Sommelier Wine Awards 2019 Winners

Team leader Hamish Anderson found this worthy Gold winner to have a ‘delicate, floral, very pretty nose’ and enjoyed its ‘clean, crisp, bright acidity’. For Tobias Gorn of Boisdale Restaurant it was a ‘classic, crisp, lean style with a focus on acidity and freshness’, and he described a ‘touch of savoury yeast, plenty of grapefruit zest and a long, mineral finish’. ‘Overall, the wine is very well balanced with juicy fruit and lovely minerality,’ concluded team leader Carlos Ferreira.

£10.21 González Byass

Team leader Carlos Ferreira found an appealing tropical note to this Gold medal winner that would ‘match very well with summer salads’. Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club added that the wine had a ‘lemon zest and herbal character’, describing it as ‘very peppery with green apple and gentle mineral notes’. Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains was very impressed: ‘This ticks all the boxes and it’s great value’, while Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan summed it up succinctly: ‘Pure, focused and flinty.’

£8.90 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Wow,’ began team leader Laurent Richet MS as this took its place on the Gold podium, going on to remark on its ‘maturity of aroma and flavours’, and describing it as ‘complex, elegant, polished and powerful’. Hakkasan’s Olivier Gasselin appreciated ‘gamey, leathery notes, as well as cooked fruit and a mix of spices’, and found it ‘earthy and savoury, with some bitter chocolate notes’. One for ‘lamb loin with red wine jus and truffled potatoes’ thought Cliveden House’s Francisco Macedo.

£26.23 Top Selection

For Savoy Grill’s Matteo Cali this impressive Gold winner was ‘delicate on the nose, with white fruits on the palate, which has richness, and a creamy mousse’, while Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club appreciated its ‘gentle pear aromas, rosemary notes and refreshing apple on the palate, with a gentle finish’. Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group thought it was ‘a great price’, considering its ‘yeasty notes of bread integrated with honey and ripe fruit, as well as some apricot’.

£11.83 Hatch Mansfield

This bright and approachable Gold winner opened with ‘an intense nose of pear and apple, together with a round and creamy palate, making this a great value wine’, according to Matteo Cali of Savoy Grill, while Harry Ballmann of Wiltons found it ‘extremely refreshing, with blackcurrant leaf and apple notes’. Team leader Jade Koch added praise for its ‘really good acidity, with some grip too, leading to some good citrus weight to the finish’.

£8.25 Bodegas Carchelo

Team leader Tom Forrest picked up ‘grassy mineral aromas’, and described a ‘light spritz’, a ‘grassy, pear and pea palate’ and a ‘touch of pineapple cube on the finish’, while fellow team leader Carlos Ferreira thought it had a ‘tropical nose, and asparagus on the palate’, and was a ‘good wine for the price’. For Rémi Cousin of Le Gavroche it was a ‘lovely wine’, showing ‘ripe fruit, tangerine and lemon peel’ and with a ‘dry, citrussy and juicy clean palate.’ It gave Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam a ‘springtime feeling’, with its ‘aromatic notes of jasmine and white flowers’. She further described it as a ‘soft and supple, feminine wine’, with a ‘slightly citrussy palate with white peach; on the edge of off-dry’. ‘Great value by-the-glass option,’ said team leader Nigel Lister, adding ‘give it to a Sauvignon drinker’.

£6.50 Lavenham Brook

‘Great Chardonnay, toasty, yeasty, structured and complex,’ began a clearly impressed Rémi Cousin of Le Gavroche, adding that this worthy Gold Lister ‘needs decanting’. Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam described it as ‘fresh and oaky, woody and smoky’, adding that it was ‘ripe and elegant’ with ‘nice texture’. She thought it ‘would pair well with creamy dishes’. Elegant was also the key word for team leader Carlos Ferreira, who noted: ‘Nose is elegant and complex with spice and stone fruit. Very elegant on the palate, with white spices and pineapple. Very elegant finish and food-friendly.’

£14.25 Gusbourne Estate

‘A really good representation of English wine,’ began team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW as this took its place on the Gold List, finding it to be ‘well balanced and structured, with some lively acidity and a fine rasp of tannin’, while Harry Ballmann of Wiltons spoke of a ‘lovely, well-rounded nose, leading to a balance of oak, spice and fruit’. Maze by Gordon Ramsay’s Gabriele Bertotti, meanwhile, thought its ‘savoury, juicy notes’ made it one to ‘pair with charcuterie’.

£16.50 Gusbourne Estate

‘Peach and nectarine on the nose, with good sweetness, and a ripe fleshy palate’ was how Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam described this Gold Lister, while team leader Tom Forrest found ‘fresh grapefruit and peel’ and a ‘mineral stoniness on the finish’. For Tobias Gorn of Boisdale Restaurants the wine impressed with its ‘citrussy zest and excellent minerality’ and he thought it ‘would make an excellent fish wine’. ‘Absolutely,’ agreed team leader Jade Koch, ‘perfect for fish and chips’.

£7.51 Boutinot

‘Fresh and mineral, with green notes reminiscent of olives and sea salt,’ began Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam, describing this Gold Lister as a ‘savoury wine that is perfect to be enjoyed at the beach’, while Rémi Cousin of Le Gavroche detected ‘stone fruit character, like vine peach’, and thought it had ‘great structure and texture’ and a ‘long-lasting finish’. For team leader Carlos Ferreira it had a ‘nose of stone fruits, yellow apple and pear’, a palate that was ‘salted, crispy and with a touch of white spice’ and a ‘fresh and long finish’.

£6.98 Biddenden Vineyards

‘Very pretty,’ began impressed team leader Andres Ituarte on encountering this Gold-worthy Alsatian Gewürz, going on to describe ‘rose water with a touch of saline, and lots of lychee and mandarin, not to mention lots of zippy acidity’, while Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club appreciated its ‘gentle peach aromas and tropical notes – an elegantly balanced, refreshing wine’. ‘This is very gastronomic,’ concluded team leader Martin Lam.

£19.50 Wine Source UK

As Domaine du Vissoux added a Gold medal to its pair of Silvers, Pasquale Moschettieri of Benares Restaurant & Bar described this Brouilly as having ‘a good aroma of black fruits, with judicious use of oak’, while Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston praised it for its ‘good structure with lovely complexity on a palate that’s fruity and earthy, and with a finish that is long and sweet’.

£15.58 Enotria&Coe

Amid praise for its value for money, judges elevated this to Gold, with its ‘pretty nose with plenty of ripe red fruits and bramble, leading to a softly structured palate’, according to The Royal Automobile Club’s Michael Fiducia, while Anita Vighova of Manor House Hotel enjoyed its ‘strawberries, redcurrants and hints of sweetness with nice acidity’. Scarlet Hotel’s Jim Bass found it ‘slightly spicy and earthy, with expressive cherry and tobacco notes, and some subtle tannins’, adding that ‘this would be great with a rich stew’.

£9.35 Matthew Clark

‘Intense yet elegant,’ began Janusz Sasiadek of Bottles & Battles in praise of this Gold Lister, while Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains spoke highly of its ‘fresh chalk and Granny Smith apple, with a refreshing lime cordial note, too’. Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair agreed, describing ‘fresh green apple and freshly cut grass’, while team leader Andres Ituarte found ‘ginger and lemongrass – a delicate wine with some nice mineral notes, too’.

£9.36 Enotria&Coe

Singled out not only for a Gold, but for a By The Glass award too, this Bordeaux was a ‘refreshingly grown-up wine’, according to Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House, who appreciated its ‘black fruit nose with a touch of savoury, too’. Team leader Nigel Lister praised its ‘easy-drinking style’, while Hakkasan’s Olivier Gasselin found it ‘ferrous, dark and chunky, and a touch leafy – a precise and well-made wine’.

£7.72 Les Grands Chais de France

As this took its rightful place on the Gold List, an appreciative team leader Martin Lam described it as ‘generous, with plums and spice’, while Stefano Barbarino of Chez Bruce Restaurant found it ‘very smoky, savoury and earthy’. Team leader Angela Reddin spoke highly of its ‘vibrant, ripe, rich red berries, with some balanced vanilla oak in evidence, and a mineral finish’, while The Royal Automobile Club’s Michael Fiducia praised its ‘very opulent palate, with great length’.

£25.57 Matthew Clark

With judges like team leader Angela Reddin praising this as ‘pitch perfect and really engaging’, it’s no surprise that it was elevated to Gold. Reddin further described ‘a serious wine with bags of rich, elegant red and black fruits, some sweet and smoky oak and a clean, long finish’, while The Royal Automobile Club’s Michael Fiducia appreciated ‘a complex nose of bramble, cassis and plum, with cloves and sandalwood spice’. ‘Elegant and refined,’ concluded Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn.

£36.47 ADVINI

Judges had no shortage of praise for this Gold winner, with Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains describing ‘huge complexity, with cedar, cigar and cinnamon, as well as plum and raspberry, with a fantastic mouthfeel – round and velvety’. Consultant Ian Howard thought that it was ‘nicely structured, with good balance, and cassis and forest floor notes, and a nicely spiced finish’. Team leader Jan Konetzki added praise for its ‘polished fruit and grippy tannins, but with good elegance, too’.

£21.14 Matthew Clark

‘Classic!’ began team leader Jan Konetzki of this Left Bank Bordeaux as it took Gold, further describing ‘notes of vanilla and cedar wood, leading to a dry, dark-fruit palate that’s fresh and attractive, with some roasted peppers and autumn forest notes’.Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains thought that ‘plum, musk and noble mushrooms, as well as cigar box and lots of umami’ made this the ideal partner for ‘Bayonne ham braised with kimchi cabbage’.

£11.26 Matthew Clark

Undoubtedly Gold worthy, this white Bordeaux was praised for its ‘smoky oak and cream, with some toast flavours’ by Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair, who also found it to be ‘grassy and herbaceous, with green apples and honey, as well as some lime peel and gooseberry’, while team leader Jan Konetzki additionally noted ‘butterscotch and sesame notes’. Fellow team leader Andres Ituarte found it ‘silky in the mouth, with ripe tropical fruits and a creaminess, leading to a stony finish’.

£31.35 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

This ‘bright and breezy’ white Bordeaux, according to Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, was elevated to Gold by an impressed panel of judges. Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair praised its ‘grassy and herbaceous notes, with a hint of vanilla oak’, while Janusz Sasiadek of Bottles & Battles appreciated its ‘great, vibrant acidity, balancing the apricot and peach fruit’, adding that it was ‘great value’.

£6.67 Direct Wines Production

As this took its place on the Gold List, team leader Nigel Lister praised its ‘typicity, as well as good acidity’, while fellow team leader Jade Koch appreciated its ‘smoky, gunflint nose, leading to some good grip and texture, with some citrus, too’, further describing it as ‘chewy and lean’. Sylwester Piasecki of Zuma was impressed by its ‘concentrated lemon and lime notes, with some mineral oyster shell and grapefruit, too’, and liked its ‘long finish’.

£15.62 Bancroft Wines

On encountering this complex Gold Lister, Sylwester Piasecki of Zuma painted a picture of an ‘elegant wine, with fresh lime and lemon, but spicy and floral, with some oyster shell, too’, while team leader Jade Koch thought it ‘complex, rich and balanced, with a lovely salty, chalky weight’, following an ‘intense, inviting nose that’s honeyed and oily’. Raphael Thierry of Street XO, meanwhile, enjoyed its ‘grapefruit bitterness with smoky minerality’.

£19.34 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

This standout Petit Chablis took home a Gold medal for its ‘lovely fresh and food-friendly style’, according to team leader Nigel Lister, who found ‘classic Chablis character’. For fellow team leader Laurent Richet MS this meant ‘a honeyed, slightly waxy texture and flavour, along with crushed-stone minerality, with some lovely depth of flavour of honeysuckle and lemon’, while Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group appreciated additional notes of ‘delicate tomato leaf and bell pepper, as well as some graphite’.

£16.11 Matthew Clark, Inverarity Morton

'Complex, with great texture and balance,' thought an impressed Adam Michocki of The Glasshouse on encountering this Gold winner, describing notes of 'ripe lemon, melon and pomelo, as well as mineral notes of chalk, crushed rock and seashell', before identifying it as 'perfect both as an aperitif or to drink with seafood'. Team leader Carlos Ferreira added more praise for its 'elegant nose, with red and green apples, some stone fruit and butter, leading to a palate that's floral, with nice acidity, that finishes long and balanced.'

£19.66 Enotria&Coe

‘A superb wine,’ commented an approving Rémi Cousin of Le Gavroche as judges awarded this Gold, while team leader Lionel Periner described notes of ‘green tea, lemongrass, coriander and lemon, and a palate that is fresh and elegant, finishing dry, flinty and long’. Francisco Macedo of Cliveden House added praise for its ‘amazing acidity, with stone fruit and peach, as well as some herbaceous notes – all leading to a lush finish’.

£23.49 Enotria&Coe

For team leader Carlos Ferreira this Gold Lister was ‘elegant, with lots of stone fruit and oak on the nose, as well as some asparagus and almond notes, leading to a palate that’s both smooth and super spicy, with great balance, too’. Adam Michocki of The Glasshouse, meanwhile, described notes of ‘lemon zest, pomelo and yellow grapefruit, as well as some honeysuckle, honey and vanilla, along with a chalky, crushed-rock note with saline minerality’.

£28.79 Matthew Clark

‘Wow!’ began team leader Laurent Richet MS as this was elevated to Gold, going on to describe it as ‘flinty, vibrant and intense, with a lovely, ripe mid-palate’. Adam Michocki of The Glasshouse enjoyed its ‘lovely fruit profile of lemon, lime, green apple and melon, with a very expressive palate that’s smooth, mineral and very food friendly’, while team leader Carlos Ferreira identified ‘almonds, stone fruit and yellow apple, as well as some oak’, and described a ‘classic palate with salted asparagus and crisp acidity’.

£41.13 Enotria&Coe

Team leader Lionel Periner found 'fresh lime with some elegant, herbaceous character, as well as flinty notes,’ going on to admire a ‘light palate with good, intense acidity and a finish that’s tart with minerals'. Le Gavroche’s Remi Cousin, meanwhile, summed up this Gold Lister’s characteristics as 'nutty'. James Fryer of Woodhead 17 noted a ‘gunmetal, almost rocky, nose, with baked lemon, matchstick and taut, unripe apricot’, before concluding that it ‘needs time’.

£19.71 Bibendum

On encountering this accomplished Gold winner, team leader Lionel Periner described it as ‘elegant, with fresh peach and lemon aromas, and a palate that’s complex, with good acidity on the finish’, while James Fryer of Woodhead 17 further noted some ‘citrus pith on the nose, leading to a smoky, saline palate, with peach flesh and apricot skin, too’. ‘Savoury, juicy, crisp and precise,’ summarised Mattia Mazzi of The River Cafe.

£21.88 Enotria&Coe

As judges found this deserving of not only a Gold medal but a Food Match award too, team leader Charlie Young thought it ‘subtle yet memorable’, as well as ‘lean, focused and long, with minerality and complexity’, while Hakkasan Hanway Place’s Oliver Nagy appreciated its ‘ripe fruit, like elderberry, grapefruit and fresh green apple, and a mineral finish’. ‘Typical Loire,’ summarised consultant Emanuel Pesqueira, finding it ‘honest, complex and well aged – and great value too’.

£11.03 Les Grands Chais de France

‘Complex, rounded and highly aromatic,’ was team leader Martin Lam’s summary as this was awarded Gold, while Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn elaborated with notes of ‘grapefruit and a slight kerosene note, leading to creamy roundness on the palate, with some flint, too’. ‘An elegant style,’ added The Gilbert Scott’s Juan Manuel Marcos Perez, who found ‘lemon and green gooseberry notes’, while team leader Laura Rhys MS identified ‘orange zest, wet stone and notes of green pepper’.

£14.01 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

With its ‘plush, exotic aromas and fleshy passion fruit flavour profile, with a grippy finish’, according to team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, a Gold medal was inevitable. Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles added praise for its ‘delicate apricot fruit aromas and refined palate that’s crisp but rounded, with more apricot and other candied fruits mingling pleasantly on the finish’, while Nelio Pinto of Candlesticks thought it ‘well weighted and viscous, with some fresh thyme, and a fresh finish’.

£21.93 Enotria&Coe

Taking home not only a Gold medal, but a Food Match award too, this Loire red was ‘earthy and floral, with a touch of cacao’, according to Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group, while team leader Nigel Lister appreciated its ‘earthy, farmyard nose and juicy, fleshy black and red fruits’. Beatrice Bessi of 67 Pall Mall thought its ‘complex layers of red berries, leather and liquorice root’ would make this ‘very enjoyable with a puttanesca pasta with burrata’.

£11.08 Enotria&Coe

Judges recognised the value for money offered by this Gold Lister, as well as its ‘very fresh and fruity character, with elderflower and passion fruit, and a typical mineral backbone’, according to Romain de Courcey of Gazelle Mayfair, who added that it was ‘intense, with good length’. Team leader Laura Rhys MS enjoyed its ‘lime, tropical fruit, green pea and grapefruit notes’, while Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston liked its ‘fresh-cut grass and citrus nose, with a sweet and aromatic palate, and balanced finish’.

£7.25 Majestic Commercial

This Gold winner had, for Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn, ‘a lot of character, and a very interesting nose, with pink grapefruit and savoury spice, as well as a slight walnut or almond nuttiness’, while team leader Martin Lam described it as ‘complex and evolving well, with elderflower on the nose, and a hint of passion fruit and green herbs on the palate’. Fellow team leader Laura Rhys MS, meanwhile, spoke highly of its ‘lovely weight and acidity, with white pepper, lemon and herbal notes’.

£20.62 Enotria&Coe

With generous praise from judges including team leader Charlie Young, who found this ‘endlessly complex, unconventional and delicious’, it’s no surprise that a Critics’ Choice award followed its elevation to Gold. Young described ‘sweet spice and fennel, with ground nuts and sherry notes, as well as cloves and citrus’, while Hakkasan Hanway Place’s Oliver Nagy enjoyed its ‘oxidative style, with crisp apple and citrus, and quite a rich palate, with good acidity and length’.

£13.34 Enotria&Coe

‘Just delicious,’ said 67 Pall Mall’s Terry Kandylis as this took its place on the Gold List with its ‘honeyed notes on the nose, as well as some bruised apple, leading to a wonderfully dry palate with precision and length’, while consultant Emanuel Pesqueira pronounced it ‘harmonious’, and ‘expressing typicity’. ‘Perfect acidity,’ added Daniel Loughlin of 20 Stories, who thought its ‘marmalade, tangerine rind, nutty almond and smoky notes’ made this perfect for ‘fatty meats like pork belly’.

£27.05 Enotria&Coe

This ‘beautifully put together’ wine, according to team leader Charlie Young, earned its Gold medal for its ‘black fruit purity on the nose, and tight tannins that let some seamless red berry character through’. Impressed fellow team leader Nigel Lister found it ‘richly aromatic and very fleshy, with bright acidity’, while Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group appreciated its ‘nose of graphite and truffle’ and Melania Bellesini of The Fat Duck enjoyed its ‘very intense dark spice, red fruits and a long finish’.

£13.99 Enotria&Coe

Showing all the hallmarks of a Gold winner, this had ‘crunchy red fruits with high acids, as well as some scorched earth and minerality’, thought team leader Andres Ituarte, who added that it was ‘showing some development’. Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club spoke highly of its ‘fresh raspberry notes and floral aromas, as well as ripe fruit with firm tannins, all leading to a gentle, spiced finish’.

£27.71 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

‘Classy stuff,’ began Sommelier Wine Awards competition director Chris Losh, as this took home a well-deserved Gold, going on to praise its ‘perfumed, elegant red fruit with an attractive savoury core’, and adding that ‘the tannins are still present, but you can drink this now – or any time over the next 20 years’. ‘I loved the complexity here,’ added Gymkhana Restaurant’s Valentin Radosav, who thought that ‘food-wise it’s very flexible, but it would be at its best with something gamey like partridge’.

£82.12 VIVANT INC

A Gold medal was inevitable for this ‘mineral, well-balanced and extremely elegant’ wine, thought House of Sake’s Honami Matsumoto, who went on to describe ‘red berries and a savoury element’. Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair agreed, finding ‘ripe fruit notes of cherry and strawberry, along with a woody note and some plum jam’, while team leader Andres Ituarte appreciated its ‘soft, warm humidor notes’. Describing ‘fresh mint and raspberry’, Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club praised its ‘complex body and very fine, elegant finish’.

£80.57 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

On encountering this Gold winner, team leader Andrés Ituarte was impressed by its 'tart red fruits that are feminine and fresh, leading to violets and earthy notes and with a warm, Spanish cedar finish, while Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair found it to be a 'dry, very balanced wine, with rich tannins, cherries and black plum’. She also appreciated the complex and woody notes from the barrel, describing them as ‘a bit farmyard’.

£35.50 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

One of a pair of well-deserved medals for Bouchard Aîné & Fils in this year’s competition, this Gold Lister was ‘ripe and smoky, with some herbal complexity, and leather notes, too’, according to Sonal Clare of Purnell’s Restaurant. Team leader Laurent Richet MS, meanwhile, had praise for its ‘intensity on the nose, with flowers and bright cherry notes, leading to an incredibly punchy palate that’s long, structured and balanced’, before adding that it would ‘definitely age well’.

£19.70 Matthew Clark

Team leader Laurent Richet MS was among the judges who elevated this to Gold amid praise for its ‘deep, concentrated aromas of ripe black cherries and red plums, leading to a beautiful texture with savoury tannins and hints of spice and cedar’. Consultant Anja Breit was similarly impressed, describing ‘velvety, dark berry fruit and well-integrated oak, with a minty, herbal element and a juicy palate’ that meant it could ‘match strong meat dishes like beef bourguignon’.

£26.57 Enotria&Coe

As this was elevated to Gold, Woodhead 17’s James Fryer described an intriguing mix of ‘chocolate and iodine, with some leafy notes in the background, leading to a leathery palate with some dried cranberries and redcurrants’. An impressed Heesoo Kang of Flat Three Restaurant further described it as ‘supple and juicy, full bodied and generous – very fresh and drinkable now but will also age’, appreciating its ‘well-integrated palate with lovely harmony and some toasty oak, not to mention mint and forest floor’.

£16.37 Bibendum

This Gold-worthy Grenache impressed judges for its value for money, not to mention a ‘spicy, strawberry nose and light, pretty style’, according to team leader Nigel Lister, while Hakkasan’s Olivier Gasselin described it as ‘fruit driven, with a supple finish’. 67 Pall Mall’s Beatrice Bessi praised its ‘lovely, fresh layers of red fruit, like cherries, raspberries and plums’, while The Harrow at Little Bedwyn’s Sue Jones recommended either ‘caramelised pork or steak tartare’.

£6.08 Les Grands Chais de France

‘Outstanding,’ was Heesoo Kang of Flat Three Restaurant’s succinct summary of this impressive addition to the Gold List – one of two for Château Lagrézette this year. Meanwhile Filip Viorel of Benares Restaurant & Bar had praise for its ‘beautiful, elegant nose followed by a rich palate dominated with blackcurrant and almonds, as well as a herbaceous note, with refreshing acidity, too’. ‘A real thinking wine,’ concluded Sean Arthur of Cliveden House.

£25.67 Top Selection

Château Lagrézette’s second Gold in this category was ‘rich and intense, with vanilla and cedar wood, as well as some deep red-fruit flavours and a long, lingering finish’, thought Sean Arthur of Cliveden House, while Filip Viorel of Benares Restaurant & Bar added praise for a ‘great chocolate note with some sour, ripe cherry and cassis – a very complex wine’. ‘This has everything,’ continued an impressed Heesoo Kang of Flat Three Restaurant, describing ‘vibrant, small-clustered dark fruits, and a full-bodied palate that’s well balanced’.

£31.73 Top Selection

This substantial, savoury Côtes de Bergerac earned itself a Gold medal for its ‘balsamic, meaty notes and big structure, yet gentle tannins’, according to Melania Bellesini of The Fat Duck, while Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan spoke highly of its ‘animal leather notes and juicy, cooked plums’, further describing it as ‘austere yet moreish’. ‘Very rich,’ added team leader Nigel Lister, who thought a decanter would further ‘unfurl the dense blackcurrant fruit and coffee notes’.

£17.32 Matthew Clark

Taking home not only Gold but a Critics’ Choice award, this drew praise from judges for its ‘cheerful blueberry fruit and a drying lick of spice’, began team leader Jade Koch, who thought it ‘generous without being over the top, with a balanced, considered and thoughtful palate, great minerality and inky length’. Hide Above’s Alonso Abed found it ‘herbal, savoury and full bodied, with some star anise’, while New Street Warehouse’s Tanguy Martin described ‘an explosion of fruit and spices, mixed with the right amount of tannins – great value!’.

