Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Bordeaux-style blends, Rest of the New World
2018 Gold 0 Silver 1 Bronze 2 Commended 1
2017 Gold 2 Silver 6 Bronze 2 Commended 6
OK, so maybe there were only two serious New World countries left for this section – Argentina and New Zealand – and neither of them is exactly famed for their work with Bordeaux red varieties. But this was still a disappointment. Entry numbers were low and the hit rate dreadfully unimpressive.
Last year we saw 16 awards in this section, with 10 medals – two of them Gold. This year, hardly anything. It’s all the more puzzling because winemakers in New Zealand and Argentina repeatedly tell us that they’re desperate to prove that there’s more to their red offering than Pinot Noir/Malbec. But the feeble effort here suggests neither has the confidence in what they’re making.
And perhaps they’re right. We hope not.
FROM THE TASTING TEAMS
‘You can’t really compare with Bordeaux. I was impressed with some of the Argentinean wines, and Washington.’ Yohann Pinol, Wiltons
‘If you’re going to spend £30 on a Bordeaux blend you might be looking outside Argentina.’ Piers Gibson-Birch, Wernher Restaurant at Luton Hoo Hotel