader Laurent Richet MS highlighted ‘strawberry jam, cassis, cranberry, very strong tannin in good balance, and soft acidity’.

£28.89 Liberty Wines

‘Dusty on the nose, which is highly perfumed,’ began consultant sommelier Rebecca Coates, who found its ‘sour cherry fruit and dusty tannins soft and charming’, while team leader Martin Lam felt its ‘big gobs of oak and fruit in a blockbuster style’ was drinking well.

£17.45 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£14.17 Davy's Wine Merchants

£24.00 TryWines Expertise Limited - edoardo amadi

£12.57 Fattoria Mantellassi

£16.27 Fattoria Mantellassi

£10.58 VinumTerra

£33.79 Liberty Wines

£11.30 Liberty Wines

£21.39 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£22.71 Bibendum

£35.01 Bibendum

£15.76 Bibendum

£12.40 Bibendum

£16.06 Bibendum

£18.04 Liberty Wines

£16.62 Liberty Wines

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

‘Ripe red fruit aromas with hints of tomato leaf and green coffee,’ said Dario Barbato of Individual Restaurants, also noting its ‘soft tannins and good, lingering finish’, while team leader Olivier Marie enjoyed its ‘great varietal character of black berries with rustic bramble notes, hints of chocolate with dark cacao beans and tonka beans, and good complexity’.

£7.50 Eurowines

‘Warm and spicy fruit style, cassis and blueberry with cedar and pencil lead notes, complex on the palate with great menthol character and structure,’ said an impressed Neil Tabraham of Paris House, with team leader Olivier Marie noting a ‘well-made wine with a sense of place, minty eucalyptus freshness with chocolatey richness on the finish’.

£25.04 Enotria&Coe

This was good value, and a ‘spicy, crowd-pleasing wine’, according to team leader Simon Woods. WineEd’s Matthew Cocks appreciated the typicity demonstrated by this blend, describing notes of ‘smoke and black fruit’, while Dario Barbato of Individual Restaurants enjoyed it as an ‘easy wine, with pleasant black berry Cabernet character’.

£6.68 Majestic Commercial

£6.99 Tanners Wine Merchants, House of Townend, Maidenhead Wine Company, LWC Drinks, Oxford Wine Company

£13.16 Molson Coors

£9.25 Enotria&Coe

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

‘Definitely one for a steak,’ began an effusive Piotr Artur Tomaszewski of Buddha Bar, who ‘especially loved the Bordeaux-style nose, but this is the crème-de-la-crème of New World Cab Franc, with coffee bean and chocolate complexity, blackcurrant and mint with a touch of almond on the nose, black pepper with wood elements and great structure, good to improve for another two or three years’.

£29.46 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Very fragrant, ripe berries on the nose, lean and fresh on the palate,’ said Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London, who enjoyed its ‘lovely fruit, juicy cranberries and slight vegetal notes in a light and easy-drinking style’.

£10.14 Boutinot

£13.17 Boutinot

£9.80 Enotria&Coe

£10.65 Matthew Clark

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 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

‘Inky texture with plenty of cassis aromas; good entry with velvety mocha notes on the palate,’ said Masahito Suzuki of Sosharu, with team leader Laura Rhys MS adding: ‘Bright, clean fruit, berry-cherry, some complexity and spice notes.’

£7.99 Frederic Robinson

‘Lively, bright, juicy mid-weight stuff; pure, vibrant and fresh on the palate with red fruit and great structure,’ said Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson. ‘Black and Morello cherry perfumes, very drinkable,’ concluded team leader Sam Caporn MW.

£9.99 Frederic Robinson

This had ‘fine body and velvety mouthfeel’, according to Sosharu’s Masahito Suzuki, who enjoyed its ‘juicy cassis character with hints of roses’, while Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn found it ‘rich, with notes of blood and fresh, gamey meats’.

£9.60 Liberty Wines

Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn found this a ‘Bordeaux-like style, with some earthiness contrasting its berry fruit flavours, good length and great balance’. ‘Classic Cabernet nose and palate, with bright fruit,’ added team leader Laura Rhys MS.