£12.49 Enotria&Coe

Judges invariably commented on the great value for money offered by this Gold Lister, which Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse described as ‘gamey and savoury’, while team leader Christopher Cooper thought it ‘easy drinking, with creamy red berries and plum fruit, and a lift of violet’, identifying this as a ‘superior house wine or by-the-glass option’. This all led team leader Laurent Richet MS to picture it alongside ‘liver, mash, onion gravy and roasted broccoli’.

£6.45 Boutinot

‘Explosive’, was Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse’s first impression of this Gold winner, going on to describe ‘intense, ripe, leathery notes on the nose’, which led to ‘a very generous palate’. Francesca Turra of Mondrian London thought it ‘very spicy with nuts and tobacco notes’, adding that there was ‘fairly high acidity and well-managed tannins’, while Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn found notes of ‘spicy cooked berry fruit – Black Forest gateaux?’.

£13.17 Liberty Wines

This Gold Lister was ‘big, balanced and very well made’, according to team leader Carlos Ferreira, while Matteo Cali of Savoy Grill was taken with its ‘pronounced sweet spice notes on the nose with vanilla and liquorice’, which led to a palate ‘coated with chocolate and blueberry fruit in this chunky red wine’. Team leader Tom Forrest, meanwhile, described ‘earthy notes, along with coconut and cedar, some dried fruit, and tobacco leaf, too’.

£14.08 Enotria&Coe

‘Excellent,’ proclaimed team leader Nigel Lister on encountering this Gold winner, describing it as ‘floral and honeyed – off-dry with a lovely freshness’, while an impressed Melania Bellesini of The Fat Duck thought it ‘aromatic, fruity and mineral, with a long, fresh finish’. Bottles Group’s Chiara Sieni spoke highly of its ‘tropical nose and palate’, finding it ‘very rich, but balanced with acidity’, while CuVée VIII’s Michael Harrison added that it was ‘lovely and textural, with rich lemon notes’.

£5.95 Les Grands Chais de France

Adding a Gold to Badet Clément’s collection of medals this year, and amid praise for its value for money, this Viognier was ‘elegant and mineral, with juicy pear and apricot’, according to team leader Laurent Richet MS, while Giorgio Scarsella of The Stafford found it ‘quite grassy, with lemon, apricot and lychee notes too, and well-balanced minerality’. The Royal Automobile Club’s Michael Fiducia particularly enjoyed its ‘structured, mouthwatering palate, with subtle pear and rose water notes’.

£6.25 Molson Coors

As this was elevated to Gold, Hakkasan’s Olivier Gasselin described it as ‘oaky and juicy, in a modern style, with roasted almond notes’, while team leader Nigel Lister praised its ‘lovely, rich and tropical fruit, with vanilla oak and pineapple on the nose’. Paola Giraldo of Wiltons, meanwhile, found it ‘warm and ripe on the nose, with a touch of honey, leading to a full-bodied, rich and intense palate’, making it ‘great for glazed pork’.

£8.19 Direct Wines Production

This ‘exceptionally generous wine for the price’, according to Joshua Castle of Noble Rot, naturally took home Gold, with its ‘lovely array of smoky aromas and ripe orchard fruits, and a palate that’s tense and mineral, with a bright mineral finish’. Team leader Martin Lam particularly enjoyed its ‘leesy, barrel-ferment character’, while fellow team leader Hamish Anderson described ‘a powerful nose of smoke, spice and flowers, with cream, lemon pith and vanilla on the palate’.

£16.90 Top Selection

‘Ripe, creamy and bold – a lot for the price,’ praised team leader Hamish Anderson as this earned itself a Gold medal, with ‘a savoury, bright nose, and warm bread and apple notes’. Fellow team leader Angela Reddin agreed, finding it ‘very well balanced and nicely put together’, with ‘pears on the nose, and rock melon and peach on the palate’, while Markus Dilger of Dilger Sommelier Selection appreciated ‘floral notes of acacia and elderflower, as well as peas, yellow apple, creamy vanilla and white pepper’.

£7.76 Majestic Commercial

As this took its rightful place on the Gold List, New Street Warehouse’s Tanguy Martin praised its ‘very classy Burgundian notes, and a palate that’s vibrant and refreshing’, while team leader Martin Lam remarked on its ‘good concentration and typicity’, finding it ‘ripe and rounded, with a zesty acidity’. Ross Antonelli of Hawksmoor Borough, meanwhile, found it ‘smoky, with toasted seeds, pronounced fennel and popcorn, as well as some lemon, grapefruit and pineapple’.

£29.51 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

The first of a pair of Gold medals for Domaine Pierre Naigeon in this year’s competition, this Côtes de Nuits-Villages was ‘complex, rich and savoury’, according to Gazelle Mayfair’s Romain de Courcy, who described notes of ‘fresh apple, ripe lemon and custard, as well as some minerality’. Team leader Hamish Anderson found it to be ‘a delicious, bold wine, in an opulent, toasty style that’s starting to develop’, describing ‘cream, toasty depth and some warm spice’.

£24.91 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Pure and restrained,’ praised team leader Hamish Anderson as this took home Gold, describing ‘a delicate floral nose, leading to a very driven, citrus-led palate with citrus pith and a long, intense finish’. Fellow leader Laura Rhys MS was equally complimentary, finding it to be ‘elegant and complex, with bold, juicy citrus and stone fruit’, while Daniel Nuttall of Adam’s Restaurant appreciated its ‘bright acidity and easy-drinking savoury palate with saline notes’.

£38.00 Bibendum

Judges were generous in their praise as this was elevated to Gold, with team leader Laura Rhys MS finding it ‘delicious, with elegant fruit character, such as ripe citrus, apple and peach, and well-integrated oak’. Daniel Nuttall of Adam’s Restaurant described it as ‘steely, flinty and mineral’, while Kai Mayfair’s Elisa Soggia appreciated its ‘lemon and lime peel, with green apples, gooseberries and elderflower, too, as well as some vanilla and honeycomb, with oak and white pepper on the finish’.

£63.23 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Marco Marcuzzo of Aster Restaurant appreciated this Gold winner’s ‘typical Burgundian ripe stone fruit with spice and good oak integration, and a long, creamy palate with autolytic character of bread and lees’, while team leader Angela Reddin thought it ‘intense and intricate’, identifying additional ‘seashell and sea breeze notes, as well as lemon and stone fruits’. Kahani London’s Ennio Pucciarelli added praise for its ‘round yet crisp structure, with white peach and apple notes, as well as hints of honey, vanilla and toasted nuts’.

£30.04 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

For Marco Marcuzzo of Aster Restaurant, this Gold winner was showing ‘classic Burgundian spice and autolytic character, like lees yeast and bread’, as well as being ‘full-bodied, with very fine and precise acidity, and integrated oak’. Team leader Angela Reddin appreciated its ‘talcum powder nose, with oak notes over tropical fruit’, describing it as ‘a clever, subtle wine, and very classy’, while Markus Dilger of Dilger Sommelier Selection noted ‘melon, grapefruit, honey blossom and white pepper notes’.

£24.22 Enotria&Coe

‘Honeyed apple and blossom and elderflower,’ said impressed team leader Tom Forrest, while Rémi Cousin of Le Gavroche was more than happy to see this take Gold, noting: ‘Fresh and sexy aromas of Williams pear and kiwi; stony minerality, juicy, mouth-watering’, and adding: ‘I can drink this bottle all on my own…’. ‘No, I can drink this bottle all by myself,’ said team leader Carlos Ferreira (maybe they’ll share it), adding: ‘Melon, passion fruit and mango nose; palate of pineapple and pear with white spices; long vibrant finish.’

£31.98 Top Selection

For Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam this was a ‘bit tight but opens up, expressing it’s potential’. She described it as ‘slightly off-dry’ and found it ‘aromatic with elderflower and ripe fruit and a crisp finish’. Team leader Tom Forrest, meanwhile, found ‘peachy mineral notes – floral, with lychee and rose and ‘a touch of honey and spice’ and thought it had a ‘soft round, peachy palate with a stony minerality’.

£13.07 Bibendum

Team leader Tom Forrest described ‘soft petrol on the palate mixed with apple and honey’ and thought it had ‘lovely balance’ and was ‘nicely mineral’ with ‘subtle acidity’. Fellow team leader Carlos Ferreira was equally impressed with its ‘very complex nose; stone fruits, oak and white, spicy grape juice, with a touch of petrol’, and thought the palate was ‘very elegant, with notes of red apple and asparagus’ and the finish ‘beautiful’. According to Rémi Cousin of Le Gavroche, ‘this could age for years’.

£40.02 Liberty Wines

Deserving of a place on the Gold List for, according to team leader Nigel Lister, ‘a pretty nose, elegant and floral, with gentle, silky tannins – a wine for a summer’s day’. Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish praised its ‘complexity on the palate, with cherry, black fruit and hints of spice, as well as good acidity’, while The River Cafe’s Mattia Mazzi thought it ‘vibrant, elegant and charming’, and an ideal match for ‘terrine or a cheese board’.

£16.00 Boutinot

This fine addition to the Gold List opened with ‘a lovely floral and savoury nose’, according to team leader Hamish Anderson, who went on to praise its ‘textured, spicy palate with some wild edges, and some grippy tannins to keep it all well framed’. ‘This is made for food,’ added Maze by Gordon Ramsay’s Gabriele Bertotti, who thought its ‘delicate, chewy red fruit notes and good balance’ made it ideal to accompany lamb chops.

£18.45 Bibendum

Team leader Tom Forrest picked up a ‘honey, mineral and petrol nose’ leading on to a ‘mineral palate’ with ‘green apples’ in this Gold-Listed Riesling. Meanwhile Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam described it as ‘dry feeling from the first sip’ and found it ‘slightly oaky yet with nice acidity’. For her it was ‘not an easy-drinking sipper’, but ‘definitely a food wine’, and she thought it ‘would work really well with seafood that had some aromatic ingredients’ and ‘would age well’.

£8.83 Mentzendorff & Co

This ‘big, powerful wine’, according to James Fryer of Woodhead 17, earned its place on the Gold List with ‘earthy purple fruit and oak spice, with some intense acidity and well-integrated oak, as well as some velvet tannins, and some mint on the finish’. Team leader Jade Koch identified it as ‘international in style, versatile and very well integrated, with purple plum and violet notes’, while fellow team leader Nigel Lister described it as ‘tight, concentrated and elegant’.

£19.00 Southern Wine Roads

With its ‘great intensity and poise’, a Gold medal was inevitable here, with Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan enjoying its ‘pepper and bright floral character, with juicy, ripe, fresh fruit and a zesty, floral finish’. Describing it as ‘a really serious wine’, Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains spoke of ‘salty seaweed, kombu and iodine, with a fresh, light, umami finish’, while Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club found ‘herbal and stone fruit aromas, with zest and ginger complexity on the palate’.

£14.00 Hallgarten & Novum Wines, Maltby & Greek

From its ‘lovely fresh floral nose, with candied pear and apple’ to its ‘delicious refreshing palate, with flowers, a bit of tropical acidity, and a long chalky finish’, according to team leader Hamish Anderson, this had all the characteristics of a Gold winner. 67 Pall Mall’s Beatrice Bessi praised its ‘layers of salty and smoky character’, while team leader Charlie Young enjoyed ‘a tropical palate that remains fairly rich on the finish, with some flaky almonds’.

£8.50 Hallgarten & Novum Wines, Maltby & Greek

As judges awarded this a well-deserved Gold, Clément Loubeyre of The Cross Kenilworth described ‘red fruit and spicy, peppery aromas, with lovely cherry, kirsch notes on the palate’, while James Fryer of Woodhead 17 found it ‘Pinot-esque, with strawberry jam, dry morello cherries and dusty spice, along with some mint and eucalyptus’. ‘Crisp, with a savoury element and a refreshing backbone – a great game-bird option when the grouse season starts,’ thought Tobias Gorn of Boisdale Restaurants.

£10.25 Hallgarten & Novum Wines, Maltby & Greek

This had all the makings of a Gold medal House Red, with Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan describing it as ‘a spicy, meaty, dark currant wine with a fine texture, elegant tannins and an easy, juicy finish’. Its ‘damson, black cherry, cassis and smoky, graphite notes’ led The Harrow at Little Bedwyn’s Sue Jones to recommend it as ‘a match for barbecued meats’, while Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains declared it ‘generous, silky and impressive’.

£5.85 Direct Wines

‘Bramble and hedgerow in a glass,’ summarised Claire Love of Loves Consultancy as this Chilean Merlot joined the Gold list. Team Leader Nigel Lister found ‘an earthy, smoky green capsicum nose with a dense, ripe black fruit core’, while Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House noted a ‘smoky and savoury underbelly with good lilac and plum character’, before describing it as ‘a rather grown-up wine with more than a little grip and rich fruit’.

£5.50 CyT UK

Taking home a Gold medal for its ‘easy-drinking, ripe fruit style’, according to Rémi Cousin of Le Gavroche, this had ‘cherry, liquorice and plums with a bit of vanilla oak’, for team leader Carlos Ferreira, who went on to describe it as ‘quite floral on the fresh palate, with good balance and a long finish’. ‘A great all-rounder, with structure in the background to hold it all together,’ added team leader Hamish Anderson.

£5.83 Unity Wines & Spirits

‘With its lovely dark berry character and notes of cedar, some red bush tea and leather, along with fairly high tannins, this seems too serious a wine for such a low price!’ remarked team leader Laurent Richet MS, among plenty of other generous praise for this well-deserved Gold winner. Equally impressed, Kai Mayfair’s Elisa Soggia described ‘well-managed alcohol, leather and earthy notes, with a hint of peppermint on the finish’.

£5.50 C&D Wines

‘Juicy and floral – a plush, ripe style,’ began impressed team leader Andres Ituarte as this picked up a well-deserved Gold, adding that it was ‘pretty and refreshing’, while fellow team leader Angela Reddin appreciated its ‘lasting strawberry fruit flavour’. Marco Marcuzzo of Aster Restaurant went on to praise its ‘light and fresh fruit, making this an easy by-the-glass choice that would also work with a range of light bites’.

£5.45 LWC Drinks Ltd (Merchant and Shippers)

For Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group this impressive Gold medal winner opened with ‘a ripe apple and smoky character, as well as creamy and buttery notes, all very well balanced by a lively acidity, and with a delicate hazelnut hint on the finish’. Sonal Clare of Purnell’s Restaurant noted ‘honeydew melon and a lovely texture’, adding praise for its ‘balanced, honeyed notes on the palate, combined with an exotic sweetness’.

£6.00 Atlantico UK

This Gold-worthy Portuguese white was praised by Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles, who found a nose that was ‘grapey, with lychee and spice’ leading to ‘a soft palate with the addition of some pithy grapefruit character’, while 67 Pall Mall’s Beatrice Bessi picked up hints of ‘fresh rose petals counterbalanced with a lovely refreshing palate, and a hint of salinity, too’. Nelio Pinto of Candlesticks spoke highly of ‘warm oranges, pineapple and banana on the palate’, before suggesting it as ‘a great by-the-glass choice’.

£5.81 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

This Gold winner stood out for its ‘dry, aromatic, lemon and lime peel character’, according to Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair, while team leader Andres Ituarte enjoyed its ‘fresh, grapey palate and long finish that shows some femininity’. Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins found it to be ‘aromatic, with a fresh citrus character’, while team leader Carlos Ferreira praised its ‘well-balanced palate and long, crisp finish’, before adding that the ‘price is fantastic’.

£5.40 Frederic Robinson

As this was elevated to Gold, Claire Love of Loves Consultancy praised its ‘smoky, mineral and lemon aromatics, with fresh, vibrant pear and fig, as well as Braeburn apple, and a concentrated, elegant finish’, while team leader Nigel Lister described ‘banana, guava, peach and apricot notes leading to a creamy mid-palate’. Le Gavroche’s Rémi Cousin picked up ‘ripe stone fruit and an orange blossom note’, before concluding that it was ‘zingy, fresh and appealing’.

£20.78 The Wine Rascals

‘An excellent all-rounder,’ began impressed team leader Charlie Young as this was awarded a well-deserved Gold, going on to describe ‘a full, dark, spicy nose, leading to a puff of small berry fruit, light tannins and great length, with a cracking finish’. Woodhead 17’s James Fryer highlighted some ‘peppery tones and chalky tannins’, while Daniel Loughlin of 20 Stories thought the combination would be ‘great with a rack of lamb’.

£12.45 Top Selection

This undisputed Gold medallist had ‘blueberries on the nose, joined by red cherries and strawberries, and all leading to a beautiful, silky texture on the palate, that’s well balanced between acidity, length and complexity,’ began Roberto Sanchez of Sexy Fish. Team leader Andres Ituarte, meanwhile, found it to have ‘a fresh style, with lots of pepper and violets, and a long finish of red fruit’ and added that ‘it will age, but needs big meat dishes now’.

£33.00 Kedem Europe

‘Initially showing some balsamic development on the nose, this has great complexity and balance on the palate,’ began Street XO’s Raphael Thierry on encountering this clear Gold winner, before describing ‘red and dark fruit, some chocolate, and dark spice from the oak, along with good tannic structure and a long finish’. For team leader Andres Ituarte there were also some ‘oregano, pepper and vanilla notes, and big, balanced tannins’.

£22.67 Kedem Europe

For team leader Tom Forrest this approachable Gold Lister had ‘light bubblegum and cherry on the nose, as well as some spice aromas, followed by more soft cherry fruits on the spicy palate, as well as some vanilla’. Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants added praise for its ‘vibrant nose, with fresh fruits and some nice spice’, going on to describe ‘blackcurrant and anise on the palate, with smooth tannins’.

£7.00 Kedem Europe

Tasters were intrigued by this Gold Lister’s exotic, tropical notes, with team leader Lionel Periner finding ‘banana and candied lemon, leading to some apple on the dry palate, and a light, elegant finish’, while Jordan Moore of Trullo enjoyed notes of ‘elderflower, acacia and lychee’. ‘Fine, elegant and refreshing,’ praised Le Gavroche’s Rémi Cousin, who found ‘lovely fruit and crisp acidity’, not to mention some great value for money.

£7.00 Kedem Europe

‘Lime zest, peach, rubber and petrol’ summed up this Gold Lister’s complex nose, according to team leader Lionel Periner, who went on to describe ‘a dry, well-structured palate with walnuts and ripe yellow fruit’. Fellow team leader Carlos Ferreira declared it ‘a beautiful wine’, which had ‘very complex notes of stone fruit and pear, with excellent acidity’, while James Fryer of Woodhead 17 praised ‘oxidative bruised apple notes and oily caramel and nutty notes, with some bright fruit and coconut on the finish’.

£25.99 Top Selection

A unanimous Gold for our judges, with House of Sake’s Honami Matsumoto finding it ‘mineral and salty, with citrus and white stone fruit, and some good concentration’, before recommending it be paired with seafood. Consultant Anja Breit described ‘lemon peel and apple, as well as a herbal note’, while team leader Laura Rhys MS concluded: ‘Fresh, elegant and fruit-driven, with some herbal notes – a super glass of wine as an aperitif, and great value too!’

£6.35 Boutinot

With its ‘concentration and elegance’, according to Gymkhana Restaurant’s Savvas Symeonidis, this couldn’t be anything but Gold. Symeonidis went on to describe ‘sweet spices and a creaminess, alongside citrus and stone fruit’, while Kai Mayfair’s Elisa Soggia thought it ‘rich and smoky, with almond and brioche, with real complexity on the rounded palate’. ‘A sweet almond, marzipan nose and a generous, warm and balanced palate, with some juicy, intense acidity and a lingering honeyed almond finish,’ concluded team leader Lionel Periner.

£20.30 Eurowines

‘Pure, crystalline and very incisive’ were the Gold-worthy characteristics that impressed Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan here, who found notes of ‘saffron, leading to a mineral, salty finish, with a lovely texture’. Consultant Anja Breit added praise for this ‘classy wine, with ripe apple and stone fruit, good spice and green herbs’ and a palate that featured ‘yellow apple and lemon pith, and an oiliness on the finish’, which made it ideal for ‘richer fish dishes such as smoked salmon with horseradish cream’.

£17.35 Matthew Clark

Earning a spot on the Gold podium with its ‘aromatic style’, this Pinot Grigio had, for team leader Lionel Periner, impressive ‘floral and lemon aromas, leading to white pear on the palate, with well-balanced acidity’. It was ‘super-crisp and bright, with some peach and banana peel, and a pétillance’, according to Woodhead 17’s James Fryer, while Kai Mayfair’s Elisa Soggia noted ‘lemon and lime peel, and green apple, too, with good freshness’.

£7.87 AZIENDA VINICOLA TALAMONTI SRL

With its ‘wow factor’, according to team leader Charlie Young, a Gold medal was certain here. Young went on to speak of ‘elegance, depth and very well-defined fruit, with citrus, apple and almond notes’, while impressed team leader Laura Rhys MS described it as a ‘polished, classy wine, with herbaceous notes, lovely acidity and minerality, too’. House of Sake’s Honami Matsumoto decided that its ‘grapefruit and yellow citrus, with a hint of saltiness and smokiness’ made it perfect for ‘veal with tuna mayonnaise’.

£22.50 Delitalia

Impressed by this lighter, fresher style of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, judges handed over a well-deserved Gold, while team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW described a ‘silky palate full of juice, like plums and damson’. Consultant Cinthia Lozano appreciated its ‘round tannins, and smooth and dry palate, with oaky notes of chocolate and coffee’, while team leader Laura Rhys MS spoke highly of its ‘dark cherries and blackcurrants, along with some liquorice spice’.

£11.18 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Team leader Hamish Anderson was impressed by this Gold winner’s ‘great nose and classical palate’, going on to describe ‘lavender and pepper aromas, with red fruit, spice and minerals, as well as good grip and structure on the finish’. Joshua Castle of Noble Rot described ‘tannins suave and captivating, along with tomato leaf, ripe red fruit and cardamom spice’, while team leader Lionel Periner thought the palate ‘mature, full bodied, complex, with an elegant finish’.

£24.87 Berkmann Wine Cellars

For team leader Carlos Ferreira, this Syrah was ‘a big wine, but very well balanced, with notes of blackcurrant and vanilla’, while fellow team leader Tom Forrest described it as ‘lightly spiced and juicy, with soft cherry fruit’. ‘Velvety and toasty,’ added Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam.

£20.92 Casata Mergè

As an impressed panel of judges elevated this to Gold, consultant Cinthia Lozano praised it as ‘complex and round, with smooth blackberry fruit and a velvety texture, with stunning aromas of mocha and coffee’. Finding it ‘toasty and smoky, with leather, prune, thyme and rosemary’, and going on to describe a ‘well-structured palate with firm, powdery tannins’, The Glasshouse’s Adam Michocki thought this would be ‘great with venison in a prune sauce with red cabbage’.

£23.52 Cantina Orsogna

This worthy Gold winner was ‘bursting with flavour’, according to team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, who spoke of ‘vivid sour cherry notes’, while Ennio Pucciarelli of Kahani London described it as ‘quite intense, with violet and a touch of smoke, leading to a juicy and refreshing palate, with velvety tannins’. Victoria Sharples of St John Wines, meanwhile, enjoyed notes of ‘rich, round plums and bright acidity’. ‘Great value and an excellent choice by the glass,’ concluded team leader Laura Rhys MS.

£7.69 VinumTerra

As this earned itself a well-deserved Gold, Paola Giraldo of Wiltons had praise for its ‘elegant nose and delicate aromas, leading to intense spices and ripe fruits on the palate, with great length’, while James Fryer of Woodhead 17 appreciated notes of ‘coffee, red earth and leather, along with dried black fruits and grippy tannins’. Further noting ‘dense dark berry fruits, as well as chocolate and liquorice’, team leader Nigel Lister added: ‘Pappardelle with wild boar ragu, anyone?’

£13.10 Boutinot

For Valentin Radosav of Gymkhana Restaurant, this Gold-worthy Gran Selezione was ‘ripe and expressive, with grippy tannins, cherries, sweet cardamom spice and vanilla’. Team leader Andres Ituarte thought it ‘bright, pretty and elegant, as well as mineral and earthy, with oaky, spicy notes’, while Raphael Thierry of Street XO appreciated its ‘good fruit concentration, with redcurrants and strawberries, as well as well-integrated oak, with tobacco, mocha and cinnamon, and a long, fresh finish’.

