Italy: Sicily & Sardinia - White
2019 GOLD: 3 SILVER: 5 BRONZE: 3 COMMENDED: 14
2018 GOLD: 3 SILVER: 3 BRONZE: 5 COMMENDED: 7
If you’re looking for interesting whites for your list in the mid-price area, this is probably one of the best places to go searching. There were a lot of really decent wines in the £8-£12 range, with southern Mediterranean sunshine contributing fruit, and maritime influences adding in a natural structure and, at times, a crunchy seashell note.
Further up the price scale the intensity, richness (and oak) increased, which wasn’t to everyone’s taste. But overall this was a well-received part of the competition. The challenge for next year is to get more of that large number of Commended wines lifted up into medal status.
FROM THE TASTING TEAMS
‘A very pleasant journey between aromatics and fresh, deep, lingering wines with varietal definition. The value for me was in the middle range, £12 to £16. We had three or four wines that delivered freshness, aromatic profile, roundness.’ Elena Serban, Hakkasan
‘Easy to drink and nicely made at the bottom end. I struggled a bit with the richness and oak at the top end.’ Charlie Young, team leader
‘Overall it was good. A recurrent theme was seaweed and seashell character. The best kept a certain freshness.’ Olivier Gasselin,
Hakkasan
‘Excellent. All very typical, frsh, light summer wines, which you’d expect. Great to see consistency from the lower end to the most expensive.’ Emanuel Pesqueira, consultant
‘Savoury character, floral, blossom, medium-bodied style, some quite crisp, others rich and creamy but not heavy. I liked the concentration and intensity without heaviness, so good with scallop, lobster, white meat like chicken.’ Heesoo Kang, Flat Three Restaurant