‘An enticing nose’ was among the effusive praise this Sicilian red received, along with its Gold medal, with Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia describing ‘an opulent palate, with good length’. For Mattia Mazzi of Lutyens Bar & Restaurants, this had ‘a smoky, tarry nose reminiscent of Nebbiolo’, as well as ‘firm structure, fruit that is intense and dark, and good concentration too’. This food-friendly combination had The Cross Kenilworth and Simpsons Edgbaston’s Giuseppe Longobardi picturing it with ‘venison with cranberry, or haggis’.

£29.98 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘A vibrant, pleasant summer wine,’ said an impressed Janusz Pawel Sasiadek of Bottles & Battles as this took a well-deserved Gold medal, finding ‘lovely fresh fruits and good acidity’. Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse identified ‘lavender perfume and a splash of cinnamon towards the finish’, and Tate Catering’s Hamish Anderson thought it was ‘hugely drinkable’, praising its ‘pretty, fragrant nose with cherries and wild flowers, and an elegant, pure palate with more cherries, wild herbs, and the grip of some fresh tannin’.

£16.50 Liberty Wines

A clear Gold List candidate, this had ‘blackcurrant, cherry and blackberry jam notes’, began Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth and Simpsons Edgbaston, who went on to describe a palate packed with ‘liquorice and spice that is well balanced by tannins, and leading to a sweet finish’. ‘Rounded ripe fruit, with chocolate and nuts too, leading to an elegant finish,’ said Four Degree’s Jonathan Kleeman, summing it up as ‘punchy, and very drinkable’.

£13.33 The Wine Drinker

‘A great value wine,’ said team leader Laura Rhys MS, who went on to describe ‘soft berry fruit, as well as spice, cocoa and coffee notes’, while Melody Wong of Ten Trinity Square Private Club noted ‘baked strawberry and pastry notes’.

£5.30 Fuller's

Andrés Rangel of Sketch enjoyed notes of ‘menthol and liquorice, with some high tannins’ in this Sardinian red. Yohann Pinol of Wiltons appreciated its ‘smokiness, and with some good structure, too’, while The Connaught’s Aurel Istrate liked its ‘very good oak integration’.

£26.08 Davy's Wine Merchants

‘A full wine, with good fruit concentration,’ began Mattia Mazzi of Lutyens Bar & Restaurants in his praise of this Sardinian red, describing ‘ripe, sweet, red and black fruit, with a chocolatey and smoky palate’. ‘A very serious wine, with good tannins and dark fruit,’ concluded team leader Laurent Richet MS.

£15.00 Eurowines

Team leader Angela Reddin described ‘cherries, chocolate and a slight whiff of anise too’, finding this to have ‘lovely balance’. ‘Amazing rich, dark flavours here make bison with a parmesan honey crust come to mind,’ added The London Cookhouse’s Michael Moore.

£13.17 Davy's Wine Merchants

‘A complex wine, with cured meat, thyme and pine needle notes,’ said team leader Laurent Richet MS, while Mattia Mazzi of Lutyens Bar & Restaurants described a wine with ‘great concentration and power, with lots of wild herbs and red fruits, and well-integrated oak’.

£43.41 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘So perfumed!’ began team leader Jade Koch, who went on to describe ‘an interesting nose, with Earl Grey tea and strawberry notes, leading to a palate that’s big, yet lean, with good, ripe mulberry fruit and culminating in a drying finish’.

£10.14 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘A massive wine, with chalky and spicy notes,’ said team leader Jade Koch, while Andrés Rangel of Sketch thought it ‘rustic in style, with high tannins’. Yohann Pinol of Wiltons described it as ‘rich and opulent, and concentrated, too’.

£45.80 Liberty Wines

Team leader Laurent Richet MS was impressed by this Sicilian red’s ‘lovely intensity, with dried roses on the nose’, while Mattia Mazzi of Lutyens Bar & Restaurants found ‘ripe, red fruit and sweet spices, leading to a juicy, fruit-forward palate, with some oak tannins’.