£29.15 Boutinot

As this took its place on the Gold podium, The Royal Automobile Club’s Michael Fiducia expressed appreciation of its ‘very concentrated morello cherries and subtle spices, with a smooth, yet softly structured palate that will age well’, while James Fryer of Woodhead 17 enjoyed notes of ‘sap and varnish, with black fruits and milk chocolate, too’. Finding it ‘rich and balanced’, Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse thought it would be ideal to serve alongside ‘liver and bacon with sautéed apples’.

£25.06 Bibendum

This ‘rich and intense’ Chianti Classico Riserva, according to Paola Giraldo of Wiltons, was clearly a candidate for Gold, with team leader Laura Rhys MS describing it as ‘perfumed and floral’, with ‘black cherries and cherry stone notes, and good tannic structure’, while Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group found it ‘very elegant, with some liquorice and woody notes’. An ‘amazingly silky texture, with elegant tannins and dark fruit flavours’ made this a good accompaniment for ‘winter dishes’, thought team leader Lionel Periner.

£17.00 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Amid generous praise from our judges, this was awarded not only a Gold medal but a Food Match award, too, with team leader Martin Lam approving of its ‘proper Chianti profile, with pencil shavings and a cherry-fruit nose, more sour cherry on the palate, and a savoury finish’. Raphael Thierry of Street XO, meanwhile, was impressed by its ‘tannic structure balanced by good freshness, and some redcurrant, mocha and tobacco notes’.

£9.22 Vinexus Ltd

With judge Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn describing this as ‘gamey and built to last, with really great balance and richness, with a long lasting finish’, it’s no surprise this went home with Gold. Team leader Carlos Ferreira appreciated its ‘smoky nose of oak, vanilla, tobacco leaves and leather, with a palate that’s elegant, smooth and aromatic, with lots of complexity’, while Kai Mayfair’s Elisa Soggia described notes of ‘red cherries and plums, orange marmalade and a herbaceous note, too’.

£19.90 Boutinot

With team leader Laura Rhys MS describing this Amarone as ‘rich, bold, meaty and complex, with black fruit and tar’, and declaring that ‘this wine has everything’, it’s unsurprising that it was awarded not only a Gold medal but a Critics’ Choice award, too. An impressed Heesoo Kang of Flat Three Restaurant found it ‘fresh and vibrant, with liquorice, chocolate, prune and tobacco’, while consultant Anja Breit described ‘smoke, raisins and dried fruit, with some marzipan and cherries, too’.

£35.15 Eurowines

‘Super-complex and very powerful,’ praised team leader Laurent Richet MS as this was elevated to Gold status, while Giorgio Scarsella of The Stafford was impressed by its ‘great purity of fruit’, describing it as ‘elegant and velvety, with baked cherry, cinnamon and star anise’. ‘A really exciting wine,’ added impressed team leader Laura Rhys MS, who found it to be ‘dark, rich and inky, with some minerality and polished tannins’, which all made it ideal for ‘rich, meaty stews’.

£70.25 Eurowines

‘Rather opulent’ was Diana Rollan of D&D’s first impression of this great-value Gold winner, going on to praise its ‘savoury notes of tapenade as well as dense cherry and kirsch’, while Virginia Fontò of La Trompette appreciated its ‘notes of tobacco leaf and cigar box’. Woodhead 17’s James Fryer, meanwhile, pointed out ‘an almost lacquer character on the nose’, which led to ‘vanilla and nutty chocolate notes on the palate’.

£14.10 Top Selection

This great-value Amarone was easily worthy of a Gold medal for its ‘good fruit intensity’, according to Heesoo Kang of Flat Three Restaurant, who went on to describe a wine that was ‘earthy, spicy and woody, with rich cherry notes and generous tannins’. ‘For the price point it’s hard to beat,’ added consultant Anja Breit, who described ‘wood, smoke and dark berry fruit’, and suggested this was served with ‘braised meat or ox cheek’.

£15.12 Direct Wines

Judges had praise for this Gold winner’s great value, as well as ‘purity of fruit and bright acidity’, according to team leader Andres Ituarte, who found it ‘concentrated and toasty’. Nut Tree Inn’s Sarah McKenzie appreciated its ‘ripe red fruits on the palate, as well as some bell pepper, and well-integrated tannins’, while team leader Carlos Ferreira found it ‘complex and peppery, with blackcurrant, blackberry and leather, as well as cigar and coffee notes’.

£7.82 Matthew Clark

Displaying all of the qualities needed for Gold, this Valpolicella was praised by Woodhead 17’s James Fryer for its ‘dark, dense purple fruit and freshly ground coffee, with sappy, plush black fruit on the palate, as well as some black pepper, finishing with chocolate and leather’. ‘Concentrated, big and bold with lovely liquorice and sweet spice along with the cherry and plum fruit, and a nice texture, too,’ said Diana Rollan of D&D, adding that its acidity made it ideal ‘to pair with oily fish’.

£13.40 Mondial Wine

As judges handed over the Gold, Gymkhana Restaurant’s Savvas Symeonidis spoke highly of this Valpolicella’s ‘perfumed nose with black fruit, leading to some tart acidity’, while La Trompette’s Virginia Fontò thought ‘its persistent tannins and sour cherry and strawberry flavours make it feel versatile’. ‘Spiciness and some mint on the nose, leading to a complex palate with good, fresh acidity’ made this ‘a great wine for a Sunday roast’, concluded team leader Carlos Ferreira.

£11.09 Bibendum

This was clearly destined for no less than Gold, with ‘a savoury nose with black tea and prunes’, according to team leader Laurent Richet MS, and notes of ‘clove, prune and chocolate, and a sweet palate that has an oxidative note but is very fruit forward’, according to Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston. ‘Elegant and silky,’ added team leader Laura Rhys MS, who enjoyed its ‘juicy, sweet red and black fruits’.

£36.70 Top Selection

Judges were impressed by this great-value Gold’s ‘maraschino cherries and baked plum notes, with a grippy, chalky texture and smooth tannins’, began The Glasshouse’s Adam Michocki, while Immacolata Cannavo of Hakkasan Mayfair spoke highly of its ‘bright red fruit flavours of cherry and strawberry’, before describing it as ‘quite earthy, but with light, supple tannins’. ‘A very fresh wine, with black pepper spice and herbal, rosemary notes,’ added Flat Three Restaurant’s Heesoo Kang.

£7.40 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Chalking up another Gold for Colterenzio, this Pinot Nero drew praise from judges for its ‘delicate nose of wild strawberry and raspberry, with sweet cinnamon spice, some woody herbs and generous fruit’, said Flat Three Restaurant’s Heesoo Kang, who found that its ‘silky texture and delicate tannins support good concentration, fruit intensity and length’. A similarly impressed Gabriele Galuppo of Theo Randall at the InterContinental found it ‘fruit driven, with hints of violet and rose, with a well-defined, elegant palate’.

£11.47 Enotria&Coe

This worthy Gold medallist was ‘a big mouthful of crunchy, dry fruit with concentration and aromatic complexity’ for team leader Martin Lam, while Daniel Jonberger of Rockliffe Hall added praise for its ‘melon, honey and soft brioche notes, with a palate that’s zesty, with an oily touch of red apple and grapefruit, and a long finish’. ‘An oily texture, with some chalkiness and good acidity’ stood out for Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn.

£17.38 Enotria&Coe

Judges were generous in their praise of this worthy Gold winner, from team leader Laurent Richet MS’s description of it as ‘charming, and packed with minerality, blossoms, peach and apricot notes’ to fellow team leader Tom Forrest’s appreciation of its ‘typical floral, aromatic, perfumed Gewürztraminer nose’. ‘Buttery vanilla and some lemon and lime, with a fresh finish’ led The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston’s Giuseppe Longobardi to recommend this be served with ‘monkfish or risotto’.

£20.37 Bibendum

As this clinched a well-deserved Gold, Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn admired ‘summer flowers and orange on the nose’, before going on to describe ‘Seville orange marmalade on the palate, alongside some good minerality and acidity, and a long, orange blossom finish’. The Cross Kenilworth’s Clément Loubeyre described ‘savoury, artichoke aromas, and some evidence of skin contact’, which led to a palate that was ‘quite rich, but with lovely acidity and good citrus flavours, leading to a long finish’.

£16.88 Bibendum

‘Delicate and elegant,’ began Raphael Thierry of Street XO in his praise of this worthy Gold medal recipient, further finding ‘smoky minerality on the nose, followed by some good fruit and white flowers, too’. With its ‘orange peel, with floral notes too, and a delicate balance’, Prestonfield House’s Dave Cushley thought this was ‘one to get to know’, while The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston’s Giuseppe Longobardi thought its ‘stone fruit and honeysuckle, with creaminess on the palate balanced by freshness’ made it the right choice for ‘spiced lentil daal’.

£12.98 Bibendum

This ‘rich and developed’ Gold winner, for Moio Restaurant’s Carolina W Seibel, had some appealing notes of ‘yellow stone fruit and baked pastry, and a yeasty note’, while team leader Carlos Ferreira spoke highly of ‘lemon pie and peach, with a complex palate and big finish, with some white spices and good acidity – a very well-made wine’. Fellow team leader Martin Lam added praise for its ‘very creamy palate, with a toasted, vanilla character’.

£22.30 Eurowines

Unsurprisingly taking home a handful of awards, including a Gold medal, this Chardonnay drew praise from judges for its complex notes of ‘apricot and lemon verbena’, according to team leader Jan Konetzki, who enjoyed its ‘grip, and a touch of elegant bitterness’. For Roberto Sanchez of Sexy Fish it was ‘light and easy drinking, but with good balance, and some grassy, green notes – all at a remarkable price. A good by-the-glass option.’

£7.38 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Delicious’, was team leader Hamish Anderson’s summary of this Gold winner, which he described as ‘very aromatic and perfumed, with some Asian spice and ginger, leading to a more restrained palate with chalk and lime zest’, while Prestonfield House’s Dave Cushley pointed out that it was ‘voluptuous and refreshing at the same time’. ‘Rosewater, pear and lychee aromas, with a ripe, floral palate’ made this an ideal match for ‘seabass curry and coconut’, according to team leader Jan Konetzki.

£13.48 Enotria&Coe

A hit with our judges, and a clear candidate for Gold, this showed ‘oak and minerality on the nose, leading to more well-integrated oak on the palate, with some toasted sesame and good fruit, too’, according to Street XO’s Raphael Thierry, while team leader Angela Reddin found ‘white peach, crème anglaise and lemon posset, leading to a crunchy palate of cashews and lime’. ‘Lovely, delicate and light on the nose, yet very deep and complex on the palate,’ concluded Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains.

£26.81 Enotria&Coe

This ‘rich and textured’ Soave took home a Gold medal for ‘bright acidity with some pineapple and melon notes’, according to team leader Andres Ituarte, while Nelio Pinto of Candlesticks described it as ‘fresh and mineral, with some oily, smoked characteristics’. Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish added praise for its ‘spicy nose, leading to a richer style on the palate’, and described ‘honeycomb, tangerine, and some spiciness, with a nutty finish’.

£11.75 Top Selection

As this took its rightful place on the Gold podium, impressed team leader Hamish Anderson called it ‘toasty and young, leading to a warm, savoury and complex palate, with nuts, lemon and beeswax’. Fellow team leader Andres Ituarte, meanwhile, spoke highly of its ‘rich style, nutty and ripe, with some well-integrated fruit and balanced acids, not to mention a long, toasty finish – making it perfect with salted cod or Dungeness crab’.

£20.02 Liberty Wines

‘This has a lovely aromatic profile,’ began Raphael Thierry of Street XO on encountering this clear Gold winner, going on to describe ‘melon, apple and white flowers, leading to a nice, fresh texture and a long finish’. Sexy Fish’s Roberto Sanchez praised its ‘apricot, peach and lime notes’, finding it to be ‘really beautifully balanced and well structured’. ‘Perfect for cheese and English charcuterie – think a ploughman’s lunch on a sunny day in the country,’ concluded Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn.

£8.87 Liberty Wines

As this took its place on the Gold List, team leader Jade Koch described ‘tea and purple fruit notes, as well as some chocolate liqueur’, and found it to be ‘elegant and lingering, sweet and taut’, while The Gilbert Scott’s Juan Manuel Marcos Perez noted its ‘intense flavours, with ripe tannins and fruit well integrated with the oak’. ‘A juicy palate of cherries, cedar and tobacco’ all led team leader Laurent Richet MS to picture this alongside a ‘peppered steak with morel mushrooms and green asparagus’.

£15.89 Winetraders

‘Power and elegance’ elevated this to Gold, according to team leader Charlie Young, along with its ‘leafy blackcurrant aromas and a super-fresh palate packed with blackberries and spice’. A similarly impressed Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse thought this had ‘a really fresh, punchy nose and crunchy red fruits, leading to a palate that is firm and fresh, showing the classic flavours of Barbera’, before concluding that it was ‘yummy and juicy, with great grip’.

£12.96 Top Selection

‘A marvellous wine from start to finish,’ began Daniel Jonberger of Rockliffe Hall, echoing the sentiment of his fellow judges as they elevated this to Gold, and further describing ‘a mixture of soft berries, and a good dose of cedar wood too, with a hint of spice’. Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles went on to describe ‘lovely lingering sweet morello cherry fruit character, with mouth-coating tannins that clear nicely to reveal a refreshing, dark fruit flavour’.

£34.12 Bibendum

‘Lovely purity of fruit’ made this a clear Gold winner for team leader Charlie Young, who thought it was ‘beautifully defined, with dark red berry aromas, full tannins and good freshness on the finish’. Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club appreciated ‘wild strawberries and gentle herbal hints, with a spicy, cherry fruit-driven finish’, while team Leader Martin Lam enjoyed ‘dark berry fruit notes mingling with violets on the nose, and a palate that’s high toned but balanced, and savoury, too’.

£17.30 Bibendum

This Nebbiolo took home a well-deserved Gold medal for its ‘electric red rose bouquet, with marked red berry aromas’, according to Alonso Abed of Hide Above, who went on to find a palate with ‘piercing cherry and floral notes that invite you to finish the glass’. Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants found it similarly ‘approachable, with a pretty nose of juicy fruits, and good structure – a very bright and vibrant wine’.

£13.14 Davy's Wine Merchants

Judges were generous in their praise of this Gold Lister, with Elena Serban of Hakkasan finding ‘great varietal definition, with cherry and plum, and a nice floral lift’, while for Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles there were ‘fresh tomato leaf aromas and hints of coffee’. An impressed Daniel Jonberger of Rockliffe Hall further described it as ‘smooth, with notes of lavender’, before adding that ‘the oak gives a lick of caramel, too’.

£6.95 Boutinot

‘A top Barolo with superb ageing potential’ was Diana Rollan of D&D’s summary, as this unsurprisingly took Gold. She went on to describe it as ‘floral, with classic rose petal notes and dense red berries, with lovely dried herbs, too, as well as sweet spices, cedar wood and vibrant acidity – great balance and concentration. Delicious.’ A similarly impressed Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants found it ‘pretty and perfumed’, with ‘cigar box, prune, cherry and vanilla notes’ making it ideal for ‘pork with mustard mash’.

£48.57 Liberty Wines

This ‘taut and beautiful’ Gold winner had a ‘gorgeous floral, tarry nose’, according to team leader Nigel Lister, while fellow team leader Laurent Richet MS spoke highly of its ‘perfumed notes, bright tobacco and sour cherries, as well as some pencil shavings’, and further praised its ‘vibrant acidity well balanced with firm acidity’. Cliveden House’s Francisco Macedo, meanwhile, thought its ‘tertiary notes of dried fruit and liquorice’ would pair perfectly with ‘venison served with a berry sauce’.

£35.25 Mondial Wine

This was clearly deserving of a place on the Gold List, with its ‘intense creosote, oaky nose and sweet, tannic, oak-enveloped palate’, according to team leader Martin Lam, while Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club appreciated its ‘perfumed red cherry and coffee aromas, firm chalky tannins and a fresh long finish’. ‘Nicely balanced,’ said Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants, describing ‘tobacco, leather and underlying red fruit, along with a delicate tannin structure’.

£62.17 Liberty Wines

As this took its rightful place on the Gold List, La Trompette’s Virginia Fontò spoke highly of its complex combination of ‘strawberry and sour cherry notes, as well as tobacco, cigar box, black pepper and dark chocolate, as well as truffle and wet autumnal leaves’. D&D’s Diana Rollan found it ‘floral, with notes of dried herbs and tar – an elegant and delicate wine with a beautifully balanced palate and lovely concentration and texture’, adding: ‘This would be a great wine for your perfect steak.’

£81.14 Top Selection

This Barbaresco snapped up Gold with its ‘red cherry and green peppercorn aromas, leading to firm and chalky tannins, culminating in a long, elegant finish’, according to Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club, while team leader Martin Lam appreciated its ‘fresh, lifted-fruit nose, with lots of spice and lovely liquorice, as well as some sweet and sour fruit’. ‘Intense and highly structured, with leather and tobacco leaf,’ added fellow team leader Laurent Richet MS, who thought that made it ideal for ‘wild boar with smoked peppers’.

£28.26 Enotria&Coe

Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn saw Gold here, with its ‘sweet and sour notes, and with some creaminess, too, giving it some interesting weight’, while The Glasshouse’s Adam Michocki found ‘peach, pear and apricot notes, with some steely, limestone minerality’. ‘Super-fresh and really fruity, and yet light and easy drinking, with a round finish,’ added an impressed Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam, imagining it well paired with ‘chicken or light meat dishes’.

£14.17 Top Selection

‘Fresh and elegant’ was team leader Andre Luis Martins’ take on this Gold winner, describing ‘some green apple and light camomile aromas, leading to some ripe mango notes and a long finish’. ‘Sweet pear aromas’ led, for fellow team leader Jade Koch, to ‘a juicy, ripe and very fleshy palate, with more peach on the finish – this would be great with baked fish dishes, or with risotto’.

£17.02 Liberty Wines

‘Youthful and charming,’ began Texture’s Alan Bednarski as judges declared this a Gold, going on to describe ‘fantastic crunchy peach with well-balanced, generous French oak, and complex brioche and melted butter balancing the fresh limestone minerality and beautiful floral finish’. For The Glasshouse’s Adam Michocki it was ‘complex, with a pronounced intensity’ with notes of ‘lemon, lime, yellow grapefruit, melon and pomelo, as well some white rose petals, and a touch oak to it, too’.

£54.00 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Really showing typicity, with a pronounced grassy and herbaceous nose, leading to a refreshing palate with some good acidity,’ said Matteo Cali of Savoy Grill as this was elevated to Gold, while team leader Andre Luis Martins appreciated its ‘gentle, perfumed peach aromas, some spice notes, and a lingering finish’. Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam added further praise for its ‘approachable style, with stone fruit and some herbaceous notes, too’.

£10.45 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘All you want!’ began an enthusiastic Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn about this worthy Gold winner, calling it ‘proper Gavi, steely and mineral, with wet stone notes’. Gymkhana Restaurant’s Savvas Symeonidis went on to admire its ‘excellent intensity and purity of fruit’, while Adam Michocki of The Glasshouse thought its ‘pronounced intensity and classic style, with peaches, pears, apricot and great minerality’ made it ‘a very approachable wine’.

£9.53 Matthew Clark

One of a pair of Gold medals for Rovellotti Viticoltori in Ghemme in this year’s competition, this was described as a ‘citrus-driven wine’ by Juan Manuel Marcos Perez of The Gilbert Scott, while Francisco Macedo of Cliveden House identified ‘notes of red apple, as well as grapefruit’. ‘A fun wine,’ summarised team leader Laurent Richet MS, who particularly enjoyed ‘a salted caramel note’.

£12.10 Mondial Wine

‘Red cherries and berries well balanced by some spicy, peppery notes,’ said Roberto Sanchez of Sexy Fish on encountering this Gold Lister, while Ieva Markaityte of Portuguese Concepts praised its ‘old-school style, with some black olives and black bread crust notes, and some good acidity and freshness, too’. ‘A fillet of beef with Stilton would complement this well, with its dark cherry and rich chocolate notes,’ thought Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse.

£8.70 Boutinot

This well-deserved Gold winner was showing some ‘black fruit and sweet spices, as well as some black pepper and a savoury, meaty note, with fine-grained tannins and well-integrated alcohol’, according to Savvas Symeonidis of Gymkhana Restaurant. ‘A complex nose of plum and vanilla, with a hint of caramel, leading to raisin fruit with fresh cherries on the palate, bringing some necessary acidity,’ continued Joseph Lunn of Suave Wine, adding that ‘hints of white truffle and crème brûlée make this a great wine’.

£43.78 Alivini

‘Elegance,’ summarised Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn as judges unanimously awarded Gold, further describing it as ‘dry and lean, with good fruit breaking through, and leading to a pleasant finish’. Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants thought it ‘floral and fresh, with some chalky tannins’, while team leader Carlos Ferreira found interesting notes of ‘olives, pine and eucalyptus, as well as some rosemary, all leading to a long, fresh finish with black fruits and good acidity’.

£13.05 Amathus

Clearly a Gold winner for its ‘intense perfume of dark cherry, vanilla and liquorice, leading to a rich, full-bodied palate with good concentration, and well-integrated alcohol’, thought Matteo Cali of Savoy Grill, while team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW appreciated its ‘dense, ripe fruit balanced by sawdusty oak, and a complex, fleshy finish’. Woodhead 17’s James Fryer went on to describe additional interesting notes such as ‘rhubarb crumble and cola, with some earthiness, too’.

£17.95 Alivini

This Puglian Gold medallist earned praise from team leader Tom Forrest for its ‘leafy tobacco notes and black fruit’, while The Harrow at Little Bedwyn’s Sue Jones appreciated its ‘bright, clean flavours, including fruits of the forest, with richness and smoothness’, further describing ‘plenty of vigour and minerality on the finish’. Savvas Symeonidis of Gymkhana Restaurant found it to be ‘savoury on the nose, with leather notes, as well as red and black fruit, and sweet spices, too’.

£10.48 AMASTUOLA SOCIETA' AGRICOLA s.s.

Team leader Tom Forrest was taken with this Gold winner’s ‘perfumed, violet aromas, as well as cherries and blueberry notes’, which led to a palate with ‘soft red fruit, some cinnamon spice and a nice meatiness’. Fellow team leader Laurent Richet MS found it to be ‘scented with spices and liquorice, as well as some lavender and thyme, leading to prunes and dates on the palate, with elderberry and cassis, in addition to some grippy tannins’.

£11.36 Matthew Clark

For team leader Angela Reddin, this worthy Gold winner opened with some serious ‘humidor aromas, as well as some crushed red bramble fruits, leading to a good, spicy palate with some good fruit and some tertiary leathery characteristics, too’. Woodhead 17’s James Fryer added praise for its ‘tart palate, with black plum and kirsch notes, as well as some mouthwatering acidity’, while team leader Carlos Ferreira further identified some ‘red roses, cherries and pine, with a fresh finish’.

£9.21 Enotria&Coe

Heesoo Kang of Flat Three Restaurant admired ‘lovely toast and vanilla notes, and spice mingled with dark cherry and plum notes’, on encountering this clear Gold winner, going on to speak of its ‘good balance between body and fruit character’. Team leader Jan Konetzki, meanwhile, was impressed with its ‘complex Mediterranean nose, and savoury, meaty, leather notes’, while The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston’s Giuseppe Longobardi appreciated its ‘black cherry and eucalyptus notes, with some good tannins, too’.

£22.15 Eurowines

Team leader Lionel Periner had only good things to say about this Gold Lister’s savoury nose of ‘Mediterranean herbs and tomato stew, with red fruits, too’, going on to describe ‘a full-bodied palate with some bramble notes and a touch of smokiness’. The Glasshouse’s Adam Michocki enjoyed notes of ‘wild strawberries, cranberries, raspberries and red cherries, with an earthy, leathery character, too, and firm tannins balanced by refreshing acidity’.

£7.21 Enotria&Coe

This earned its Gold medal for its ‘interesting and different style’, according to team leader Martin Lam, who described ‘violet notes and some light tannins’. Rockliffe Hall’s Daniel Jonberger appreciated notes of ‘plum and cherry, with a hint of oak’, while team leader Lionel Periner praised its ‘notes of black olive combined with good fruit character’, which led to ‘a full palate, with dark fruit flavours, and a fresh, mineral finish’.

£10.25 Bibendum

As it took its rightful place on the Gold podium, team leader Tom Forrest praised this ‘perfumed wine’, before going on to describe ‘red flowers and fruits, like cherries and berries, along with some leafy mintiness as well as some spice’. More praise came from Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group, who found ‘graphite and cedar notes, as well as some chocolate’, which led to ‘a lovely finish, with some crunchy, dark fruits’.