£8.50 Fuller's

Avenue’s Agustin Trapero enjoyed its ‘pure cassis and blackcurrant, and fine elegance on the palate’, while Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson was impressed with its ‘great nose, suppleness with dusty Cabernet tannins, and great purity and balance’.

£15.33 Bibendum

‘Attractive style with red and black cherry and mint notes,’ said team leader Sam Caporn MW, who found it: ‘Quite classic, with nice grainy tannins and good length.’ ‘Fruit-forward with generous cassis, milk chocolate and eucalyptus,’ added Mattia Mazzi of Lutyens.

£9.96 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Plenty of ‘tannin and dark fruit’, according to Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, who also noted its ‘underripe cherry and berry fruit’, while team leader Laura Rhys MS found ‘more savoury spice notes on the palate and some seriousness behind the fruit’.

£16.97 Matthew Clark

While for Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn this was ‘austere, mineral, with dark black fruits, though a little closed’, team leader Laura Rhys MS found it ‘rich and bold with opulent fruit, good complexity and acidity with well-managed oak’.

£23.94 Enotria&Coe

‘A good expression,’ began team leader Laura Rhys MS, also noting its ‘velvety tannins and rich, ripe fruit’, while Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn highlighted its ‘warm spices, bilberry fruit character and nice softness’.

£6.86 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

£17.55 Genesis Wines

£9.26 Bibendum

£16.98 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£10.24 Enotria&Coe

£12.24 Enotria&Coe

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

Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club noted ‘fresh red cherry with light eucalyptus aromas, with rich, punchy cherry and black spices on the palate’, while Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering found it ‘fruity and zingy, with lovely savoury fruit, a real big mouthful, super stuff!’

£24.84 Matthew Clark

A ‘purple, inky, rich and full’ style, began team leader Jade Koch, with Luciana Girotto-Beckett of Macellaio RC highlighting its ‘lovely fruity nose, dark chocolate texture and richness with blueberry fruit and vegetal notes on a long palate’.

£11.65 Alexander Wines, C&O Wines, The General Wine Company

Vinoteca’s Charlie Young was impressed with this wine’s ‘savoury nose and good intensity, with red and black fruit, as well as some spice, with good freshness and a pleasing, dry finish’. Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel praised its ‘silky, velvet tannins, soft texture, good structure and pronounced intensity of red-fruit flavours’.

£10.60 Alexander Wines, H2Vin

Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering enjoyed ‘a real wow on the nose and a lovely mouthful of red berry fruit with scented hints’, while team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW found it ‘dense, juicy, with blackcurrant and liquorice, vibrantly savoury and long’.

£14.50 Mannings Heath Golf Club & Wine Estate

‘Bright and vibrant character with underlying fragrance and fine pencil lead notes,’ began team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, adding: ‘Refined and memorable.’ And Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering found it had ‘restrained elegance with balanced fruit, enjoyable by the glass but essentially a wine for red meat dishes’.

£12.10 Distell International

‘Powerful, with tannin and firm acidity on the palate, but good balance and black fruit character, good value for money,’ began Rustem Mingaleev of Bovey Castle, with Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London noting ‘elegant vanilla and spice aromas, full body and concentration’.

£9.00 Hatch Mansfield

Team leader Jade Koch described this intriguing blend as having notes of ‘menthol and salt, as well as good acidity and some chalky tannins, with a long finish’. Dario Barbato of Individual Restaurants found it ‘spicy and hearty, with some mushroom notes, and good structure and complexity’.

£15.00 Home of Origin Wine

‘Balanced aromas of raspberry jam and earthy notes, followed by leafy pepper and fresh-cut green grass on the palate with elegant tannins,’ said Federico Forte of Plateau, while Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club enjoyed its ‘sweet strawberry aromas and fresh flowery notes with light herbal and sweet spice touches’.

£21.45 Matthew Clark

‘Spicy on the nose, with pleasantly menthol character; good concentration on the palate, which has lots of personality and savoury mineral touches,’ said Le Cordon Bleu London’s Matthieu Longuère MS, concluding: ‘Stylish and very long.’

£14.88 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘A great, bouncy red,’ said an enthused Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse, adding: ‘Fruity and clean with great character. A chunk of Stilton would carry this home nicely.’ ‘Dense, bold and young, needs time to develop,’ added team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW.