£9.94 Bibendum

‘Bright red berry fruit leads to earthiness and mushroom notes, as well as some sweet spice, and smooth, silky tannins,’ was how Ten Trinity Square Private Club’s Melody Wong described this Nero d’Avola, which Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth and Simpsons Edgbaston praised for its ‘crisp palate with tobacco and blackcurrant notes’.

£10.99 Maisons Marques et Domaines

‘An intense, pronounced nose with violets, dark cherries and black fruit, leading to more floral notes on the palate, and good length,’ said Jose Luis Hernandez of Hakkasan Hanway Place, while Ten Trinity Square Private Club’s Melody Wong found it ‘pure and elegant, with raspberry, strawberry and sweet spice’.

£8.20 VinumTerra

‘Bitter chocolate and blueberry tart’ was team leader Jade Koch’s description of this Sicilian red, and she found the palate to be ‘lean and oh so dry’. Aurel Istrate of The Connaught complimented its ‘good balance and tannins, and good length, too’.

£19.95 Mondial Wine

‘Dark and inky fruit’ was team leader Laura Rhys MS’s first impression of this Sicilian red, going on to find ‘bold but integrated tannins, as well as some good freshness, and with super-spicy black pepper notes, and lovely length, too’.

£21.75 Eurowines

‘Notes of cherry and mocha, as well as some umami characteristics, all lead to a medley of crunchy fruit,’ said Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia, with Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse finding ‘rich, dark chocolate on the palate, with a smooth berry finish’.

£7.15 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘A concentrated, structured wine’ thought Glasshouse’s Adam Michocki, going on to describe notes of ‘blueberry, mulberry and prune, as well as smoke, toast and tar’. ‘Fruit concentration is balanced by firm structure – good winemaking,’ added Mattia Mazzi of Lutyens Bar & Restaurants.

£21.75 Eurowines

‘Warming bramble fruit notes, with dark, chewy sandalwood and a silky smooth finish,’ said Coworth Park Ascot’s Michael Fiducia, while team leader Angela Reddin thought this had some ageing potential, with ‘lovely juicy weight of fruit and great tannic structure’.

£29.79 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth and Simpsons Edgbaston liked this wine’s ‘toasted notes and cherry, blackberry and cranberry fruit’, while team leader Laura Rhys MS thought it ‘inky and intense, with bold, ripe fruits along with spice, dried herbs, a meaty note and defined tannins’.

£9.40 VinumTerra

‘A lovely nose with fruit, spice and minerality,’ began Janusz Pawel Sasiadek of Bottles & Battles, going on to describe this as ‘creamy on the palate, with a lovely finish’, while Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse thought it was ‘very well developed and balanced’.

£9.63 Enotria&Coe

‘Very pleasant,’ began Yohann Pinol of Wiltons, who went on to describe ‘fresh red fruit aromas, with soft tannins on the palate, and a long, fruity finish’, while team leader Jade Koch found it ‘warm and drying, and very savoury’.

£15.10 VinumTerra

‘Ripe, cooked bramble fruit on the nose leads to a dry, juicy palate with smooth tannins and a hint of sweetness on the finish,’ said team leader Lionel Periner, while Janusz Pawel Sasiadek of Bottles & Battles described it as ‘very easy drinking, with tobacco and violet notes, and refreshing acidity’.

£7.83 Bibendum

‘An inky wine, with ripe fruit, black berries and vanilla notes,’ began team leader Laurent Richet MS, with Glasshouse’s Adam Michocki finding ‘tar and smoke, with prune and black cherry, too’, and suggesting that this would be ‘very good for meaty dishes’.

£12.58 Ester Wines

£13.50 Mondial Wine

£13.50 Mondial Wine

£12.30 Eurowines

£7.15 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£16.55 Eurowines

£11.70 Eurowines

£15.85 Berkmann Wine Cellars

£13.92 Alivini

£13.98 Boutinot

£12.00 Boutinot

£6.41 VinumTerra

£6.50 VinumTerra

£8.30 Enotria&Coe

£11.95 Enotria&Coe

£33.22 Enotria&Coe

£8.29 Bibendum

£7.56 Bibendum

£15.75 Liberty Wines

£20.13 Liberty Wines

£34.57 Alivini