£14.75 Matthew Clark

Judges didn’t hold back in their praise of this Gold medallist, with Pavilion Wine’s Tomasz Kuszneruk enjoying ‘a mix of dried and fresh cherries, with a touch of Provençal herbs and chocolate’, while Rockliffe Hall’s Daniel Jonberger spoke highly of its ‘touches of mint, and a savoury character with some oaky tobacco’. Team leader Lionel Periner, meanwhile, was impressed by its ‘floral aromas, leading to a refreshing palate with berry fruit and more floral notes’.

£17.35 Bibendum

Team leader Lionel Periner had praise for this Gold Lister’s ‘great tannic structure, with dry floral notes, and some berry flavours too’, while an impressed Mattia Mazzi of The River Cafe described ‘strawberries and smoke on an open and appealing nose, leading to a meaty and savoury palate with more strawberry fruit, and great concentration, not to mention some striking acidity’. ‘Perfumed, mineral and elegant, with some great complexity,’ summarised Hakkasan Mayfair’s Immacolata Cannavo.

£27.39 Bibendum

‘So aromatic and elegant,’ began impressed team leader Laurent Richet MS on discovering this clear candidate for Gold, going on to describe ‘complex cherry, cedar, dried meat and liquorice – dynamic and vibrant, with a silky texture’. Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group, meanwhile, enjoyed its ‘eucalyptus aromas, with ripe cherry and strawberry on the palate, leading to a charcoal finish’, while team leader Lionel Periner thought it ‘floral and smoky, with good acidity on a long finish’.

£32.22 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Rich and comforting, like a hug’ was Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains’ first impression of this Gold-worthy Nero d’Avola, finding notes of ‘chocolate and hazelnut paste, with lovely spices and some cherry jam – a ripe and chewy wine’. A similarly impressed Heesoo Kang of Flat Three Restaurant found it to be ‘very easy to drink’, adding praise for ‘lots of juicy fruit balanced with refreshing acidity, some mixed herbs and spices, and smooth tannins’.

£6.50 Frederic Robinson

This fascinating wine, described by Hakkasan’s Olivier Gasselin as ‘leafy and ferrous, with forest fruit, some spice, and an earthiness too, with rounded, crunchy tannins’, took home a well-deserved Gold. Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains complimented its ‘velvety texture and bright acidity, and baking spices too, like a red-fruit pie’, while team leader Jan Konetzki felt its ‘rich palate of prune and leather’ made it the ideal match for ‘roasted lamb with Mediterranean herbs’.

£7.55 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘A very inviting, super-floral nose, like Muscat,’ began impressed team leader Martin Lam as this took a well-deserved Gold, further describing ‘just a hint of sugar on the palate, with big jasmine and honeysuckle notes’. ‘Aromatic, dry and light on the palate, with a lovely balance between the floral and the citrus notes,’ said fellow team leader Charlie Young. All of this led Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn to identify it as an excellent ‘foie gras match’.

£8.62 Enotria&Coe

‘Lovely!’ was how 67 Pall Mall’s Beatrice Bessi summed up this worthy Gold medal recipient, going on to describe it as ‘fresh, intense and rich, and full of ripe orange, tangerine, guava and saffron notes, with some minerality to complete the picture’. A similarly impressed James Fryer of Woodhead 17 spoke of ‘smoke, apricots and almonds, with touches of gunmetal’, followed by ‘a textural palate, with golden fruits, and lychee tropical fruit too’.

£14.24 Bibendum

As this was awarded a well-deserved Gold, team leader Charlie Young spoke highly of its ‘spicy citrus aromas, and a full palate with upfront, pithy fruit, ripe but abundant grapefruit-like acidity, and some real complexity on the finish’. Fellow team leader Martin Lam went on to describe it as ‘quite plump and ripe, and spicy, too, with some honeyed melon fruit’, while Pavilion Wine’s Tomasz Kuszneruk put it succinctly: ‘Serious but fresh; rich but easy-drinking.’

£18.00 Enotria&Coe

Clearly Gold-worthy for its ‘rich and ripe nose, with some pastry notes’, according to New Street Warehouse’s Tanguy Martin, while team leader Tom Forrest liked its ‘rounded palate, with some perfumed notes alongside cinnamon and ginger spice’. Fellow team leader Jan Konetzki appreciated notes of ‘peach and apricot, along with orange peel and cream, leading to a fresh palate with plenty of ripe apple and more peach, as well as a hint of toast’.

£11.75 Alivini

This Gold winner was ‘such a beauty, with chalky notes and yellow flowers, as well as yellow apples and almonds’, according to an enthusiastic Tatiana Mann of The Vine Eno Gastropub, further describing ‘a balanced palate, finishing with camomile flowers’. Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse, meanwhile, found ‘nuts and Indian spice notes on a bone-dry palate with exciting bitterness, giving it a real kick – an expressive, impressive wine’.

£32.22 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Team leader Jan Konetzki was impressed by this Gold medallist’s ‘lemon sherbet with some tropical notes too, and a hint of minerality, as well as some food-friendly bitterness’, while Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan appreciated its ‘fine texture and lovely acidity, with bright mandarin and spiced peach notes, as well as some floral characters’. ‘Pear and stone fruit, hoppy herbal notes and some zippy lemon acidity’ rounded things off for team leader Tom Forrest.

£7.55 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘This is Tuscany,’ began impressed team leader Jade Koch on encountering this Gold winner, finding it ‘elegant, soft and perfumed’, while Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club appreciated its ‘red plum and gentle, smoked green herbs, leading to mature leather and cigar notes, chalky tannins and a long finish’. Describing it as ‘intense, with wild meats, smoke and truffle’, Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains concluded it was ‘a great option for food pairing’.

£13.28 Enotria&Coe

With its ‘raisin aromas and bright sweet and sour cherries’, this Gold-worthy Tuscan was ‘chalky, earthy, well balanced and very food-friendly’, according to team leader Martin Lam, while an impressed Victoria Sharples of St John Wines found it to be ‘textural and smooth, with good power and hints of tar and spice’, also describing it as ‘moreish, with lovely length and finesse’. For Tobias Gorn of Boisdale Restaurants, this all added up to a great match for ‘spicy meats and wild mushrooms’.

£17.51 Bibendum

‘Absolutely marvellous,’ began consultant Cinthia Lozano, as this unsurprisingly took Gold, while team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW praised its ‘gloriously aromatic profile, with violets, cherry and cedar, and with tannins that underline the palate, along with black fruit freshness’. Ennio Pucciarelli of Kahani London appreciated its ‘good complexity with red fruit, floral aromas, hints of graphite, clove and a touch of pepper’, while consultant Rebecca Coates found it ‘rich, powerful and full bodied’, adding that it ‘would pair perfectly with rare roast beef’.

£130.98 Bibendum

This ‘complex and elegant’ Gold winner, according to team leader Laura Rhys MS, was characterised by its ‘dark fruit and herbaceousness, with a smoky element, too’, while fellow team leader Nigel Lister appreciated its ‘ripe cherry and bramble, with wild woody herbs and roast meat aromas, leading to dense blackcurrant and cassis on the palate’. Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House, meanwhile, added praise for its ‘lovely open fruit and serious grip’.

£18.34 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Complex and elegant,’ began Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club as this was elevated to Gold, adding that it was ‘showing some development’. Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan, meanwhile, found it to be ‘very ripe, with richly spiced plum and cherry, and a savouriness, too, with round, ripe tannins’. Team leader Jade Koch agreed, calling it ‘chewy, juicy and full of grip’, and suggesting it would be ideal alongside ‘lamb chops or steak tartare’.

£53.00 Bibendum

‘Dark, plush and juicy,’ began Victoria Sharples of St John Wines, as this was elevated to Gold, describing it as ‘quite elegant, with good persistence and some attractive mineral undertones’, while consultant Emanuel Pesqueira found it to be ‘earthy and smoky, with strawberry notes and some soft tannins’. Team leader Martin Lam, meanwhile, appreciated its ‘sweet, dark fruit and spice, with some juicy plum and a savoury edge’.

£10.55 Eurowines

As this Argentinian Cabernet Franc took its well-deserved spot on the Gold podium, team leader Jan Konetzki spoke of ‘sappy aromas of blackcurrant and red cherry, as well as some tomato leaf, which lead to a palate with some grip from smooth, polished tannins’. Team leader Martin Lam had praise for its ‘very savoury nose, and a smokiness, too’, while Moio Restaurant’s Carolina W Seibel thought it ‘very Argentinian, with some capsicum and dark berry notes’.

£12.75 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Awarding Gold for this bottle, team leader Angela Reddin said: ‘This is lusciously ripe with fantastic balance,’ adding, ‘there’s a note of pink gooseberry among the rich bramble fruits and a sustained, evolving finish.’ Meanwhile Christopher Delalonde MS of The Dorchester noted: ‘The nose is ripe with stone fruit and berries and there are notes of black olive and minerals; the palate is elegant and interlaced with minerality plus there’s a nice lift of acidity and ripe tannin to balance the sweet fruit finish.’

£21.36 Bibendum

This ‘stylish wine, with graphite and blackcurrant character’, according to Tatiana Mann of The Vine Eno Gastropub, snapped up Gold, with Adam Michocki of The Glasshouse describing ‘ripe dark forest fruits joined by cinnamon and vanilla, with plush tannins balancing the alcohol, and with both adding to the intensity of flavour’. The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston’s Giuseppe Longobardi thought that its ‘violets and cherries, with a spicy finish of cloves’ made it a perfect match for ‘pickled walnut and braised beef pie’.

£15.19 Bibendum

Judges heaped praise on this Gold-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, with an impressed Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House calling it ‘restrained and elegant – a real step up – with savoury, earthy black fruits and subtle tannins’. Team leader Carlos Ferreira added additional notes of ‘mushroom and tobacco on the nose’, while Woodhead 17’s James Fryer spoke of ‘juicy dark fruits led by pepper and earth on a perfectly balanced palate, with velvet tannins’.

£10.61 Enotria&Coe

Standing out as a clear Gold medallist, this was ‘fresh, with some eucalyptus aromas, leading to a smooth and silky palate, with good tannins and a black olive note’, according to Clément Loubeyre of The Cross Kenilworth, who considered it ‘really good value’. Team leader Jan Konetzki found it to be ‘juicy and grippy, with red and black fruit, as well as some oyster shell notes, making it a good match for lamb with mint sauce’.

£8.61 Direct Wines Production

This ‘fruity and easy-to-drink’ Gold winner had, according to team leader Charlie Young, ‘leafy, spicy, black fruit aromas, with soft and sweet fruit on the palate’. ‘Classic crunchy red berries, with a hint of smokiness, leading to a light, juicy palate,’ added an impressed Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse, while team leader Tom Forrest concluded that it was ‘warm and perfumed, and with some good freshness, too’.

£7.20 Enotria&Coe

‘A beautiful expression of Stellenbosch,’ praised Ieva Markaityte of Portuguese Concepts as this was awarded a well-deserved Gold, further describing ‘black fruit and blueberries, with some floral notes of lilies, and some good balance’. Team leader Tom Forrest spoke of ‘an earthiness, with soft tannins and cedar spice’, while Hakkasan’s Olivier Gasselin found it ‘big and concentrated, with a leafy, spicy aroma and a juicy palate, with tight, grippy tannins’.

£20.12 Hatch Mansfield

For Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group this inevitable addition to the Gold List was ‘very floral, with an intense violet bouquet, along with wild berry and forest fruits – an elegant wine, with a long finish’. The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston’s Giuseppe Longobardi, meanwhile, appreciated notes of ‘cherry, pencil and tar on the nose, leading to a fruity palate with a smoky finish’, adding that its ‘tannins need rich flavours and meat dishes’.

£30.00 Berkmann Wine Cellars

This Gold Lister was ‘bursting with fruit, and very easy drinking’, according to Jim Bass of Scarlet Hotel, clearly impressed, while Woodhead 17’s James Fryer added praise for its ‘pure, sweet blueberry juice, with some decent acidity, too’. Team leader Martin Lam found plenty of ‘cherry fruit at first, but then savoury, and softening on the finish’, while Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn spoke of ‘light toast and vanilla, with some subtle blackcurrant leaf, and some lasting texture’.

£12.05 Enotria&Coe

As this Cabernet Sauvignon was elevated to Gold, team leader Martin Lam described it as ‘bright, with a sappy nose, and very well balanced’, while fellow team leader Carlos Ferreira found it to be ‘dry and big, with some spicy character that’s very well balanced by fruit’. For Scarlet Hotel’s Jim Bass, ‘green peppers and black fruit, as well as some real freshness’ made this wine ‘perfect for grilled meats and barbecues’.

£16.35 Bibendum

‘Sumptuous aromatics of rose, cherry and French oak,’ began team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW as this was awarded a well-deserved Gold, going on to describe ‘a dark palate that’s savoury and balanced, with freshness, too’. House of Sake’s Honami Matsumoto appreciated ‘ripe, sweet damson fruit, with blackcurrant and some sweet spice’, while ‘cassis and intense black cherry, with a full-bodied palate of coffee and bitter chocolate’ made this, for consultant Anja Breit, a good choice for ‘chargrilled meat’.

£61.92 Bancroft Wines

Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW singled out this Gold Lister as ‘very aromatic, with generous raspberry and plum fruit, leading to a ripe and fleshy palate, although really well balanced’, while House of Sake’s Honami Matsumoto described it as ‘structured but elegant’. Matteo Cali of Savoy Grill, meanwhile, appreciated its ‘pronounced aromas of plum, cassis and blackberries, with secondary notes of vanilla and liquorice’, adding that its ‘rich and opulent palate would go well with a rib eye’.

£19.13 Daniel Lambert Wines

‘Like walking along an autumn hedgerow, with blackcurrants and blackberries on the nose,’ mused Joseph Lunn of Suave Wine on encountering this impressive Gold winner, also finding ‘complexity on the palate, with charred nuts, coffee, pecan and blueberry pie’. Team leader Jade Koch described it as ‘smoky and lean, with a buttery finish that’s fine, long and savoury’, which all made it an excellent match for ‘either venison or duck breast’.

£16.38 Enotria&Coe

According to team leader Martin Lam this ‘big, super-concentrated’ Gold Lister featured ‘violet notes and some balanced acidity’, while Flat Three Restaurant’s Heesoo Kang praised its ‘elegance, with some gently generous fruit, well-integrated acidity, and tannins that aren’t astringent’. Team leader Jan Konetzki went on to find some appealing ‘exotic spice notes along with some ripe fruit’, while Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan found it ‘smoky and meaty, with robust spiciness paired with some sour dark fruit, not to mention some grippy tannins’.

£28.51 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Judges were unanimous in their praise of this Gold-worthy wine. Michael Fiducia of The Royal Automobile Club spoke of ‘cassis and bramble bush, with a crisp freshness on the palate’, while Tomasz Kuszneruk of Pavilion Wine appreciated notes of ‘blackcurrant leaf, mint and Provençal herbs’. Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, inspired by its ‘savoury character, with Chinese five spice and rich baked plums’, thought it would be an excellent match for ‘venison and Indian spices’.

£9.85 Survalles

This couldn’t have been anything but Gold, with its ‘juicy and easy-drinking style’, as 67 Pall Mall’s Terry Kandylis described it, before going on to find ‘a touch of spice, with savoury undertones, and complex minty-chocolate notes, too’. Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group thought it was ‘elegant on the nose, evoking blackberry fruit, and leading to more dark fruit on the palate, with a herbaceous finish’, while Le Gavroche’s Rémi Cousin had particular praise for its ‘lovely, fruity, velvet mouthfeel’.

£7.27 Matthew Clark

This deserving Gold winner was ‘intense and interesting’, according to an impressed Sean Arthur of Cliveden House, who went on to describe ‘cassis, red cherry, blackcurrant and rich chocolate notes, along with some eucalyptus and toasted vanilla, too’. For team leader Lionel Periner it was ‘young, with great potential’ and had notes of ‘toasted bread, dark fruit and vanilla, with good acidity and an elegant finish’, while Le Gavroche’s Rémi Cousin appreciated additional ‘crushed black pepper and leather notes’ and its ‘good structure and refreshing palate’.

£13.72 Survalles

‘Ripe red and black fruits and well-integrated oak’ characterised this impressive Gold Lister’s aromas for Mattia Mazzi of The River Cafe, who described it as ‘a beauty, with fruit shining through on the palate, with ripe tannins and acidity that are harmonious with the weight of the wine’. ‘Refreshing, complex and well balanced,’ praised 67 Pall Mall’s Beatrice Bessi, who described ‘lovely, fresh red and blue fruit, as well as some peppermint and vanilla notes’.

£13.00 Boutinot

Little surprise that this Chilean red took home a Gold medal, with Manor House Hotel’s Anita Vighova calling it ‘a powerhouse, with lots of green bell pepper and cedar notes on the nose and palate’, while team leader Charlie Young spoke of ‘excellent judgement of fruit and balance of oak’. For Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group it had ‘balsamic and mint notes, as well as some bold tannins balanced by crunchy red cherry fruit’.

£21.18 Viña San Rafael S.A

This Chilean Cabernet earned its Gold List spot with appealing aromas of ‘eucalyptus, menthol and plums, with a hint of tar’, according to The Royal Automobile Club’s Michael Fiducia, who was taken with its ‘crunchy cherry palate’, too. Team leader Charlie Young had praise for its ‘fresh red berry aromas’ and found it ‘plummy on the palate’, while 67 Pall Mall’s Beatrice Bessi described ‘sweet, ripe fruits like blueberries and strawberries, and a good body’.

£7.70 Viña San Rafael S.A

There was clearly much to admire in this Gold Lister, and Timothy Connor of Heddon Street Kitchen summed it up, saying that with its ‘bright red fruit and spice and soft touch of oak’ it had ‘everything to love in New World spiced, varietals’. ‘There’s lots of juicy tannin and good fruit concentration,’ added Raphael Thierry of Street XO, noting ‘plum, berry, chocolate and mint’ and ‘some nice earthy notes towards a good long finish’. For Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House, the wine’s qualities were to be found in its ‘fragrant, perfumed, lifted nose’, describing it as ‘a very cool, calm, elegant wine’.

£9.50 Survalles

‘Concentrated and powerful with a long finish’ was Adam Michocki of The Glasshouse’s assessment of this Gold Lister, adding: ‘There’s a good, ripe fruit profile with cassis, blueberry, black cherry and plums, with some nice smoky and toasty notes.’ Team leader Laura Rhys MS praised the ‘juicy and rich, bright jammy fruit’ that had ‘meaty, spicy and leathery notes’, leading to ‘silky, polished tannins’. With its ‘elegant touches of cedar with black cherry’, Lucie Kalertova of Sexy Fish recommended pairing this wine with ‘steak or mushroom dishes’.

£20.91 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

A clear sense of place helped land this Carmenère a sold Gold medal. ‘Excellent typicity,’ said consultant Emanuel Pesqueira, with its ‘pensive cassis and capsicum nose, it takes you straight to Chile’. ‘Super-typical,’ agreed James Fryer of Woodhead 17, adding that as well as ‘all the right bell pepper and vegetal notes’ it had ‘a nice, inky, fresh core of fruit’. ‘Black cherry and plum,’ said Daniel Loughlin of 20 Stories, adding ‘herbaceous notes of mint and rosemary, and it’s elegant with soft tannins’, and suggesting it would ‘match well with duck and game’.

£8.08 Survalles

This Gold Lister really stood out as an interesting point of difference in the line-up. Team leader Christopher Cooper found much to admire: ‘There is lovely delicate and fragrant blueberry fruit, with perfumed, violet top notes. And there’s also a lifted, silky quality to this wine that you don’t normally find in Carmenère. It certainly feels a cool-climate style, with softer tannins on the finish.’ Woodhead 17’s James Fryer agreed, saying: ‘There’s a solid core of juicy black fruit, with notes of mint and chocolate; with fine tannins and a nicely balanced finish.’

£12.10 Matthew Clark

‘Excellent’ was how consultant Emanuel Pesqueira summed up this bottle, as it was awarded its Gold medal, adding: ‘It has an oily, rich quality that flows throughout this complex, integrated wine.’ ‘Such a super flinty nose,’ said James Fryer of Woodhead 17, ‘there’s some almond skin and a smoky, peachy quality, too.’ ‘It’s very inviting,’ agreed Terry Kandylis of 67 Pall Mall, ‘and the palate has complexity, length, freshness and purity.’

£14.63 Rob Dolan Wines

Clearly a gastronomic wine, this Gold Lister had the panel excited about its food-matching potential. For consultant Emanuel Pesqueira it was ‘a great fish wine’, because it was both ‘very juicy’ and had ‘steely acidity’. Daniel Loughlin of 20 Stories agreed, feeling it would pair well with ‘rich sauces and seafood’. All agreed there was a light hand on the oak, with team leader Charlie Young describing ‘lifted, citrus aromas; a lemony palate and very well-integrated background oak’. Summing up, he said it was simply ‘super-fresh and drinkable’.

£18.40 Bibendum

There was unanimous praise for this easy Gold medal choice, with team leader Charlie Young noting: ‘A savoury wine, with complex, toasty notes, but there’s also tangerine and the citrus notes are plentiful.’ Praising the wine’s balance, he said: ‘It has life and freshness and the fruit is powerful but not overpowering.’ Terry Kandylis of 67 Pall Mall noted ‘mature notes’ that were ‘nutty, with camomile, caramel and lime marmalade on toast’, while consultant Emanuel Pesqueira described a ‘well-made food wine’ that was ‘rich and mineral; complex and long’.

£22.21 Matthew Clark

‘There’s a nose of creamy vanilla spice, with melon, ginger and pineapple,’ said team leader Tom Forrest of this Gold medal winner. This exotic fruit profile continued to the palate, where he thought it was lifted by some ‘very nice, sexy spice’. Moio Restaurant’s Carolina W Seibel found ‘more complexity on the nose, with green pineapple and warm lemon notes’, while for Ennio Pucciarelli of Kahani London, a sense of harmony was key: ‘There’s a really nice balance between the fruit and the oaky aromas, it’s refreshing.’

£9.85 Survalles

‘Very typical and pleasurable,’ said team leader Hamish Anderson, awarding a deserved Gold medal to this great value Chardonnay. ‘It has a simple nose of cream, spice and ripe pear,’ he added, ‘and there’s some really very good tropical fruit, cut with nice acidity.’ Ennio Pucciarelli of Kahani London noted ‘melon, white peach and hints of sweet spice’, before adding: ‘It’s medium bodied and with a nice lick of toasty oak.’ Oliver Nagy of Hakkasan Hanway Place, meanwhile, thought it offered ‘ripe tropical fruits with a touch of apple and some coconut vanilla’ and a ‘ripe fruit palate with good acidity’.

£6.82 Majestic Commercial

‘Great stuff,’ said team leader Hamish Anderson as he happily elevated this worthy winner to Gold medal status. ‘It has a lovely smoky, taut and complex nose, with lemon zest, spice and apple; it’s fresh but ripe, with a lovely texture and cut through with a piercing minerality. The finish is long and fine.’ Kahani London’s Ennio Pucciarelli could only agree, adding: ‘The exotic fruit elements have good intensity and complexity and are well integrated with the oak flavours.’

£10.50 CyT UK

‘This smells of the Cote d’Or…’. Praise indeed from team leader Jan Konetzki, as he awarded this aromatic wine a worthy Gold medal, adding: ‘It’s dry and rich but also fresh; it’s slick and savoury but has complex fruit.’ ‘Burgundian, with sweet hazelnuts and sweet spice,’ thought Claire Love of Loves Consultancy. ‘Very good use of oak,’ said Street XO’s Raphael Thierry, adding: ‘The ripe stone fruit and minerality present a charming wine that is rich and round, yet elegant at the same time.’

£22.65 DGB Europe Ltd

Awarding a Gold medal for this great value Chardonnay, team leader Laura Rhys MS said, ‘This has nice complexity for the price.’ It was a sentiment shared by many on the panel. Claire Love of Loves Consultancy praised the balance between ‘spicy, creamy oak’ and the ‘vibrant lemon and floral notes’. ‘The subtle crème brûlée oak notes give texture,’ said Street XO’s Raphael Thierry, ‘but the ripe stone fruits finish fresh.’

£7.72 Hatch Mansfield

A great sense of overall balance was a recurring theme in tasters’ notes for this worthy Gold Lister, with New Street Warehouse’s Tanguy Martin saying that it stood out as particularly ‘vibrant and refreshing, among its peers from California’, and adding: ‘Its lovely nervosity on the palate makes the wine spicy and savoury.’ Meanwhile Joshua Castle of Noble Rot noted: ‘It has nice restraint, it’s full bodied without being too oaky.’ Team leader Martin Lam agreed, saying: ‘It’s nicely balanced; there are bold flavours but they’re not overdone.’