£22.20 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Vinoteca’s Charlie Young described an intense and complex mix of ‘oyster shells and crisp blackcurrant aromas, with a touch of vanilla, elegant fruit and integrated oak’, while Elly Owen of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall admired its ‘great purity of fruit’, suggesting this be served with beef Wellington.

£19.44 Alexander Wines, H2Vin

‘Sweet, jammy strawberry aromas with white spice notes, more jammy fruit on the palate with gentle fresh herbal characters and medium tannins,’ said Andre Luis Martins of the Cavalry & Guards Club. ‘Fleshy, full and juicy, if a little green on the finish,’ added team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW.

£7.99 Frederic Robinson

The judges liked this wine’s approachability, with its ‘blackcurrant jam and chocolate notes, with good body and tannins’, according to Elly Owen of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall. In addition, Vinoteca’s Charlie Young encountered some interesting ‘savoury, charcoal-like aromas’, too.

£16.57 Mooiplaas Wine Estate

This was appreciated by the judges for its ‘black fruit with a tart rhubarb-like twang and a blackcurrant lozenge hit, leading to a dry but intense finish’, as Vinoteca’s Charlie Young put it. In addition, Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel praised its ‘velvet tannins and refreshing acidity’.

£11.52 Mooiplaas Wine Estate

‘A very elegant and succulent wine,’ said Stamatis Iseris of The Strathearn at The Gleneagles Hotel, who went on to describe ‘a pronounced character of ripe blackcurrant fruit, combined with judicious use of oak, medium acidity, and finesse on the finish’. Vinoteca’s Charlie Young also identified ‘nettle and fresh hedgerow, leading to a rich and textured, spicy palate’.

£11.81 Bibendum

Some distinct red fruit opened proceedings here, including ‘cherries and strawberry jam’, according to team leader Jade Koch. With its ‘rustic quality’, Elly Owen of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall thought this was a good wine match for strong meat dishes like beef bourguignon.

£16.15 Enotria&Coe

A ‘pretty and fruity, juicy’ style, according to Luciana Girotto-Beckett of Macellaio RC, with its ‘well-constructed and balanced palate with a touch of bitterness at the end’. ‘Vegetal and herby on the nose, quite fresh and juicy on the palate,’ added Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London.

£8.54 Enotria&Coe

£10.60 Alexander Wines, H2Vin

£10.31 Distell International

£9.98 Distell International

£19.25 Hatch Mansfield

£15.16 Bibendum

£25.46 Bibendum

£9.53 Bibendum

£15.04 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

‘Ripe black cherries, plum, blackberry and blackcurrant, with notes of violet, cedar and coconut on the palate, full bodied and long,’ said Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge. ‘Full, with liquorice, cedar and spice, and plenty of oak,’ added Laure Patry of Jason Atherton Group.

£36.95 Liberty Wines

‘Ripe berries and dark chocolate, juicy on the palate with mocha tones and ripe tannins, this is good value,’ said Laure Patry of Jason Atherton Group, with team leader Lionel Periner enjoying its ‘minty dark cherry, plum and coffee notes, and peppery spice finish’.

£11.88 Enotria&Coe

Cristian Sanchez of Hotel du Vin Cambridge enjoyed its fruity range of ‘ripe cherry, plum, blackcurrant and cedar’, while Laure Patry of Jason Atherton Group found it a ‘classical style that will benefit from time, with eucalyptus and dark bitter chocolate aromas leading to a full-bodied palate with minty notes and dry tannins’.

£18.48 Bibendum

‘Earthy and fruity, with rustic leathery notes on the nose,’ began Jose Luis Hernandez of Hakkasan Hanway Place, who found it ‘slightly floral and toasty, with juicy fruit on the palate and dried fruit notes with sweet cinnamon spices, rich concentration and good length’.

£33.15 Matthew Clark

Laure Patry of Jason Atherton Group found this ‘perfumed on the nose with graphite notes, toasty with vanilla and liquorice on the palate, and spicy character on the finish, though the oak is quite dominant’, with Jose Luis Hernandez of Hakkasan Hanway Place noting ‘some jaminess, dried plums and rich tannins’.

£12.43 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£17.50 Daniel Lambert Wines

£13.90 Enotria&Coe

£16.49 Bibendum