£35.00 Wine Source UK

‘This has a delicate marzipan note with white flower blossom,’ said ETM Group’s Guillaume Mahaut of this aromatic Gold Lister, while Ieva Markaityte of Portuguese Concepts picked up ‘elegant ripe melon’ with ‘a touch of fresh thyme flowers’. For team leader Lionel Periner the wine was both ‘elegant’ and ‘full bodied, with a long ripe fruit finish and good acidity’, and fellow team leader Tom Forrest noted ‘pineapple and peach fruit, with a fresh apple, mineral finish’.

£34.25 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Delightfully floral,’ began Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn, one of the many with praise for this clearly Gold-worthy wine, further describing ‘peaches and dry minerality’. Team leader Martin Lam called it ‘a refreshing wine, with citrus, fresh pear and green apple notes’, while fellow team leader Angela Reddin found ‘lip-smacking, zingy acidity, with some orchard flowers and cooked Bramley apples’, concluding that it was ‘a great food wine, and fantastic for the price’.

£6.75 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘You need this on your wine list!’ began an enthusiastic Roberto Sanchez of Sexy Fish on encountering this clear candidate for Gold, going on to describe a wine that was ‘intense on the nose, with toasted brioche notes, with a beautiful texture that’s very rich and creamy, with acidity to support it’. Further praise came from Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn, who spoke highly of ‘fresh minerality, and complexity with great balance’, before describing ‘ripe lemons and limes, and a herbaceous rosemary-stem note, too’.

£15.97 Hatch Mansfield

As this was quite rightly awarded a Gold medal, Carolina W Seibel of Moio Restaurant praised its ‘green freshness and complexity, not to mention good depth of fruit and longevity’, while Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins was impressed by ‘ripe peach with some white spices, leading to ripe yellow plum on the palate, with a long, refreshing finish’. Harry Ballmann of Wiltons, meanwhile, spoke of ‘depth and balance, with some camomile notes’.

£8.02 Hatch Mansfield

Taking home a well-deserved Gold, this Stellenbosch Chenin had ‘aromatic floral and tropical fruit characteristics’ for Sonal Clare of Purnell’s Restaurant, who went on to describe ‘concentrated fruit on the fleshy, buttery palate, with passion fruit and guava, and a nuttiness, too’. Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, meanwhile, found ‘smoky aromatics that lead to a powerful palate bright with citrus, as well as some lime curd sweetness’, and described it as ‘culminating in a tangy, zesty finish’.

£14.36 Bibendum

‘Wow’ was the immediate response of team leader Laurent Richet MS to this clear Gold Lister, adding: ‘This wine has lovely fruit, structure, balance and length.’ He thought it would be ‘a great wine by the glass or equally with food’, and that ‘you could easily keep it for one or two years’. Fellow team leader Jade Koch was also a fan, admiring its aromatic notes of ‘tea, smoke and violets’, while Zuma’s Sylwester Piasecki picked out ‘spices like clove and ginger’ that lead to a ‘clean and elegant finish’.

£9.72 Top Selection

‘What an intense nose,’ said The Gilbert Scott’s Juan Manuel Marcos Perez of this rather fine Gold Lister, adding: ‘It’s extremely aromatic… with raspberries, strawberries, fresh cherry and vanilla; there’s also violet and spice all integrated in the oak.’ Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles agreed, noting ‘creamy cassis and bramble fruit, all layered in with sweet tobacco, cedar and game’, before adding that there was a ‘lovely integration of flavours and tannin on the palate; it’s concentrated yet elegant’. Meanwhile team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW praised the ‘generous, plump and fleshy fruit’ and fellow team leader Martin Lam admired ‘the silky tannins’.

£31.72 Matthew Clark

Joseph Lunn of Suave Wine was impressed with the elegance of this Gold Lister, noting ‘ripe autumnal pears with figs and vanilla’ on the nose and a palate of ‘delicate freshness’ that belied its ‘good, punchy, sour cherry finish’. Perhaps this was why he suggested ‘roast duck’ as a food match. While team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW enjoyed the ‘super-ripe, pure raspberry fruit with dark cocoa back notes’, fellow team leader Martin Lam found ‘a raisin and red fruit nose’ and a ripe palate that was ‘juicy and fresh; spicy and attractive’.

£13.53 Matthew Clark

With its ‘lovely ripe fruit, balance and length’, team leader Laurent Richet MS was happy to award this a Gold, adding that it was ‘juicy, fleshy and meaty, with coffee aromatics’, and suggesting it would work well with ‘venison or leg of lamb’. Francesca Turra of Mondrian London suggested it would certainly work with ‘fatty dishes’ and Mattia Mazzi of The River Cafe thought that this Malbec was more ‘in a Cahors style, as it’s drier and fresher’.

£9.97 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Recommending this Gold medal winner as a great choice by the glass or down the pub, team leader Laurent Richet MS praised ‘the lovely fruit concentration of pear and bruised fruits wrapped in chocolate’ and also its ‘evolution, with a little soy sauce adding a savoury note’. ‘Pork chop with onion gravy’ was his pairing suggestion, while fellow team leader Angela Reddin suggested that its ‘herbal-tinged, sweet, ripe black fruits’ called for ‘a plate of smoked meats’.

£7.50 Matthew Clark

Team leader Tom Forrest was happy to articulate the many reasons for this wine’s Gold medal listing, saying: ‘There are high notes of cinnamon spice and vanilla; then raspberry and cranberry with a smoky char. The palate is plump, with soft creamy vanilla and ripe blackberry and dark cherry, while the finish is marked with a dash of dark pepper.’ While nearly all the judges noted the continued fashion for the weighty receptacle in this category, Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse was pleased to find ‘real elegance’ coming out of ‘such a heavy bottle’, a point on which team leader Martin Lam agreed. Commending the ‘ripe, spicy fruit and juicy balanced tannins’, he added: ‘For a big wine this certainly has a good, attractive character.’

£22.52 Enotria&Coe

Approaching the Gold medal table, team leader Angela Reddin said: ‘This wine is so lovely and inviting.’ She went on to describe ‘a burst of mulberry and plum fruits with smooth chocolate, diving into the mouth’ and concluded by describing a ‘firm, elegant all rounder’. For fellow team leader Laurent Richet MS it was ‘pure juice – intense and concentrated’. Its ‘power and balance’ had him calling for ‘cote du boeuf with Béarnaise sauce and fries’. ‘Lime-marinated pulled lamb with sweet potato and red onion’ was the choice of Aviary’s Aurore Anguenot, while ‘game with a chocolate reduction’ was the suggestion of Mattia Mazzi of The River Cafe. Clearly a wine with many gastronomic possibilities…

£11.87 Liberty Wines

Awarding a deserved Gold medal, team leader Martin Lam observed a sense of restraint in the winemaking: ‘This has a dark and savoury nose but it’s not oaky,’ he said, adding: ‘It’s fresh, concentrated and nicely balanced, and a clear winner in this macho style – heavy bottle, too!’ Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn added: ‘There’s good typicity here, too,’ pointing to ‘the really complex’ herbal elements of ‘eucalyptus, rosemary, thyme and pepper…’. ‘Ripe fruit, ripe tannins and complex’ was Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins summation.

£49.39 Top Selection

As this beauty was granted a place on the Gold List, Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles described a wine of ‘great complexity: the bramble fruit flavours are rich and well integrated, and there’s a hint of cedar and sweet tobacco; the acidity is fresh and zippy, washing back the tannins nicely’. For team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, elegance was key. She described its ‘delicate, berry fruit profile’ and thought it had ‘a sweetness but it’s done with finesse’. Still a hearty wine, however, Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston matched it with ‘braised ox cheeks and sirloin with a prune sauce’.

£12.49 Bibendum

This Gold Lister was praised by several judges for its aromatics and supple texture. ‘The nose is very present,’ said team leader Carlos Ferreira, ‘with black fruits, rosemary, pine, black pepper and leather… the palate is also very elegant with good fruit complexity and a beautiful finish’. ‘It’s delicate and juicy with a touch of liquorice,’ said Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam, adding: ‘It’s also well balanced and good value for money.’

£9.29 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Fluffy and gentle, an adult teddy bear’ was the somewhat eccentric assessment of this fine Gold Lister by Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains. ‘It has such elegance and balance,’ he said by way of explanation. The Harrow at Little Bedwyn’s Sue Jones sang somewhat more conventional praise, describing it as ‘certainly rich, luscious and velvety’, and adding ‘it’s also full and ripe but with very good grip’. For Dario Barbato of Individual Restaurants, its Gold medal credentials were more simply found in ‘its structure, complexity and flavour intensity’.

£15.00 Boutinot

For team leader Laura Rhys MS, this Gold Lister managed to balance ‘soft and supple black cherry fruit’ with ‘a bold and spicy tannic structure’. Dario Barbato of Individual Restaurants described it as ‘complex and structured’, picking up notes of ‘menthol mixed in with the blackcurrant fruit’, while for Valentin Radosav of Gymkhana Restaurant, a nose of ‘violets and sweet spices’ led to a ‘velvety texture and an earthy yet chocolatey finish’.

£12.77 Enotria&Coe

‘Could be Chilean,’ guessed team leader Martin Lam correctly of this big, brooding yet aromatic Gold medal winner. ‘It’s the densely concentrated cassis and spice nose and palate,’ he said. Other team members also picked up clues, with Gymkhana Restaurant’s Valentin Radosav pointing to the ‘complex nose of baked bell peppers and an earthy, savoury, dense blackberry and coffee note’, adding: ‘The palate is smooth and velvety and the finish is long.’

£18.02 Carson Wines

‘A sense of harmony’ characterised this worthy Gold medal winner, as Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn explained: ‘The dense black fruits are in balance with the vanilla and oak and the fruit finishes clean and with great length.’ ‘Caramelised pork belly with Chinese five spice’ was her lip-smacking food pairing. ‘A mesmerising style,’ said Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains, adding: ‘It’s a wine of complexity and balance, with great potential.’

£25.17 Daniel Lambert Wines

‘Long, creamy and seductive,’ said team leader Andres Ituarte of this Gold-winning Viognier. Alan Bednarski of Texture agreed: ‘It’s rich, round and creamy, with sweet oak spices, while the palate has sweet round notes of brioche and French pastry, like apricot pie.’ ‘The nose is so exuberant!’ enthused team leader Laurent Richet MS, ‘with notes of peach, quince and apricot.’ Giorgio Scarsella of The Stafford noted ‘honeysuckle, acacia and camomile’, while Nut Tree Inn’s Sarah McKenzie loved the palate, describing it as ‘bursting with exotic fruits like pineapple and grapefruit’, and Nelio Pinto of Candlesticks suggested we drink it with ‘lobster with lemon and lime butter’.

£16.17 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

This great-value Gold stood out for judges with its ‘fragrant notes of hyacinth and wet stone minerality’, according to team leader Martin Lam, while Shane McHugh of Adam Handling was impressed by its ‘nice weight, good length and balance’, adding that it was ‘very well made’. Cliveden House’s Francisco Macedo found ‘lots of complexity, with stone fruit notes’, while Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants described it as ‘easy going, and a real crowd pleaser’.

£7.19 Hard To Find Wines

‘Very elegant’ was Juan Manuel Marcos Perez of The Gilbert Scott’s first impression on encountering this impressive Gold-worthy wine, further describing ‘stone fruit like peaches, pineapple and mango, with a slight influence of oak’, while Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair noted ‘a creamy, smoky, vanilla aroma with elderflower and tropical fruit’. Team leader Laurent Richet MS was reminded of ‘key lime pie’, and found it ‘pure, bright and intense’, saying it would be ideal alongside ‘sweet and sour pork with pak choi and steamed vegetables’.

£12.92 Enotria&Coe

This had everything it needed to take home Gold, with ‘passion fruit and caramelised pineapple, and a full, rich and sweetly spiced palate’, according to New Street Warehouse’s Tanguy Martin, while Daniel Jonberger of Rockliffe Hall described it as ‘a complex wine with apricot scent on the nose, as well as a good dose of buttery oak’. This all made it ‘a wine for rich fish or pork dishes’, thought team leader Charlie Young.

£11.02 Asara Wine Estate & Hotel

Awarding a Gold medal, team leader Andres Ituarte suggested this ‘would be perfect for prawns and oysters’. Nut Tree Inn’s Sarah McKenzie thought ‘mango and papaya salad with a hint of chilli’ would make a good match, while team leader Nigel Lister suggested its great value would make it an ideal wine to be poured by the glass and praised its ‘Gala melon nose and very juicy, ripe stone fruit palate’. For Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group, the ‘grapefruit and ripe nectarine flavours’ were balanced with ‘a nice mineral note and a suprisingly long finish’.

£6.25 LWC Drinks Ltd (Merchant and Shippers)

Awarding this zesty, fresh and versatile wine a Gold medal, team leader Nigel Lister admired its ‘floral, spicy, citrussy nose’, finding it ‘very elegant with lovely ripe fruit – it’s both refreshing and textured; it’s very good’. Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan described it as ‘bright and perfumed, with kumquat, orange and grapefruit’, adding: ‘The palate is zesty, fresh and oily and it’s incisive, with a fine, juicy finish.’ ‘It reminds me of a spring day!’ said Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group, ‘it’s so very floral with fresh herbs, elderflower and apples.’ ‘Would be a great match for brill with fennel,’ suggested Nelio Pinto of Candlesticks.

£15.98 Enotria&Coe

There was praise all round for this Gold medal winner, with Nelio Pinto of Candlesticks calling it a ‘well-made wine which is beautifully balanced’, while Michael Fiducia of The Royal Automobile Club echoed these sentiments, saying: ‘It’s very well made with eucalyptus aromatics over a cherry and plum, savoury palate.’ Team leader Andres Ituarte thought it was ‘delicious now but will certainly age’, before suggesting that it ‘would be perfect with wild boar and Brussel sprouts’.

£36.02 Liberty Wines

Delicacy and refinement seemed to be the watchwords for this aromatic, Gold medal-winning Pinot Noir. ‘This has such a lovely smoky nose with notes of bacon and tarragon,’ said Nelio Pinto of Candlesticks, adding: ‘There’s real depth to the wild strawberry fruit, but it’s the meaty flavours that suggest a pigeon and fois gras match.’ ‘There’s beautifully lifted strawberry and raspberry aromas,’ said The Royal Automobile Club’s Michael Fiducia, ‘plus there’s a touch of tea tree oil leading to a fresh minty finish.’ ‘The palate is so elegant,’ added Nut Tree Inn’s Sarah McKenzie, ‘and I really like the finish.’

£14.22 Davy's Wine Merchants

Complex, funky and interesting were some of the adjectives used to describe this brilliant Gold medal winner, with Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House enjoying the ‘nicely dirty and funky nose’, and adding: ‘This is punchy, with crunchy cherry fruit and real interest and complexity; very clever wine making.’ Team leader Nigel Lister agreed, appreciating the ‘sweet, farmyard nose, plump, cushiony ripe fruit and skilful wine making’, suggesting it would be a great match for game. For Michael Fiducia of The Royal Automobile Club the nose was ‘a complex mix of cherry blossom, spice and earth’, which led to ‘soft, fleshy fruit across a wonderfully balanced palate’.

£25.83 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

For Joseph Lunn of Suave Wine this was a clear Gold winner that had a very definite place on the list. Praising its judicious balance of oak and ripe fruit he said: ‘This style is so on trend, it would be perfect for a gastropub, and would fill the Pinot Noir gap very well.’ Sonal Clare of Purnell’s Restaurant agreed, adding that its ‘seductive, deep, ripe fruits and rosemary hints’ would make it a great match for ‘lamb chops and mint’.

£7.67 Bibendum

Happy to award a Gold medal, Christopher Delalonde MS of The Dorchester described an ‘intense and juicy palate with sweet, ripe fruit but that’s held together with a great tension throughout’. Tobias Gorn of Boisdale Restaurants agreed, saying: ‘The silky tannins are working alongside the crisp acidity brilliantly.’ The aromatics appealed to Savvas Symeonidis of Gymkhana Restaurant, who noted ‘violets, rose and lavender’, while for Melody Wong of The Mandrake the wine was simply ‘charming’.

£12.96 Matthew Clark

‘This is so well made,’ said team leader Carlos Ferreira as he awarded a Gold medal, picking out its aromatic ‘red fruit elegance with roses and mint’ and praising the ‘great balance, fresh fruits and long finish’. His sentiments were echoed by fellow team leader Andres Ituarte, who wrote: ‘This is really good wine’, admiring the ‘earthy, leafy character’, the ‘soft currant fruit’ and the ‘lightly grippy finish’.

£24.02 Liberty Wines

Awarding a Gold medal, team leader Andres Ituarte simply said: ‘This is what Otago Pinot should be.’ And it seemed that all who tasted the wine agreed. Savvas Symeonidis of Gymkhana Restaurant loved the ‘pronounced mushroom nose’ with notes of ‘smoke, liquorice and sweet spices’, and praised it for its ‘outstanding fruit intensity that remains so elegant’. Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair described ‘a succulent and sumptuous wine with plum, cherry and black fruit complexity’, while James Fryer of Woodhead 17 found ‘some serious stuffing with smoky bacon fat and morello cherry’ and a ‘super, soft, velvety finish’.

£21.37 Liberty Wines

Complex aromatics and a beautifully balanced palate made this wine an easy Gold medal winner. ‘A top nose,’ said team leader Carlos Ferreira, describing ‘notes of leather, tobacco and dried red and black fruits, with hints of vanilla’. ‘The palate is also very well made with lots of fruit, while the acidity and balance of the finish is excellent… Pinot Noir for any white meat,’ he concluded. ‘Opulent,’ said Michael Fiducia of The Royal Automobile Club. ‘Beautiful, strong, yet delicate,’ added Corina Stanila of La Dame de Pic at Ten Trinity Square.

£27.74 Bibendum

A clear Gold medal winner, Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants praised this Pinot’s ‘lovely nose of spice and rich fruit’, adding: ‘The palate is fresh with deep, dark fruit and the lovely texture glides you towards a long finish with great complexity. This will age, too.’ Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair also praised the complexity and balance of the wine, picking out aromatics that included ‘tobacco, farmyard earthiness, grass, spicy cinnamon and leather’. Summing up, team leader Martin Lam, simply said: ‘It’s very serious, complex and long.’

£21.65 Enotria&Coe

Awarding a deserved Gold medal, Immacolata Cannavo of Hakkasan Mayfair praised the ‘fantastic palate of strawberry, dried herbs and spicy oak’, which showed ‘nice complexity’ and was ‘very good value for money’. Both team leader Lionel Periner and Rémi Cousin of Le Gavroche noted that it had ‘good structure’ and both suggested matching it with a dish of ‘roast lamb with rosemary or thyme’. New Street Warehouse’s Tanguy Martin described it as ‘a lovely wine’ with ‘a charming nose… just a great example of South African Pinot Noir’.

£11.32 Hard To Find Wines

Balance and concentration seemed to be the buzz words around this Gold medal winner, with team leader Charlie Young describing ‘dark spices lifting to a ripe but well-layered palate’ and ‘great fruit definition and superbly judged oak ageing’. Beatrice Bessi of 67 Pall Mall loved the balance of ‘tart red fruits with savoury spice and herbs, like sage and rosemary’, adding: ‘This still has a long life ahead of it but is drinking now.’ For Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan this wine was a balance of contrasts with ‘spiced cherry and orange zest, coated in chocolate’ balancing with ‘meaty, savoury, oak spiced ripe fruits’.

£31.92 Bibendum

‘This is beautifully put together,’ said team leader Charlie Young of this Gold Lister, adding: ‘There’s real life and energy here; it’s not too sweet with its raspberry and spice, and it’s beautifully put together.’ ‘The palate really dances between the lovely fruit and bright acidity,’ added Noble Rot’s Joshua Castle. For Beatrice Bessi of 67 Pall Mall it was ‘the layers of spice’ that intrigued, with ‘nutmeg, clove, cinnamon’ mingling with a ‘beetroot and bright berry finish’.

£23.55 Top Selection

Jose Luis Hernandez of Hakkasan was full of praise for this Gold medal-winning Pinot. ‘This has a very pleasant and appealing nose with elegant, floral notes of mint and spice,’ he said, adding: ‘There’s a hint of liquorice perhaps across a fresh silky palate, which is also full, savoury and meaty.’ ‘It’s a very refreshing yet complex glass of wine, with an elegant uplifted finish,’ thought Marco Marcuzzo of Aster Restaurant, while 67 Pall Mall’s Beatrice Bessi wanted to ‘pour this complex wine by the glass’ and match it with ‘pheasant and a cherry jus’.

£20.52 Bancroft Wines

‘This has such a long finish,’ remarked Beatrice Bessi of 67 Pall Mall of this clear Gold medal winner, adding: ‘The nose brings red and black fruits along with rosemary, juniper and mint; while the palate has a fresh, lovely texture and full body.’ ‘It’s quite a big wine,’ said team leader Charlie Young, ‘with lots of juicy, sweet red fruit and spice but there’s also freshness and plenty of character and energy here, too.’ Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn agreed, finding ‘ripe fruit sweetness balanced with savoury notes and good weight and purity with freshness’.

£29.12 The Wine Treasury

‘Great entry-level Pinotage,’ said team leader Lionel Periner, awarding this bottle its deserved Gold medal: ‘There’s good cooked fruit aromas and a smoky, meaty note, while the palate is full bodied and the tannins are smooth.’ ‘It’s very well made,’ said fellow team leader Andres Ituarte, adding that it was ‘nice and herbaceous and very good value’. The Royal Automobile Club’s Michael Fiducia found ‘fresh, lifted aromas of morello cherry and warm Simnel cake spices, plus a rich, warming palate’, while Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair simply described a ‘nicely balanced wine, with soft tannins and gentle acidity’.

£6.39 LWC Drinks Ltd (Merchant and Shippers)

‘Never in a million years would you know that this was Pinotage,’ said team leader Andres Ituarte of this splendid Gold medal winner, adding: ‘It’s very well made and concentrated and could definitely age; it’s very good.’ ‘It’s nicely perfumed,’ continued Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club, ‘with raspberry and sweet spice plus there’s complex fruit with an elegant finish.’ ‘So intensely spiced,’ said Paola Giraldo of Wiltons, ‘with ripe red fruit and plums and good rich tannins.’ Markus Dilger of Dilger Sommelier Selection admired a nose of ‘plum, cinnamon and coffee beans’, adding: ‘This is spicy, well-balanced and long, perfect with grilled lamb chops with chocolate sauce and wine jus.’

£11.42 Liberty Wines

Team leader Hamish Anderson admired the ‘restrained, cool nose of lime cordial and flowers’ in this Gold-Listed Canadian Riesling, adding: ‘It has really good lime acidity that cuts through a textured palate, plus this one will develop.’ ‘There’s a great delivery of fleshy yet zippy fruit that leads to a freshness throughout,’ said Christopher Delalonde MS of The Dorchester, adding: ‘The taut yet limpid palate leads to a long, lemony finish’. ‘There’s an elegant petrol note, too, and I think this would make a great aperitif,’ said Tobias Gorn of Boisdale Restaurants.

£14.50 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Restrained elegance and refreshing minerality earned this a place on the Gold List, with Ieva Markaityte of Portuguese Concepts admiring the ‘delicate, floral nose, with its warm hints of ripe white peach’, adding: ‘The palate is well balanced and crisp with some stony minerality coming through and really good length.’ ‘Classy and balanced,’ thought Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse, while Guillaume Mahaut of ETM Group noted: ‘Restrained complexity with flowers and honey and soft acidity.’

£18.67 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

For Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse this was an easy Gold Lister. Suggesting that it would be a great choice to pour by the glass, he described ‘a top-class Australian Riesling… this ticks all the boxes, with notes of lime, orange and grapefruit; there’s lovely evolution on the palate and a lingering finish’, before adding: ‘It’s exciting, value for money and would be a classy match with ceviche scallops, pomelo slices, and a lime and ginger dressing.’ Clearly a gastronomic wine, Michael Moore of The London Cookhouse upped the ante with ‘Dover sole’; while for team leader Nigel Lister, its classic aromatic notes of petrol and rubber, balanced with spiced pear and apple acidity suggested sushi.

£13.02 Liberty Wines

Awarding a Gold medal, team leader Tom Forrest admired this wine’s ‘petrol-nosed minerality, with its distinct lemon pith and apple skin notes’, and its ‘spicy, honeyed palate’ tempered by ‘a laser-like acidity and a long, stony, mineral finish’. Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group, meanwhile, found the wine ‘dry and smoky; rich and refreshing’, adding that the palate was ‘nutty and creamy, with almond and bready notes’. For Guillaume Mahaut of ETM Group the palate was full, with ‘apricot and orange’, and the nose brought ‘camomile, flowers and honey’.

£18.61 Matthew Clark

For team leader Lionel Periner, this Gold Lister was simply ‘a classic Sauvignon’. Le Gavroche’s Rémi Cousin was not about to disagree; suggesting a match of tuna and scallop tartare, he praised the ‘superb aromas of clean fresh fruit, the hint of minerality and the refreshing palate’. Summing up, he said: ‘It’s clean, juicy and zesty, and simply calls for a second glass.’

£8.55 Matthew Clark

Awarding a Gold medal, team leader Martin Lam praised the wine’s ‘savoury, herbal nose’ and ‘good, bright palate of green herbs and cut grass’. For fellow team leader Lionel Periner, it called for a plate of ‘asparagus egg meurette’ to celebrate the ‘fresh, floral elegant aromas; the equally elegant citrussy palate and well-balanced long finish’.

£8.95 Ellis of Richmond

Offering more than just great value for money, this Gold Lister was praised by Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group for its ‘ample nose of gooseberry and citrus and its rich lemon and herb finish’. Corina Stanila of La Dame de Pic at Ten Trinity Square, meanwhile, admired its ‘simplicity and elegance’, praising its ‘beautiful exotic notes and crisp acidity’.

£6.16 Matthew Clark

Not hesitating to award a Gold medal, team leader Lionel Periner praised ‘a palate full of flavour, with crisp green apple and ripe green olive’, while for Le Gavroche’s Rémi Cousin, the wine’s appeal was in its ‘round, soft and refreshing texture’. Immacolata Cannavo of Hakkasan Mayfair noted enticing aromas of ‘asparagus and gooseberry’ and ‘well-integrated acidity’, and thought it was ‘great value for money’.

£7.67 Bibendum

Awarding Gold, team leader Jan Konetzki simply said: ‘This is very well made.’ He went on to describe the wine as ‘very aromatic and floral, with fine herbs and pretty fruit, plus a hint of salinity on the finish’. ‘This does the job,’ said Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains, suggesting it be matched with a ‘delicate white fish ceviche with grapefruit zest, garlic water and almonds’.

£12.50 E&J Gallo Winery

‘Very rich, opulent and powerful’ was how Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains described this worthy Gold medal winner. ‘This is complex and layered,’ said team leader Jan Konetzki, adding: ‘There’s herbs and lemon and apple fruit, with a gooseberry note that’s dry, fresh and energetic, plus it has very polished finish and good length.’

£18.25 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Describing this Gold medal winner, Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains seemed to choose his words carefully: ‘This is quite delicate and subtle, it’s really quite refined… there’s a lovely, vivid acidity and hints of noble garden herbs: verbena and coriander.’ Going on to describe the palate, he found ‘grapefruit and silex minerality and iodine’. His food match was rather refined too, suggesting ‘oyster tartare with caviar, lime and verbena’.

£10.42 Liberty Wines

Elevating this wine to a Gold medal, team leader Jan Konetzki praised its ‘savoury edge’ that lifted it above the competition and gave it ‘more character than just fruit’. Pointing to its ‘dry, fresh, citrus and lees flavours’, he also noted its aromatic ‘hoppy’ nose. For Prestonfield House’s Dave Cushley, however, it was the ‘lightness of touch’ that won him over, and he praised this ‘elegant, calm wine, with a finish that demands you return to the glass’.

£10.42 Liberty Wines

Another worthy Gold for the category, team leader Laura Rhys MS described this as ‘a classic South African style of Sauvignon Blanc’, and thought it would be ‘a good partner for springtime dishes with herbs’. Consultant Anja Breit, meanwhile, described it as ‘so well rounded and balanced’, adding: ‘The nose brings capsicum, bell pepper and fresh, soft herbs and the intense palate is very likeable.’ New Street Warehouse’s Tanguy Martin also thought it had great typicity, and was ‘very expressive, pleasant and refreshing; it’s your classic style’.

£11.12 Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies

Happy to award a Gold medal, team leader Laura Rhys MS said: ‘This would be a lovely example to list by the glass; it’s made in a fresh, fruit-driven style and it’s great value for money.’ Consultant Anja Breit admired its ‘pure, aromatic, balanced exotic fruit’ that led to a ‘creamy palate’, adding: ‘There’s a nice chalky minerality, a sherbety acidity, but it’s well rounded and balanced too; good value.’ Clément Loubeyre of The Cross Kenilworth agreed, saying, ‘great wine for a pub, by the glass’.

£7.20 Enotria&Coe

For team leader Angel Reddin this Gold medal winner offered ‘toast, lemon curd, a whiff of nutty oak and beeswax’ as well as a ‘slight spritz’, while Michael Fiducia of The Royal Automobile Club described it as ‘green-flecked gold with a generous nose of concentrated lime and oily characteristics’, with a ‘light petillance and opulent, oaked palate’. ‘Powerful, full and buttery with tropical fruit and a baked bread, new oak feel,’ thought Jim Bass of Scarlet Hotel, and Annamaria Juhasz of The Fat Duck noted: ‘The nose has a baked bread, yeasty character alongside yellow apples and green pears. It is bone dry, medium bodied and savoury, with a waxy texture. The palate mirrors the nose – lots of bread dough and green fruit.’ She further described it as ‘a good example of an ageing Semillon’.

£13.52 Enotria&Coe

It was the ‘hint of petrol and hot tarmac, lovely core of chunky fruit, fresh acidity and good intensity’ that elevated this to Gold for team leader Angela Reddin, while Michael Fiducia of The Royal Automobile Club was impressed by the ‘warming nose of ripe gooseberry, with lime undertones’ and the ‘nuances of ripe brioche within the creamy rich palate’, suggesting a match with ‘grilled prawns’. Anita Vighova of Manor House Hotel also thought it would be ‘great to match with food’, and The Fat Duck’s Annamaria Juhasz described it as an ‘excellent wine’ that ‘needs some creamy seafood’.

£15.45 Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies

‘Great nose of sour cherry, black berry, mushroom and truffle,’ said Gian Giacomo Stella of Simpsons Restaurant, while Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles described a ‘richly stewed dark fruit palate a menthol and eucalyptus finish’.

£12.40 Berkmann Wine Cellars

This remarkable Shiraz stood out for judges as ‘rich, full and concentrated, with dark chocolate and ripe, spicy tannins, and a long, leathery finish’, according to The River Cafe’s Mattia Mazzi, as it was rightly elevated to Gold. Team leader Jan Konetzski found ‘notes of plum, prune, violet and clove, plus cinnamon, cola and liquorice’, adding that it was ‘quite grippy, with good structure’. Aviary’s Aurore Anguenot thought its ‘vanilla spice and tannins’ made it ideal to accompany ‘a rib eye steak’.

£12.70 Bibendum

Our judges had no reservations about awarding this Gold, with Benares Restaurant & Bar’s Filip Viorel, for example, finding it to be ‘elegant and soft, with a rich palate of prunes, blackberries and coffee, and with great acidity and tannin – overall a great wine’. Team leader Tom Forrest was similarly impressed, describing ‘spicy aromas with menthol, and some light medicinal notes, alongside ripe blackberry, leading to eucalyptus and some savoury notes too, like black pepper and chillies’.

£11.62 Liberty Wines

As Chaffey Bros added another Gold to its collection of medals, as well as a Food Match trophy, an impressed Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles described ‘cassis and menthol notes on the nose, leading to more cassis dominating the palate, with some nice gamey character coming through on the finish, which has notes of black tea, menthol and liquorice’. The River Cafe’s Mattia Mazzi, meanwhile, enjoyed notes of ‘tobacco, as well as sweet-and-savoury fruit compote’, finding it to have ‘good concentration and balance’.

£12.42 Enotria&Coe

‘Classic Aussie Shiraz,’ said consultant Ian Howard as this was awarded a well-deserved Gold medal. For Raphael Thierry of Street XO it was ‘complex and elegant’, while Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair praised it as ‘juicy and fruity, with notes of mint and chocolate’. Team leader Laurent Richet MS, finding notes of ‘cherry, prune and olive’, declared it ‘very versatile, and well suited for pairing with everything from mutton to game birds, and red meat too’.

£14.06 Enotria&Coe

Judges were taken with this Grenache’s atypical style, finding it to be undoubtedly deserving of Gold. Team leader Andres Ituarte spoke of ‘oyster shell and worn schist’, while Benares Restaurant & Bar’s Filip Viorel noted some ‘earthy, mushroom notes on the nose’. This was joined, for team leader Tom Forrest, by some ‘minty, medicinal and herbal aromas, as well as cherry and raspberry, with more cherry, ripe berry and some herbal, eucalyptus notes on the palate’.

£14.75 Liberty Wines

As an impressed team of judges awarded this a Gold medal, Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles described it as ‘richly plummy, with dark fruit and menthol aromas’, adding that it was ‘very concentrated, with a full mouthfeel and well-balanced tannin, with a good, spicy finish’. Francisco Macedo of Cliveden House enjoyed ‘black fruits and herbaceous notes, with really good acidity’, while The River Cafe’s Mattia Mazzi thought it ‘savoury and spiced, with a tapenade note’.

£10.50 Liberty Wines

Judges didn’t hesitate in awarding this complex Grenache a Gold medal. Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains described ‘red fruit and blood orange notes, along with maqui berries, blueberries and white chocolate’, while team leader Tom Forrest found ‘eucalyptus, medicinal and herbal aromas’ that led to a ‘soft cherry palate with a herbal, peppery finish’. ‘A very drinkable wine,’ added an impressed Filip Viorel of Benares Restaurant & Bar.

£16.57 Liberty Wines

‘Layers of spice, cigar and tobacco leaf mingle with blackcurrant and cherry. Intense and concentrated with a well-balanced, vibrant acidity,’ said Diana Rollan of D&D, adding: ‘Perfect for roasted meat.’

£29.40 Liberty Wines

Judges were unanimous in their verdict of Gold for this top-end Shiraz, with Maze by Gordon Ramsay’s Gabriele Bertotti describing it as ‘elegant, with good fruit character’, while Elena Serban of Hakkasan found it to have ‘fresh, intense bright fruit with notes of clove and tar’. Daniel Jonberger of Rockliffe Hall thought it was ‘soft and juicy, with lots of hibiscus and notes of vanilla, with rich blueberries too, and a long, pleasant aftertaste’.

£48.23 Enotria&Coe

‘Bright, ripe raspberry and liquorice aromas. Good concentration on the palate with morello cherries, liquorice, spicy black pepper and hint of smoke. A lovely finish,’ said Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles.

£11.48 Zonte's Footstep

‘Bright, vibrant and fleshy,’ began The River Cafe’s Mattia Mazzi in praise of this SGV as it took home a well-deserved Gold, adding that it was ‘very juicy, with approachable tannins’. Team leader Jan Konetzki appreciated its notes of ‘honeycomb and milk chocolate’, while Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair described ‘pleasing smoky notes on the nose, leading to a long finish with notes of red and black berries’, praising its ‘great balance between alcohol, tannin and acidity’.

£19.61 Enotria&Coe

Happily adding this to the Gold List, team leader Martin Lam praised its ‘bright fresh fruit nose’ and ‘bold palate of spicy red fruits’. For fellow team leader Laurent Richet MS, this spice had ‘a meaty edge and a savoury saline note with hints of salted pork’. Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston enjoyed the ‘raspberry and cherry fruit, with notes of mint and pencil lead’, adding: ‘The good soft fruit and tannins would work well with duck breast and smoked beetroot.’

£9.67 Top Selection

‘A true gem,’ said Joseph Lunn of Suave Wine as the team gladly awarded this Gold. ‘The nose is amazing,’ he continued, describing ‘French patisserie, sweet spices, vanilla and herbs… and it keeps changing in the glass’. Team leader Laurent Richet MS was also fulsome in his praise: ‘It’s round and complete, with complex dark fruit, spicy vanilla, plums and jam. Plus the structure is here too.’ For Juan Manuel Marcos Perez of The Gilbert Scott, the wine had a ‘perfect mix of red and black fruit with good concentration and a good charred wood, spiced long finish’.

£41.80 Bibendum

Annamaria Juhasz of The Fat Duck was a big advocate of this unanimous Gold Lister, saying: ‘The wine shines with a nose of black fruits and eucalypatus; this feels young, vibrant and very complex with notes of citrus peel and bramble, and with blackberries on the palate. It’s a beautiful example of South Africa – still at the youthful stage but with lots of potential.’ Team leader Angela Reddin was also a fan, praising the ‘lifted, bright, plummy fruit cordial notes; the liquorice spice’, and adding: ‘Still the fruit holds itself; layering over the tannins and riding the acid like a racehorse.’ A wine of ‘subtle and elegant power’ concluded Joseph Lunn of Suave Wine.

£33.50 Bancroft Wines

‘A grown-up wine,’ announced Joseph Lunn of Suave Wine of this big Gold medal winner, adding: ‘It’s very New World, with lovely balance.’ ‘It’s mouthwatering,’ said Sarah McKenzie of Nut Tree Inn, adding: ‘There’s smoky cassis, luscious fruit and good tannin.’ Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston agreed, also noting ‘chocolate and tobacco notes’ on a palate that was ‘sweet and balanced, with a long, fresh and clean finish’. ‘It’s a monster,’ added team leader Martin Lam, with a smile.

£20.12 Hatch Mansfield

‘Smashing!’ began New Street Warehouse’s Tanguy Martin, echoing the sentiments of the team of the judges that elevated this to Gold, and further describing ‘dark olive and blackcurrant leaf notes, with some sweet spices and smooth, integrated tannins’. Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn thought it ‘fresh, with a long-lasting smokiness’, while team leader Lionel Periner enjoyed its ‘rich, dark fruit – a full-bodied wine, with the oak in balance’.

£14.56 Bibendum

Elegance with richness assured this wine’s place on the Gold List. ‘An excellent wine,’ said team leader Angela Reddin. For Markus Dilger of Dilger Sommelier Selection the wine brought a heady mix of ‘plum, date and dark cherries, with earthy notes of leather and sweet cinnamon spice’, while the palate was ‘well balanced and long, finishing with chocolatey smoothness’. There are ‘subtle notes of strawberry jam with clotted cream and scones’, mused Michael Fiducia of The Royal Automobile Club, admiring the ‘elegant nuances on the palate’.

£12.68 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘So much going on!’ began an impressed Daniel Loughlin of 20 Stories as judges unanimously named this Gold, before going on to describe ‘earthy beetroot, dried roses, cinnamon, salted caramel’ and more, and praising it for its ‘balanced sweetness and fresh acidity’. Team leader Tom Forrest described ‘sweet, herbal fruit notes’ as well as ‘marzipan and toffee’, while Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants found ‘eucalyptus, menthol and sweet spice, with a long finish of cherry and almonds’.

£7.94 Size: 50cl Taste Turkey

For team leader Hamish Anderson this earned its spot on the Gold podium for its ‘beautiful purity and smoky depth, with some tangerine fruit, roasted nuts and soft brown sugar notes’, while fellow team leader Nigel Lister found it ‘excellent, with rich toffee, dark fudge and dark chocolate’. Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House added praise for its ‘honey, dried apricot and orange notes, leading to a chewy, rich palate with good texture and acidity’.

£14.53 Size: 37.5cl ADVINI

This earned praise from judges, and a Gold medal, for its ‘elegant, fruity style, yet with nuttiness, caramel, spice and bitter chocolate, as well as lifted acidity’, according to team leader Nigel Lister, while Markus Dilger of Dilger Sommelier Selection described notes of ‘green tea leaves and exotic fruits, like ripe mango’. An impressed Janusz Sasiadek of Bottles & Battles went on to find ‘lovely dried fruits and medicinal herbs, with cooked apple too’.

£29.50 Size: 50cl Atlantico UK

This was deserving of Gold, according to team leader Hamish Anderson, for its ‘extraordinary depth and sweetness, yet so balanced, with sweet toffee, spice and clove, and that typical uplifting bite of high acidity’. Ieva Markaityte of Portuguese Concepts spoke highly of its ‘caramel and apricot notes on both the nose and palate, as well as a petrol note’, while Prestonfield House’s Dave Cushley concluded that it was ‘a lovely wine, rich, herbal and spicy’.

£62.48 Size: 37.5cl Liberty Wines

This Gold medal-winning English vermouth featured complex notes of ‘pineapple, lychee, coconut and potpourri’ for Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, while Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants thought its ‘sweetness well balanced, with bruised apples and pears’, describing it as ‘elegant until a punchy finish’. Woodhead 17’s James Fryer went on to praise some ‘herbal and quinine notes, with some grapefruit bitterness’, before declaring it ‘incredibly complex and interesting, and amazing over ice with fresh lemon’.

£14.38 Size: 75cl Sheridan Coopers / The Winehouse, South Downs Cellars

‘A dark, richly seductive wine, with an intense, fragrant nose,’ began Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House as this was awarded a well-deserved Gold medal. Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group found ‘coffee on both the nose and palate, with flavours of mocha and chocolate, dried figs and dates, with a long finish’, while Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston appreciated its ‘fresh palate and warm, toffee finish, with toasted nuts’.

£18.66 Size: 50cl Liberty Wines

Gymkhana Restaurant’s Valentin Radosav echoed the enthusiasm of his fellow judges for this Gold winner as he praised its ‘superb balance of fruit, alcohol and acidity’, while describing ‘orange zest and nuttiness, along with some white chocolate notes’. Team leader Tom Forrest further described ‘sweet orange peel and spiced fruitcake, with hints of almond, caramel and quince jam membrillo, and some lightly spiced ginger notes, too, in this rich and opulent glass’.

£14.65 Size: 75cl House of Townend

Going by the enthusiastic accounts of our judges this was an inevitable Gold, with team leader Carlos Ferreira finding ‘violets, roses and vanilla, as well as some white spices, leading to an elegant palate’, while Gymkhana Restaurant’s Valentin Radosav found it to be ‘precise, with blackcurrant and black cherry notes, as well as some spice and an earthiness too’. ‘Smooth and easy drinking,’ concluded Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam, finding ‘black fruit, minerality and clay’ on the finish.

£13.74 Size: 75cl Enotria&Coe

‘A very complex nose filled with toasted almonds and dried figs, along with some spicy orange and leather notes’ secured this white port’s Gold medal, according to team leader Carlos Ferreira, who found the palate to be ‘fresh and elegant, with a long finish’. Fellow team leader Tom Forrest noted ‘warm, cooked, honeyed apples with orange peel notes over a medium sweet, peppery spiced palate’, adding that its ‘good acidity keeps the toffee apple finish in check’.

£11.39 Size: 75cl Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Intense yet elegant’ summed up this impressive Gold winner for Kahani London’s Ennio Pucciarelli, who thought ‘its gentle oxidation reveals notes of chocolate, caramel and liquorice, while it remains sweet yet fresh, with a lovely long finish’. Street XO’s Raphael Thierry, meanwhile, appreciated its ‘oily texture’, and thought it was ‘showing some savoury development, along with some salinity, sweet spice and dried fruit, all leading to a fresh finish, with well-integrated alcohol’.

£34.20 Size: 75cl Matthew Clark

‘Very impressive,’ began team leader Charlie Young as Poças added a Gold to its pair of port medals, finding it to be ‘mineral on the nose, with spicy oak, and palate that is deep and full, leading to a finish that is long and persistent, with grapefruit-like acidity and a buttery spiced core’. ‘Structure, power and poise’, summarised Grape Times UK’s Harry Crowther, who praised its ‘good focus and finesse’.

£33.00 House of Townend

Undoubtedly worthy of Gold, this Alvariñho was ‘aromatic and powerful, with creamy, delicate white fruit’, according to Francesca Turra of Mondrian London, while The Harrow at Little Bedwyn’s Sue Jones described it as ‘exotic, tropical and stony’. Hakkasan’s Olivier Gasselin found it ‘ripe, bright and zesty, with lovely ripeness and a confected-lemon note, as well as some salty minerality’. Consultant Emanuel Pesqueira, meanwhile, added praise for its ‘great value for money’.

£7.95 Boutinot

This Gold Lister was ‘floral and zesty, with white flower blossom notes’, began Francesca Turra of Mondrian London in its praise, while consultant Emanuel Pesqueira thought it ‘dry, balanced and fruit driven’. Team leader Carlos Ferreira found it ‘both mineral and buttery on the nose, with notes of stone fruit and white asparagus, as well as a grassiness’, while fellow team leader Lionel Periner concluded that all of this complexity added up to ‘great food-pairing potential’.

£10.58 Bibendum

This white blend was elevated to Gold for its ‘beautiful, very complex nose, with smooth pear, red apple and oak notes, leading to a smooth palate that’s very fresh, with mint, eucalyptus and pine, and a brilliant, very long finish’, according to team leader Carlos Ferreira. D&D’s Diane Rollan found it to be ‘mineral and citrussy, with an intense nose of grapefruit, and some nice salty minerality on the palate – a vibrant, well-balanced wine’ that would ‘work well with sushi’.

£29.20 Liberty Wines

‘Tea-soaked raisins on the nose, with happy balance and warm, dry bramble fruit,’ began team leader Jade Koch of this Gold Lister. She further described it as ‘juicy and refreshing’ and thought it had ‘good regional identity’. Raphael Thierry of Street XO noted: ‘Good fruit concentration, with sweet spice and some savoury notes and chocolate.’ He found it a ‘little sweet on the finish but long and balanced in a fruit-forward style’. Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House, meanwhile, picked up ‘dark brooding fruit’ and thought it ‘tastes like a decent Rhône’.

£8.12 Sociedade Agricola D Diniz SA

A worthy Gold for team leader Jade Koch, who found it ‘round and full’ with ‘lots of blackcurrant’ and ‘very good grip’. For Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House it was ‘refreshing but with real depth’. He described ‘dark stewed fruit’ and found it ‘savoury, balanced and elegant’. Raphael Thierry of Street XO, meanwhile, thought it was a ‘big wine, with high alcohol, but showing good fruit concentration with hints of florality, graphite and chocolate, and a meaty character’, further noting: ‘Tannins are juicy, oak is integrated, finish is long.’

£17.57 Liberty Wines

‘Deep purple, perfumed with violets and smoky aromatic oak,’ began team leader Tom Forrest of this Gold Lister, going on to describe a ‘ripe, peppery, black fruit palate’ and a ‘spicy finish’, and declaring it ‘very good value’. Oliver Nagy of Hakkasan Hanway Place picked up ‘plum and blackberry’ and thought it was an ‘intense, earthy, dark fruit-driven wine’, while for Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House it was ‘rich, dark and chocolatey with raspberry fruit and velvety tannins’. ‘A seductive wine,’ he concluded.

£6.95 Ellis of Richmond

For team leader Tom Forrest this clear Gold medal winner began with ‘big vanilla and coconut aromas’, leading on to ‘dark berries, coffee and coconut’ as well as ‘jammy vanilla cream’. Overall he found it ‘well balanced and with good length’. Carolina W Seibel of Moio Restaurant, meanwhile, described ‘pure, vibrant dark fruit, high acidity, roasted nuts and floral, grippy tannins’. Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House was both impressed and succinct: ‘It’s smooth and elegant, round and mature.’

£15.28 Enotria&Coe

Team leader Tom Forrest picked up ‘cedar and cinnamon spice’ and thought this Gold medal winner was ‘extremely elegant’ with ‘fresh fruits and spice, some tobacco, and a balanced finish’. For Carolina W Seibel of Moio Restaurant it had ‘lovely notes of baked pastries and caramel’ as well as ‘dark black cherries’, that were ‘grippy and herbaceous’, while Oliver Nagy of Hakkasan Hanway Place thought the wine showed ‘sweet plum, dark cherry, coconut, milk chocolate and vanilla’. Dave Cushley of Prestonfield House also found elegance, describing ‘teasing hints of smooth supple fruit and soft little tannins’, leading to a wine that overall was ‘pretty; enticing.’

£29.81 Atlantico UK, Top Selection

‘Bright berry and cherry fruit, juicy strawberry and mint,’ said team leader Laura Rhys MS, summing this Gold Lister up as ‘simple but well made and great value’. Romain de Courcey of Gazelle Mayfair described it as ‘silky smooth’, and noted: ‘Simple easy drinking, serve slightly chilled.’ ‘Great for a gastropub’ thought team leader Lionel Periner, while The Royal Automobile Club’s Michael Fiducia had in mind matching it with ‘a Mediterranean tomato casserole’.

£6.62 RUDE WINES

‘This is good now but also promises more to come,’ thought consultant Leonie Loudon, as she described a ‘rich gamey, sweet spice nose’ and a ‘cherry, sweet spice palate’. Awarding a Gold medal, team leader Nigel Lister enjoyed its ‘deeply oaked nose with clove, coffee, dark chocolate and molasses backed up with richly macerated black fruits... a great match with slow-braised sticky pork ribs,’ he concluded. Michael Fiducia of The Royal Automobile Club, meanwhile, described a ‘meaty, savoury feel’ that was lifted with ‘aromas of baked plum tatin and a silky, savoury palate’.

£12.05 Casa Ermelinda Freitas - Vinhos, Lda

For team leader Jan Konetzki this Gold medal winner offered ‘blackberry and sweet smoke’ and was ‘pleasingly dry and robust’. ‘Perfect for a barbeque,’ thought fellow team leader Lionel Periner, adding: ‘It’s also really great value for money.’ Consultant Leonie Loudon enjoyed its ‘rich, ripe fruit’, finding ‘plums with macerated strawberries, lovely lively acidity, soft supple tannin and note of eucalyptus on the end’. She summed it simply and succinctly: ‘Delicious.’

£10.85 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Judges had no doubts about handing over a Gold medal to this southern Rhône, the first of two in the category for Domaine Brusset. Team leader Martin Lam appreciated its ‘luscious ripe fruit, yet with some real freshness here’, while Ross Antonelli of Hawksmoor Borough described ‘blackberry, violets, dark plum and liquorice with soft and supple tannins’. ‘Lovely structure,’ added team leader Laurent Richet MS, who praised an ‘extremely juicy palate’.

£12.92 Enotria&Coe

Domaine Brusset’s second Gold in a row was ‘quintessentially Rhône’, according to Joshua Castle of Noble Rot, who found it ‘nicely savoury with great fruit definition on the nose, leading to a complex palate of black and blue fruit, and a gorgeously mineral core’. A similarly impressed Ross Antonelli of Hawksmoor Borough enjoyed its ‘spicy, full-bodied palate with notes of violets, pepper, clove and lavender to go with the rich, dark plum and blackberry fruit’.

£18.93 Enotria&Coe

With judges like The Gilbert Scott’s Juan Manuel Marcos Perez describing this as ‘outstanding and very complex’, it’s no surprise that this took home not only a Gold medal, but a Critic’s Choice award too. Daniel Nuttall of Adam’s Restaurant described it as ‘juicy and floral, with a good backbone of soft tannin’, while Dario Barbato of Individual Restaurants praised its ‘good structure, with fresh dark fruits’. For Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants, this added up to a perfect match for ‘slow-cooked shoulder of lamb with mash, mushroom and red-wine jus’.

£23.24 Enotria&Coe

This was awarded Gold for its ‘intense flavour, which shows complexity and character’, according to Dario Barbato of Individual Restaurants, who added that it had ‘potential to age’. Gazelle Mayfair’s Romain de Courcy found it to be ‘juicy and aromatic with a gamey note’, while impressed team leader Laura Rhys MS spoke highly of ‘ripe, sweet fruit, like tinned berries, along with some pepper and spice, as well as some dark mineral notes – and good length too’.

£9.86 Enotria&Coe

This was a unanimous Gold according to our judges, who thought it ‘elegant, delicate and complex, with freshly picked raspberry and light, green leafy aromas giving it good freshness’, according to Romain de Courcey of Gazelle Mayfair, who also appreciated its ‘delicate gamey character, and good ageing potential’. Team leader Laura Rhys MS called it ‘intense and complex, with rich, powerful fruit and spicy, velvety tannins’, while fellow team leader Laurent Richet MS thought it an ideal match for ‘roasted lamb with garlic and thyme, and creamed spinach’.

£54.30 Enotria&Coe

This had Gold written all over it, with ‘good concentration and intense fruit, as well as smooth, rich tannins and well-integrated alcohol’, according to Gymkhana Restaurant’s Savvas Symeonidis, while consultant Leonie Loudon spoke highly of ‘a spiced palate of pepper and clove, as well as long black cherry fruit, and a soft mouthfeel’. All this, together with some ‘tar notes and a meaty, fleshy texture’ made it ‘ready for a game casserole’, thought Nelio Pinto of Candlesticks.

£10.25 Bibendum

This intriguing Côtes du Rhône took home a Gold medal for its ‘good depth and intensity of flavour, with liquorice, forest floor, leather and chocolate notes, and some well-integrated alcohol and tannins’, said Savvas Symeonidis of Gymkhana Restaurant, while team leader Andres Ituarte spoke highly of some ‘barnyard notes to balance out the juicy plum and currant notes, leading to some straw and schist notes on the long finish’, before concluding that it was ‘perfect with grouse’.

£13.94 Enotria&Coe

The ‘interesting, spicy, smoky nose’ of this Gold winner caught the attention of team leader Hamish Anderson, who went on to describe ‘tart cherry and grilled-meat notes, as well as some dark plum, leading to a grippy, savoury finish, making this a great option for barbecues’. Fellow team leader Carlos Ferreira was similarly impressed, describing it as ‘very well made, with black and red fruit joined by notes of spice, leather and pine’.

£15.16 Croatian Wine Club

‘An intense and complex wine,’ began Harry Ballmann of Wiltons as this took its rightful place on the Gold List, before describing ‘earthy dark fruit and notes of cassis, with a grassiness, too’. ‘Intense aromas of black fruit such as blackcurrants’ kicked things off here for Savoy Grill’s Matteo Cali, who went on to praise ‘sweet spices like liquorice and vanilla coming through, with ripe tannins on a very smooth palate’.

£12.90 Karam Wines

‘Wow,’ began team leader Laurent Richet MS as this took its rightful place on the Gold List, describing a fascinating combination of ‘banana, toffee, wheat beer and white chocolate, leading to ripe fruit on the palate, like yellow apple and yellow plum, as well as some vanilla, and lovely, high minerality’. ‘Aromatic and fresh,’ added Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair, who found the palate ‘rich, with lots of citrus and vanilla, elderflower and stone fruits, and a bright finish’.

£10.99 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

As this Romanian Riesling was awarded a well-deserved Gold, consultant Emanuel Pesqueira praised it as ‘very aromatic, with rosewater and lychee notes’, while team leader Martin Lam appreciated its ‘fresh white flowers and citrus on the nose, with a palate that’s dry, slatey, crunchy and delicious’. Victoria Sharples of St John Wines, meanwhile, spoke highly of its ‘violets and hawthorn notes on the nose, with a sour and pithy finish’.

£6.95 Transylvania’s Finest Ltd

This Gewürztraminer was deserving of a Gold medal not only for its great value, but for its ‘rose-petal nose, like Turkish delight, with some good persistence, too’, according to Victoria Sharples of St John Wines, while team leader Laura Rhys MS enjoyed its ‘lychee, coconut ice and spice’ notes. Consultant Anja Breit, meanwhile, saw the excellent food-matching potential here, imagining it paired with ‘spicy Asian food or terrine of foie gras’.

£7.95 Transylvania’s Finest Ltd

Judges were generous in their praise as they awarded this Gold, with team leader Laurent Richet MS describing it as ‘ripe, round and creamy, with ripe apple and good concentration’, while Guillaume Mahaut of ETM Group thought it was ‘fruity, soft and Muscat-like, with grape, peach and floral notes, and a long, complex finish’. Elisa Soggia of Kai Mayfair appreciated ‘a hint of vanilla and some green apple on a round and buttery palate, with a long finish’.

£10.95 Transylvania’s Finest Ltd

As this Spanish orange wine earned itself a well-deserved place on the Gold List, team leader Laura Rhys MS remarked on its ‘bruised apple notes’, before praising its ‘good weight and acidity’. Its ‘pronounced intensity, along with mango purée and cooked pineapple’, according to Lucie Kalertova of Caprice Holdings - Sexy Fish, combined with some additional ‘ripe apricot and nectarine notes’ would all help this wine ‘to pair well with strong flavours’.

£9.75 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘This should be available at every restaurant that has seafood on the menu,’ began consultant Cinthia Lozano, echoing the sentiments of the rest of the judges who awarded this Gold. ‘It’s very elegant,’ added team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, who described ‘lifted, aromatic, floral notes of roses and strawberry jam that lead to a clean, limpid palate’. For fellow team leader Martin Lam, ‘red fruit and herbal notes on the nose’ led to a palate that was ‘linear, concentrated and persistent’.

£16.46 Enotria&Coe

Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants found much to admire about this worthy Gold winner, describing its as ‘really enjoyable, fresh and vibrant with complex fruit and floral notes, leading to a lovely, well-balanced finish’. Victoria Sharples of St John Wines, meanwhile, found it ‘attractive, with floral nuances, good concentration and lifted acidity, with good length’. The Glasshouse’s Adam Michocki further described ‘rose petals, rhubarb and watermelon notes’, which led to a ‘structured, concentrated palate’ that would be ideal to ‘accompany salmon dishes’.

£20.20 Top Selection

As this took its place on the Gold podium, Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn described a fascinating combination of ‘honey blossom, red berries and dandelion on the nose, leading to a complex palate of red fruit, spring buttercups and hedgerow’. Team leader Laura Rhys MS appreciated its ‘aromatic notes of mandarin rind’, further describing it as ‘fresh and fruit driven in quite a rich style, with a lovely acidity’, while Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group enjoyed ‘a lovely bitter aftertaste of fresh almond’.

£12.12 Liberty Wines

Judges were convinced of this rosé’s place on the Gold List. It had ‘savoury, crushed seashell aromas, and a fresh palate with good aromatic balance’, according to team leader Martin Lam, while Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn was reminded of ‘a Mediterranean garden’, describing ‘river stones, and a chalkiness, too’. Consultant Cinthia Lozano was similarly impressed, finding it ‘stunning on the nose, with notes of jasmine and peaches’, and adding that it was ‘perfect for summer days and seafood’.

£20.03 Berkmann Wine Cellars

As this was elevated to Gold, team leader Laura Rhys MS described it as ‘ripe and juicy, with elegant fruit’, while Guillaume Mahaut of ETM Group appreciated its ‘forest floor notes, as well as some berries on the nose, leading to fresh, bright acidity on the palate, and a good earthy character, too’, adding that it ‘would work very well with food’. ‘A touch darker than blush, with some good fruit and spice, this is perfect for the couple that can’t decide between red, white and rosé,’ added Heddon Street Kitchen’s Timothy Connor.

£9.37 Liberty Wines

On encountering this formidable rosé, which took home a well-deserved Gold, impressed team leader Lionel Periner described a nose that was ‘open and complex, with ripe fruit and oak, while the palate is dry and full, with an oaky complexity and a fine buttery, nutty long finish’. The Royal Automobile Club’s Michael Fiducia found it to be a ‘fresh, approachable style, with jasmine, peach and blanched tomato skin, as well as a creamy, vanilla, toasted note’.

£40.19 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

On tasting this worthy Gold medal recipient, Michael Fiducia of The Royal Automobile Club spoke highly of its ‘lovely lifted nose of honeysuckle and cherries, leading to a softly approachable redcurrant and raspberry palate’, before going on to describe ‘lovely minerality, and a delicate acidity on the finish’. ‘Floral notes and cooked red fruit, with good freshness’ led team leader Lionel Periner to picture this alongside ‘light cured meats or fruit salads’.

£9.77 Liberty Wines

This impressive ‘aperitif wine, juicy and soft, with red fruits’, according to team leader Laura Rhys MS, took home not only a Gold medal, but a pair of awards, too. Lucie Kalertova of Caprice Holdings - Sexy Fish singled out its ‘candied strawberry notes on the nose’, while Gymkhana Restaurant’s Valentin Radosav also admired its ‘perfumed, strawberry aromas and elegantly pale colour’, which led to some ‘balanced acidity, as well as floral and red fruit flavours, with a lovely texture and a ripe finish’.

£6.60 Boutinot

‘So refined!’ began an admiring Beatrice Bessi of 67 Pall Mall as this took its place on the Gold List, while team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW described ‘a gloriously powerful nose of roasted walnuts and mahogany, leading to rich, baked jam notes on a very intense, driving palate with a punchy, long finish’. Tobias Gorn of Boisdale Restaurants added praise for its ‘complex long-aged rancio elements, an explosive palate, and a gentle finish’.

£22.15 Size: 50cl Boutinot

With its ‘great typicity that jumps out of the glass’, according to team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, it’s no surprise that this took home a Gold medal. ‘Salty, floral, herbaceous and nutty,’ added Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles, going on to find ‘delicate saline flavours of almonds, garrigue and petals, leading to a vibrant, balanced, refreshing finish’. This all led Nelio Pinto of Candlesticks to declare it ‘perfect with Iberico ham’.

£9.65 Size: 75cl Boutinot

As this Furmint took home a well-deserved Gold, tasters described an intriguing wine with ‘a richly intense nose of mature fruits, honey and white flowers’, according to Janusz Sasiadek of Bottles & Battles, who found it ‘well balanced with lovely acidity and minerality’. Team leader Andres Ituarte, meanwhile, enjoyed notes of ‘oolong tea and jasmine, as well as green apple and bruised peach, with enormous length of stone fruit and white tea’.

£12.00 Wood Winters

‘Very special. A beautiful wine,’ began Corina Stanila of La Dame de Pic at Ten Trinity Square as this Slovenian Pinot Blanc was awarded a Critics’ Choice award to go with its Gold medal. Michael Fiducia of The Royal Automobile Club described an ‘unctuous nose of quince, pear and caramelised puff pastry, and a palate that explodes with layer upon layer of mango, iced tea and more, and with superb length’, while team leader Andres Ituarte found it ‘super-interesting, with apricot pie, cinnamon, clove and herbaceous menthol’.

£82.32 Puklavec Family Wines d.o.o.

This ‘great value, and great by-the-glass’ Slovenian white took Gold with its ‘lovely exotic fruits, peach and apricot, with an intense palate and a touch of minerality’, according to Janusz Sasiadek of Bottles & Battles, while team leader Andres Ituarte found it ‘light and floral, with some pear skin, and a bit of spritz’, declaring it ‘super-fresh’. Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn agreed, describing it as ‘bright, with tropical pineapple and passion fruit, with some pastry notes, too’.

£6.67 Berkmann Wine Cellars

This great-value Slovenian red took Gold for its ‘light, perfumed style, with bramble fruit and hawthorn, leading to a juicy palate of crunchy red berries and firm oak tannins’, said team leader Angela Reddin, while Gymkhana Restaurant’s Valentin Radosav found some additional complexity from ‘delicate coffee bean notes, and an earthiness’. Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam, meanwhile, enjoyed ‘lively strawberry fruit’, adding that this was ‘a good match for duck’.

£7.40 Berkmann Wine Cellars

‘Bravo!’ said Tatiana Mann of The Vine Eno Gastropub, ‘this is extremely gastronomical’, before going on to describe this clear Gold medal winner as ‘such a clever wine – it’s a big, warm-climate wine but so fresh and juicy, with minty notes and tobacco’. Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW described it as ‘rich’ and ‘plump’ and thought it was ‘balanced by bright vibrant acidity’. She summed it up as ‘long, young and lovely’. For Charlie Carter of Ten Green Bottles it had ‘lifted, lovely dark fruit aromas’ with ‘lovely fruit complexity on the palate veering toward red cherry’ and ‘lovely oak integration with silky tannins’.

£17.05 Oliveda S.A

This Gold medallist was both ‘pretty and powerful’, according to team leader Jade Koch, who described it as ‘vibrant, with good concentration and tight bramble fruit, as well as some violet notes’. ‘Dark and chewy, with sweet plums and coffee notes, and fruit balanced well with oak influence – there’s ageing potential here,’ added Scarlet Hotel’s Jim Bass, while team leader Nigel Lister considered it to be ‘versatile with all roast meats, and fillet steak too’.

£15.65 Matthew Clark

As this was led to the Gold podium, Adam Michocki of The Glasshouse described it as ‘a very modern style of wine from the Duero Valley, with lots of dark fruit’, while team leader Jade Koch was impressed by ‘liquorice spice and vanilla, together with balanced tannins’. Finding some additional ‘toasted oak notes’, Tobias Gorn of Boisdale Restaurants thought it would ‘go very well with dishes containing duck or bacon’.

£7.89 LWC Drinks Ltd (Merchant and Shippers)

‘Very complex,’ began team leader Carlos Ferreira on encountering this clear Gold-medal candidate, going on to describe ‘lots of plum, floral and leather notes, followed by freshness on the palate’. James Fryer of Woodhead 17 further identified ‘coffee, leather and dried black fruits on the nose, followed by dried plums, coconut husk and some velvet tannins on the palate’, while team leader Nigel Lister summed it up as ‘elegant and concentrated’.

£30.76 Enotria&Coe

Awarding a Gold medal, team leader Jan Konetzki said ‘this is clearly a really good bottle at this price point’. ‘It’s refreshing, concentrated and full of fruit,’ added Claire Love of Loves Consultancy, while Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn described it as having ‘fresh, lemony and tropical fruit aromatics with a steely length’, going on to add: ‘The palate is ripe with pink grapefruit and minerals.’ ‘Calls out for oysters by the sea,’ added consultant Emanuel Pesqueira.

£6.70 Boutinot

Team leader Tom Forrest identified ‘creamy vanilla and cedar spice’ and ‘dark berry fruit with a spicy and smoky finish’ in this Gold medallist. Meanwhile Carolina W Seibel of Moio Restaurant thought it had ‘a dark profile of fruit with a touch of hazelnut’ and enjoyed its ‘notes of chorizo and roasted corn, ginger and dark cherry’, and for Joseph Lunn of Suave Wine the Gold was ultimately awarded for its ‘voluptuous, soft mouthfeel, delicate oak spice and lovely summer pudding fruit’.

£9.70 Boutinot

Awarding a Gold medal, Claire Love of Loves Consultancy remarked on the ‘delicious lemon curd and salted caramel texture, with an intense and refreshing crab apple fruit’. ‘A foodie wine,’ was how team leader Jade Koch described this Albariño, adding that it was ‘cherry bright, grippy and had ‘quite a lot going on’. Alonso Abed of Hide Above thought it had ‘crisp aromas’ and ‘fine and lingering mineral notes’ with ‘citrus oils that envelop the wine’.

£9.87 Matthew Clark

‘An engaging wine,’ began Prestonfield House’s Dave Cushley in praise of this Gold winner, before describing it as ‘dry and zippy, with slight petillance, and some sweet pear and intense green fruit notes’, while team leader Carlos Ferreira found notes of ‘fresh green apple and lime juice’. ‘A classic style of Txakoli, light bodied, vibrant and refreshing,’ agreed D&D’s Diana Rollan, who found it ‘grassy and mineral with intense citrus notes’, making it ‘great with oysters’.

£11.86 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

For team leader Angela Reddin this Gold medal winner offered ‘lots of soft squashy summer berries, refreshing acidity and a very soft, gentle finish’. Fellow team leader Christopher Cooper described it as ‘juicy, light and quaffable, with cherry, plum and chocolate’ and equally impressed Markus Dilger of Dilger Sommelier Selection simply called out for ‘grilled pork chops please’.

£6.55 Boutinot

Adam Michocki of The Glasshouse described this worthy Gold medal winner as being ‘bright, with raspberries, blueberries and cassis, with a lovely violet nose and a plush texture; it finishes long and has a pleasant aftertaste. It’s also great for the price’. Meanwhile James Fryer of Woodhead 17 described its ‘purple dusty fruits’ and ‘bright, blueberry-juiced, velvety palate’, and Le Gavroche’s Rémi Cousin summed it all up succinctly: ‘Velvety texture, easy drinking, good with food.’

£6.36 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Team leader Laurent Richet MS enjoyed this Gold medal winner’s ‘structure, intensity and body’, admiring its ‘dark fruit spice and length’, and describing at as ‘ripe and well balanced’. ‘Gamey, volcanic, with iron and lead,’ added Sonal Clare of Purnell’s Restaurant, who found it ‘youthful but approachable’ and thought it was ‘Bordeauxesque’. Meanwhile Timothy Connor of Heddon Street Kitchen thought it was worthy of a Gold medal for its value and point of difference: ‘For the price, this would be a really great example to show off just how much else Spain has to offer.’

£12.70 Boutinot

This intriguing Gold winner reminded team leader Angela Reddin of ‘churches, with incense, candle wax and dried flowers, leading to a dollop of honey on the finish’, adding that it was ‘ageing gracefully’. Manor House Hotel’s Anita Vighova, meanwhile, enjoyed the ‘elegant oiliness of the mid-palate, and a long finish’, while Annamaria Juhasz of The Fat Duck appreciated its ‘lemon curd and apricot notes’, calling this a ‘complex food wine’.

£18.20 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘A juicy, fresh, apricot quaffer,’ summarised team leader Angela Reddin as this took a well-deserved Gold, further describing ‘green crab-apple jelly with a slight spritz on the tongue’. An impressed Annamaria Juhasz of The Fat Duck found ‘white pepper on the nose, with stony minerality, fresh lemon and peach blossom – pithy, with good concentration and balance’. Anita Vighova of Manor House Hotel added ‘notes of pine and grass, and some lively acidity with gooseberry notes’, while praising its ‘good value for money’.

£7.99 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

‘Deeply concentrated plum fruit, with a peppery edge, lovely structure and hints of black tea’ was how team leader Laurent Richet MS described this Gold medallist. Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group found ‘rich aromas of coffee, black fruit and herbs, a peppery palate and a long finish’, while Sonal Clare of Purnell’s Restaurant noted: ‘Gamey, feral and intense; spiced black fruit with a hint of tea.’ For Heddon Street Kitchen’s Timothy Connor this wine’s qualities were more simply put: ‘It’s a hidden gem, designed for you to show off.’

£14.25 Vintage Roots

For Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club this had ‘fermented cassis with sweet spice and vanilla aromas’ as well as ‘firm round tannin with more developed notes of leather, cedar and spice’. Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan detected ‘peppery spicy plum and dark bitter chocolate’ and found it ‘forward and appealing, dense and muscular’, summing it up as ‘very fine and complex with a lovely, savoury character’. Team leader Charlie Young summed up its Gold medal stature by describing a wine with simply everything in place: ‘Lifted aromatics with great structure and tertiary flavours alongside fresh fruit; classic.’

£12.35 Ellis of Richmond

‘Classic Rioja nose and palate,’ began team leader Andres Ituarte, going on to identify ‘worn wood, butter, cocoa, soft dried fruits and tobacco’ and a ‘bit of herbaceous character’. Corina Stanila of La Dame de Pic at Ten Trinity Square thought it was ‘beautiful wine’ with ‘great balance’, while Michael Fiducia of The Royal Automobile Club described it as ‘cherry pie with shortcrust pastry’ with ‘a creaminess that remains fresh’.

£18.75 Ellis of Richmond

‘Glorious Gran Reserva-style aromas,’ began team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, adding that this clear Gold lister was ‘backed up by supple red cherry fruits, that are maturing nicely with tertiary development’. Ennio Pucciarelli of Kahani London agreed and picked up on its ‘intense cinnamon, mocha nose’ and thought it had a ‘balanced palate, good complexity and a smooth finish’. Woodhead 17’s James Fryer, meanwhile, was impressed by its ‘dense, black cherry fruit – it’s a powerful wine’.

£15.95 EWGA

‘Dark, ripe but bright fruits,’ began team leader Laurent Richet MS of this deserving Gold Lister, going on to describe ‘lovely bright acidity tempered by tannin with a hint of smoke towards the end’ and concluding: ‘A food wine.’ Guillaume Mahaut of ETM Group found it ‘restrained, with a pretty nose of rose and balanced animal hints’ and described a ‘firm but balanced acidity, and chalky, red fruit palate with cherry and plum’.

£7.35 Boutinot

Janusz Sasiadek of Bottles & Battles was impressed, calling this ‘great, well-made wine’. He remarked on its ‘rich aroma of plum, cherry and tobacco’ and noted that it ‘remains fresh’. Corina Stanila of La Dame de Pic at Ten Trinity Square, meanwhile, thought it had a ‘beautiful nose’ and ‘elegant palate’, and found it ‘smooth’, with a ‘beautiful long finish’.

£8.30 Boutinot

‘Cherry, peppery, chocolatey texture with red fruits evoking rich plum’ thought Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group of this Gold winner, adding that it was ‘great value for money’. Aurore Anguenot of Aviary noted that it had ‘very good balance’, while for team leader Laura Rhys MS it was notable for its ‘dark berry, cherry, smoky oak notes and tomato leaf’. ‘Decadent and rich,’ added Claire Love of Loves Consultancy.

£7.93 Bodegas Olarra

For The Gilbert Scott’s Juan Manuel Marcos Perez this earned its Gold medal with ‘floral notes of acacia and iris, combined with some peaches and nectarines, orange peel and a biscuit, cereal note’, while team leader Lionel Periner enjoyed its ‘green apple and a hint of pear, leading to a dry palate with good structure, and more ripe pear flavours’. Fellow team leader Martin Lam added praise for its ‘good citrus balance and taut finish’.

£27.59 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

An impressed team of judges elevated this to Gold, with Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants remarking on its ‘bready notes, with some nice complexity, and signs of autolysis’, while team leader Tom Forrest praised its ‘smoky, mineral and toasty aromas, with red fruit, lemon and cooking apple, too’. ‘Lemon verbena, cooked ginger and red apple, as well as some salty notes’ made it the perfect partner for oysters and caviar for team leader Jan Konetzki.

£36.02 Cour Des Lys

‘Elegant, sophisticated and punchy,’ began Joseph Lunn of Suave Wine in praise of this Gold Lister, finding ‘a complex nose with apples and pears complemented by warm citrus and balanced by salinity, with earthy but delicate flavours, good length and perfect dosage’. Impressed team leader Laurent Richet MS described it as ‘a well-crafted, rich wine, with a hint of pastry and biscuit, golden apple, and a chalkiness, too’.

£41.50 Bibendum

This striking addition to the Gold List was praised by The Gilbert Scott’s Juan Manuel Marcos Perez for its ‘complex layers and good integration of fruit, along with some green walnuts and herbal notes’, while The River Cafe’s Mattia Mazzi was struck by its ‘complex, aged brioche notes, with tarte tatin, almonds and candied lemon peel’. Team leader Martin Lam thought it ‘very nutty, with subtle floral notes and good citrus attack – a fresh and balanced wine’.

£146.15 Bibendum

‘Excellent winemaking’ was team leader Martin Lam’s first impression of this Gold medallist, speaking highly of its ‘floral and brioche notes’ and describing it as ‘a complex, rich style, and very vinous’. Rockliffe Hall’s Daniel Jonberger, meanwhile, encountered ‘apricot, pear and a touch of musk on the nose, leading to touches of pear and elderflower on the palate, with a supple finish’, and Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn succinctly described ‘beautiful elegance’.

£48.60 Liberty Wines

As judges awarded this champagne a well-deserved Gold medal, James Fryer of Woodhead 17 was impressed by ‘green apple skin on the nose, leading to some nuttiness on the palate, along with taut acidity and Granny Smith notes, leading to a slightly oxidative character on the finish’, while team leader Jan Konetzki enjoyed its ‘lemon yoghurt and white almond notes, as well as some sea salt, with fine, creamy perlage’.

£25.49 Castelnau Wine Agencies

Judges were generous in their praise of this Gold winner, with Hakkasan’s Elena Serban admiring its ‘complex and intense nose, with stone fruit, some nuttiness and toast’, before going on to describe ‘an elegant, long-lasting palate, with good balance of acidity – a wine that can definitely age and develop’. Street XO’s Raphael Thierry spoke highly of its ‘creamy texture, with minerality and a nutty, savoury complexity’, before concluding that it was ‘elegant yet refreshing, with a complex, long finish’. Please contact the winery for further information.

£75.13 Angel Champagne

Decidedly Gold-worthy, this had, according to team leader Hamish Anderson, ‘a bright, floral nose that’s lifted, appealing and fresh, leading to warm bread, yeast and umami on the palate’, while Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan found it ‘honeyed, with fresh almonds, acacia and a pepperiness, too, leading to ginger and star anise notes’. For Ennio Pucciarelli of Kahani London, this came with ‘a rich structure, yet still fresh, leading to a savoury finish’.

£37.84 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

This clear Gold winner was ‘toasty, nutty, rich and complex on the nose, with a brioche-like character on the palate’, according to 67 Pall Mall’s Terry Kandylis, while Anita Vighova of Manor House Hotel appreciated its ‘great depth and fine mousse, with orange peel and almond notes’. An impressed Ennio Pucciarelli of Kahani London described it as ‘intense, with ripe apple and stone fruit, but with delicate floral notes too, and a mineral finish’.

£96.28 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

‘Broad and concentrated, with some floral notes, and some tense acidity’, according to Olivier Gasselin of Hakkasan, this was never going to be anything less than Gold. Flat Three Restaurant’s Heesoo Kang appreciated that it was ‘complex on the nose, and fleshy and full-bodied on the palate, with a creamy mousse’, while team leader Hamish Anderson found it ‘rich and developed, with yeast and creamy notes, and an earthiness, too’.

£109.20 Liberty Wines

An ‘opulent’ addition to the Gold List, according to Kahani London’s Ennio Pucciarelli, who found ‘cooked apple and vanilla’, describing it as ‘fresh and well-balanced, too, with a mineral finish’, while 67 Pall Mall’s Terry Kandylis thought it was ‘elegant, with white floral notes and a palate that has a delicate nature, with fine bubbles’. ‘Lovely and enticing, with texture and depth,’ added team leader Hamish Anderson, who appreciated its ‘balance of fresh fruit, like pear and peach, with age in the form of brioche, nuts and spice’.

£111.00 Angel Champagne

This Gold winner was impressive both for its ‘delicate nose and more complex palate’, according to Savoy Grill’s Matteo Cali, who also described its ‘nutty character, some toast, and well-integrated acidity’, while team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW considered it to be ‘lifted and floral’ and ‘a zesty, mouthwatering wine – and ideal by the glass’. ‘Fresh citrus and minerality’ made this, for Paola Giraldo of Wiltons, ‘great as an aperitif, or with oysters’.

£31.00 Gusbourne Estate

‘Elegant and balanced’ were just some of the characteristics that elevated this to Gold, according to Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, who described ‘a classic champagne nose, with baking bread and baked apples’. Team leader Tom Forrest enjoyed its ‘toasty brioche, apples and pears, and some floral notes, too’, going on to describe ‘a creamy mousse, with strawberry, raspberry and red apple, and a lemon finish’.

£19.00 New Generation Wines

‘Elegant on the nose and perfumed, rich and intense on the palate’ was how Paola Giraldo of Wiltons described this Gold winner, while Street XO’s Raphael Thierry liked its ‘toasted almonds on the nose, and a creamy palate with melon, peach, ripe citrus and some autolytic complexity’. Roberto Sanchez of Sexy Fish, meanwhile, thought that ‘pear and apple on the nose, leading to a really well-balanced palate that’s intense, fresh and vibrant’ made this ‘a good match for either salads or sushi’.

£19.50 All Angels Vineyard

As this was elevated to Gold, Andre Luis Martins of Cavalry & Guards Club spoke glowingly of its ‘nectarine aromas, with some gentle rosemary, too, leading to some elegant freshness and some peppery notes, and all culminating in a charming, complex finish’, while Savoy Grill’s Matteo Cali found it ‘rich and fragrant, with hints of toast and spice, and some red apple on the creamy palate’. ‘A true expression of English sparkling,’ added Heddon Street Kitchen’s Timothy Connor.

£27.65 Amathus Drinks Plc

‘The perfect way to start a meal,’ began an impressed Timothy Connor of Heddon Street Kitchen as this took its place on the Gold podium, while Matteo Cali of Savoy Grill praised its ‘pronounced citrus and apple notes on the nose, with acidity well balanced by the creaminess of the mousse’. For team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW it was ‘appealing and balanced, with a fresh, herbal and floral nose’.

£19.20 Enotria&Coe

‘A gorgeous wine!’ was Jim Bass of Scarlet Hotel’s first reaction on encountering this impressive Gold winner. He went on to speak highly of its ‘balsamic sweetness with singing black cherry fruit – a richer, interesting style with incredible spicy, peppery fruit’. ‘An interesting style that would need some food,’ echoed Manor House Hotel’s Anita Vighova, describing ‘an intense nose with rosemary and basil, with a eucalyptus and tar element that follows on to the palate, and with some plum notes, too’.

£18.04 Liberty Wines

This great-value Gold medal-winning South African fizz stood out for our judges, with ‘baked spicy apple, pear and cinnamon on the soft nose, leading to some balanced acidity’, according to team leader Nigel Lister. Markus Dilger of Dilger Sommelier Selection added praise for its ‘fresh aroma of citrus and pineapple, with a spiciness too’, while Maze by Gordon Ramsay’s Gabriele Bertotti appreciated its ‘good texture, with some herbal notes, and a long finish’.

£8.87 Hard To Find Wines

A well-deserved Gold medal for a wine praised by Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish for its ‘floral, fruity nose, leading to quite a delicate mousse, with well-balanced fruity acidity, and notes of pear, citrus and a hint of yeast’. An impressed Mattia Mazzi of The River Cafe described it as ‘an elegant aperitif, with savoury notes on the nose, and some tension on the palate, with gentle, chalky grip’.

£10.90 LFE Wine Group

‘Refreshing, with a floral bouquet, pear drop and some honey, leading to a creamy, vanilla palate,’ began an impressed Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group as this Patagonian sparkling wine took Gold, while Janusz Sasiadek of Bottles & Battles complimented its ‘fine and delicate aromas of grapes, peaches and white flowers’. Suave Wine’s Joseph Lunn commented on its ‘lemon and lime notes, along with some nicely balanced sweetness’, describing it as ‘one for light meringue dishes’.

£10.95 Ellis of Richmond

As this sparkling wine took its rightful place on the Gold List, Sexy Fish’s Julien Sahut spoke highly of its ‘pear, apple and citrus aromas, leading to a fresh and mineral palate with good acidity, some apricot notes and a hint of vanilla’. Meanwhile, team leader Hamish Anderson added praise for its ‘open and appealing style, with a soft, creamy and elegant palate, following some pretty floral and gentle spice aromas’.

£13.07 Bibendum

‘Fantastic, with great acidity and citrus fruit notes, as well as hints of elderflower, and a buttery note too,’ according to Cliveden House’s Francisco Macedo, was just some of the high praise that won this wine a place on the Gold List. ‘Floral and perfumed on the nose, leading to some residual sugar intensity, but it finishes dry and savoury, making this a great option for Asian food,’ concluded team leader Hamish Anderson.

£20.64 Enotria&Coe

As judges elevated this Spanish sparkler to Gold, Melania Bellesini of The Fat Duck spoke highly of its ‘golden apple, fresh Williams pear and lovely white flowers', as well as its 'good length, with persistent flavour and a rounded mouthfeel'. Meanwhile, Heesoo Kang of Flat Three Restaurant enjoyed the ‘intensity of fresh fruit aromas', while describing it as 'well concentrated and balanced, finishing with a lovely grapefruit and citrus peel tang'.

£6.98 Matthew Clark

Javier Alonso Cardoso of Hakkasan Mayfair described this deserving Gold medal winner as ‘gastronomic, with good minerality’, which complemented notes of ‘almonds, apricot, citrus and apple’. Team leader Tom Forrest praised its ‘soft pear and peach style, with a creamy mousse’, while Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse found it ‘an enjoyable wine with a gentle approach and a soft palate’.

£10.35 Eurowines

As this was led to the Gold podium, team leader Tom Forrest spoke highly of its ‘perfume and green apple notes, as well as some floral blossom aromas’ on the nose, going on to describe ‘ripe pear and apple flavours, with a tropical pineapple element, too’. Ieva Markaityte of Portuguese Concepts found ‘tropical notes, like mango, on the palate’, following ‘soft yellow peaches on the nose’.

£13.25 Eurowines

Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam was the first of many judges with praise for this ‘beautiful, aromatic and exciting’ Gold winner. ‘A very expressive palate,’ added The Glasshouse’s Adam Michocki, describing it as ‘lemony, citrus and floral, with an elegant gentleness – and great value, too’. Team leader Carlos Ferreira agreed, describing it as ‘very fruity on the nose, with a citrusy and red apple palate, an appealing freshness and a long finish’.

£7.89 LWC Drinks Ltd (Merchant and Shippers)

This was deserving of its Gold, according to Tanguy Martin of New Street Warehouse, for its ‘freshly pressed apple juice with a hint of pear, and with some delicate blossom notes to complete the aromatic profile’. He further praised its ‘soft and delicate palate, with a persistent aftertaste’, while Ieva Markaityte of Portuguese Concepts was impressed by ‘some green pineapple notes coming through on the palate, with some refreshing acidity’, and team leader Tom Forrest appreciated its ‘creamy mousse and minerality’.

£12.91 Winetraders (UK) Ltd

‘A complex nose of white pear, apple, white flowers and fresh melon’ were among the qualities that elevated this to Gold, according to Ross Antonelli of Hawksmoor Borough, who further praised its ‘creamy-mid palate with a balancing, lemony acidity, and sweetness kept in check to maintain freshness’. New Street Warehouse’s Tanguy Martin, meanwhile, appreciated its ‘expressive apple and pear nose, a distinct savoury note, delicate mousse and intense aftertaste’.

£13.77 Matthew Clark

This prosecco had Gold-worthy characteristics of ‘ripe, crunchy pear, and a perfumed nose, with lifted aromatics’, according to team leader Martin Lam, while Joshua Castle of Noble Rot appreciated its ‘subtle and complex nose, which is delicately floral, leading to a soft texture and a refreshingly light touch’. Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam thought its ‘super-fresh nectarine, apricot and gentle sparkle’ made it ‘good for pairing with light seafood’.

£8.25 Boutinot

‘Good stuff!’ began team leader Jan Konetzki, pointing out notes of ‘rhubarb, lemon sherbet, red apples and raspberry’ and finding it to be ‘dry and crisp, with fine bubbles and good length’. Fellow team leader Andres Ituarte described ‘peach and apricot, and a nuttiness, too’. ‘Refined, delicate and definitely gastronomic, this deserves to be drunk attentively,’ said Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains.

£43.90 Liberty Wines

This remarkable rosé took Gold for its ‘richness and creaminess, with good weight and balance’, according to an impressed Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, while Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains praised its ‘great depth, with violet notes and lots of ripe red fruit, along with some candied blueberries’. Raphael Thierry of Street XO felt that its ‘savoury and sweet complexity’ led to ‘a fresh, clean finish’, while consultant Ian Howard concluded that it was ‘very well made!’.

£32.59 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

Carolina W Seibel of Moio Restaurant was taken with this Gold winner’s ‘nose of cranberry, with a light touch of vanilla and tonka bean, leading to complex layers of dense red fruit on the palate, with the tonka bean carrying through, as well as layers of brazil nuts’, while Sue Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn admired its ‘weight and strength, with developed berry notes and brioche’. ‘Really amazing and super well made’ concluded team leader Andres Ituarte.

£147.23 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

The judges didn’t hold back with their praise as this wine was elevated to Gold. ‘What an amazing champagne,’ began The Cross Kenilworth’s Clément Loubeyre, before describing it as ‘so elegant, and very well balanced’. Team leader Andres Ituarte thought it ‘pretty and feminine, with some sweet fruits’, while fellow team leader Jan Konetzki described ‘smoky salt and rich, ripe fruit’. ‘So complex, yet so delicate – definitely a connoisseur’s choice, and a great appetiser,’ concluded Quentin Loisel of Restaurant Sat Bains.

£286.59 Bibendum

Team leader Jan Konetzki described this as ‘monolithic’, as it was awarded a Gold medal, and spoke highly of its ‘complex notes of strawberry and raspberry mixed with sea salt’, adding that ‘it’s the structure that makes this ageworthy’. Consultant Ian Howard agreed, speaking of its ‘good age and a long life ahead’, and praising its ‘beautiful, buttery red-fruit nose, leading to very well-balanced fruit and acidity, along with lovely autolytic flavours that have great length and elegance’.

£97.95 Angel Champagne

This fresh English rosé took Gold amid praise from an impressed panel of judges. Diana Rollan of D&D described a ‘vibrant wine with red berries, raspberries and a creamy strawberry nose, leading to a dry palate with fine bubbles, nice concentration and good length’, while team leader Carlos Ferreira admired its ‘beautiful salmon pink colour, fine acidity and hints of roses, with a toasty long finish’. ‘Perfect as an aperitif, or by the glass, and good value, too,’ concluded 67 Pall Mall’s Terry Kandylis.

£14.00 Matthew Clark, Greyfriars Vineyard

An inevitable Gold winner, this was described by team leader Charlie Young as ‘moreish, with great balance on the nose between red berries and yeast notes, leading to a very well-judged palate with pure, ripe fruit’. Virginia Fontò of La Trompette enjoyed its ‘pronounced, complex nose of red fruit, citrus and floral notes, and a creamy palate of biscuit, vanilla and brown sugar’, before praising ‘a long finish that completes a wine that is amazing value for money’.

£22.08 Jascots Wine Merchants

This earned abundant praise – and a Gold medal – for its ‘complex, elegant notes of toasted bread, cranberry and violet, with a refreshing, vibrant, creamy mousse’, according to D&D’s Diana Rollan. Team leader Carlos Ferreira spoke highly of its ‘beautiful floral nose with toasted nuts and stone fruit, with a palate that is very persistent, with good acidity and a long finish’, which led him to declare this ‘perfect with a starter of oysters or cured salmon’.

£28.88 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Team leader Laurent Richet MS was taken with this Gold winner’s ‘lovely light pink colour, with rich flavours of peach, tangerine and the red berries and blossoms of summer on an elegant palate’, while Gymkhana Restaurant’s Valentin Radosav found notes of ‘delicate citrus, green apple and tarragon’. Finding it ‘fresh and crisp, with nice acidity and a gentle sparkle’, Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam imagined it would be ‘a good pairing with salmon’.

£11.43 Hard To Find Wines

‘Classic rosé,’ began consultant Emanuel Pesqueira, who spoke highly of this Gold Lister’s ‘great balance and fine intensity’, before declaring it ‘a great food wine’. Team leader Lionel Periner, meanwhile, described it as ‘elegant and aromatic, with cooked red fruit crumble notes and a spring flower element too, with a good body and a long finish’. The combination meant it would be ‘good with new season lamb’, suggested The Harrow at Little Bedwyn’s Sue Jones.

£17.84 Liberty Wines

Team leader Laurent Richet MS admired this Gold-winning brut rosé’s ‘lovely onion skin colour, with ripe fruit and orange zest’, before adding that ‘the palate brings tangerine and raspberry to a bright, clean and long finish’. Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston found ‘marzipan, sourdough and dried grapes on the nose, with good perlage and a lovely intensity’, while Grape Times UK’s Harry Crowther appreciated its ‘clean finish with almond and marzipan’.

£15.51 Bibendum

A variety of tasting notes from our judges underlined the complexity of this Gold winner. ‘Layered with orange marmalade peel, mango, honey and sweet, ripe saffron pear, this wine has great length,’ wrote team leader Jan Konetzki, while Street XO’s Raphael Thierry picked out a ‘lemon curd and coriander nose with apricot and quince on the palate’. All of which made it, according to team leader Laurent Richet MS, an ideal match for ‘apricot and almond tart with lime sorbet’.

£38.09 Size: 50cl Top Selection

This remarkable 1968 Vernaccia di Oristano, aged in chestnut barrels, was led to the Gold podium as judges painted an intriguing picture of a wine ‘with a sherry nose’, according to team Leader Martin Lam, who also praised its ‘delightful acidity’. Shane McHugh of Adam Handling went on to describe notes of ‘coffee, nuts and chocolate’, while team leader Jade Koch described it as ‘crunchy’, and commented on its ‘deep brown colour’.

£246.35 Size: 75cl Eurowines

As judges unanimously proclaimed this Gold, Street XO’s Raphael Thierry spoke highly of its ‘lemon curd nose with a rich, sweet and complex palate showing quince, lemon tart and Asian pear, leading to a long, balanced finish’. The Gilbert Scott’s Juan Manuel Marcos Perez found ‘ripe mango and lychee, with a beeswax finish’, while for Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants, its ‘luscious, opulent tropical fruit’ made it ideal for serving with ‘mango and passion fruit pavlova’.

£12.99 Size: 37.5cl Liberty Wines

As judges handed over a well-deserved Gold medal, Bianca Potenza of Bluespoon Andaz Hotel - Amsterdam spoke highly of this South African sweet wine’s ‘beautiful sweetness, but not too much, with elderflower and honey, and a slight nuttiness, too’. Team leader Jade Koch was impressed by its ‘great concentration of fruit, and really good balance’, while Cavalry & Guards Club’s Andre Luis Martins further described ‘perfumed tropical notes with gentle mango aromas, leading to a full-bodied palate and a long finish’.

£13.95 Size: 50cl Liberty Wines

A hit with our judges and undoubtedly a candidate for Gold, this had, according to Hakkasan’s Olivier Gasselin, ‘very bright, floral and crystalline notes of lemon balm’ and was ‘juicy, pure and zesty, and not too cloying at all’. For Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group, meanwhile, it had ‘a nose of pure orange marmalade and maple flowers’ that led to a palate that featured ‘richly dried apricot and dates’.

£41.34 Size: 37.5cl Liberty Wines

‘Quality!’ began team leader Jan Konetzki, echoing the sentiments of the judging panel as this was awarded Gold, and going on to describe ‘tropical fruit salad notes, smokiness, a honeyed sweetness and rich texture’. ‘Quince jam, orange skin and camomile,’ added Street XO’s Raphael Thierry, who found it ‘very luscious, but with good freshness, too’. The Gilbert Scott’s Juan Manuel Marcos Perez described ‘apricots and marmalade’, and remarked on the ‘balance between sugar and acidity’ here.

£10.59 Size: 50cl González Byass

Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants appreciated this Gold Lister’s ‘juicy black fruits, ripe tannins, balanced alcohol and integrated oak’, adding further praise for its ‘good value for money’. ETM Group’s Guillaume Mahaut found it to have ‘a perfumed, pretty nose, with some rose notes, leading to some plum on the palate’, while team leader Tom Forrest described it as ‘Beaujolais in style, with red cherry, some spice, and a rounded, soft palate’.

£8.10 TEES Ltd.

As this earned its place on the Gold list, Ennio Pucciarelli of Kahani London praised its ‘beautiful bouquet of floral and stone fruits, and hints of honey on the palate, with lovely acidity’, adding that it was ‘quite rich with a long finish’. Team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW thought it ‘individual, with charming aromatics, and a rich and oily palate’, while consultant Rebecca Coates added that it was ‘super-juicy, and great on its own!’

£6.50 Tees

This ‘perfect summer wine’, according to Janusz Sasiadek of Bottles & Battles, took Gold for its ‘intense spice, with cherries and blueberries, and some great acidity’. Ieva Markaityte of Portuguese Concepts enjoyed ‘a slight medicinal character, as well as some chalky tannins, and good length’, while Savoy Grill’s Matteo Cali described it as ‘easy-drinking and juicy, with herbal garrigue notes’, and team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW concluded: ‘Light, juicy and plummy, and at a great price.’

£5.49 Taste Turkey

This ‘intense, punchy wine’, according to Prestonfield House’s Dave Cushley, had ‘toasted notes on the nose, with rich, buttery melon fruit and persistent acidity on the palate’, while team leader Laura Rhys MS found it ‘full bodied, with rich, ripe fruit and rounded oak’. Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group, meanwhile, thought that ‘cherry, chestnut honey, ripe pineapple and a nutty texture, as well as long acidity, make this wine excellent’.

£12.50 Try Wines

This ‘fresh and elegant’ white Rhône, with its ‘bright pear fruit and delicate spice’, according to team leader Laura Rhys MS, was ‘a great food-matching wine’, and a clear candidate for Gold, too. Heesoo Kang of Flat Three Restaurant described ‘citrus and green apples on the nose, leading to a palate that’s rich and ripe, with a hint of brioche and nuts’, while The Glasshouse’s Adam Michocki thought its ‘peach, apricot and honeysuckle notes’ made it a great match for ‘turbot with cauliflower purée’.

£14.81 Hatch Mansfield

‘I love the purity of fruit on the palate,’ began Valentin Radosav of Gymkhana Restaurant as this was elevated to Gold, going on to describe ‘gentle floral notes at the start, then apples, nuts and a touch of ginger’. Sommelier Wine Awards competition director Chris Losh appreciated its ‘attractively pure fruit with a gentle pithiness on the finish’, while team leader Martin Lam added that it was ‘such a great food wine – you can do so much with it’.

£51.62 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

This took home Gold for its ‘charming fruit profile with pronounced intensity of apricot, tangerine, honeysuckle, honey and marzipan’, according to The Glasshouse’s Adam Michocki, who thought it ‘well-structured, with a round and creamy texture, as well as some spice’. Alonso Abed of Hide Above enjoyed its ‘fresh peach skin notes with camomile flower and fresh honeydew aromas’, while Sexy Fish’s Lucie Kalertova thought this all added up to a perfect partner for ‘aromatic Indian dishes’.

£36.88 Enotria&Coe