English wine continues to excel at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2020
After a challenging year for the global wine industry, there’s finally reason to raise a glass!
There's perhaps never been a time the global wine industry has been so hard hit, but the world’s largest and most influential wine competition is giving reason to celebrate with the release of its 2020 results. After completing judging under strict Covid safety guidelines that included innovations such as proximity lanyards and bespoke disposable spittoons, the Decanter World Wine Awards has announced its 2020 winners.
Now in its 17th year, the 2020 competition has seen a rise in successes from lesser-known wine producing regions such as the South & Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans, which showcased their impressive quality and value for money. Classic regions in France, Italy, Spain, the USA, and Australia once again performed well.
During the judging month, 116 expert wine judges including 37 Masters of Wine and nine Master Sommeliers, tasted and debated the merits of 16,518 wines from 56 countries. English wine producers enjoyed another successful year with entries up 7% compared to 2019 and 21 counties across the UK delivering medal-winning wines.
The two wineries that stood out this year to win the prestigious accolade of Best in Show were both whites, one a sparkling and the other still. In West Sussex, Roebuck Estate won for its Classic Cuvée Brut 2014, and Kent’s Simpsons' Wine Estate - The Roman Road Chardonnay 2018 picked up its first Best in Show after gaining a Silver medal last year for the 2017 vintage. In addition, English wines won three Platinum, five Gold, 94 Silver and 46 Bronze medals.
Andrew Jefford, Co-Chair says, “The Decanter World Wine Awards really helps producers to raise their profile internationally. It can do the same for wine-producing regions and nations, too. Our judging system - including re-tasting of all Golds, with possible promotion to Platinum - is something we are very proud of. We explain it as often as we can. So, when consumers see a DWWA sticker on a bottle, be it Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze, they can be reassured that the wine in question has been judged by regional experts and specialists before receiving its medal."
The judges honoured The Roman Road Chardonnay with the following tasting notes:
"For the second year running, England (and Kent) has stepped up to the Best-In-Show challenge with a still Chardonnay wine of starry quality.
That doesn't, of course, mean something the colour of a buttercup and with a lush and flamboyantly nutty scent; this wine is green-silver pale and aromatically very shy: a little slight teasing creaminess, just hinting at both flowers and fruit without actually cashing in on the promise with a suite of emphatic allusions.
On the palate, it is pure and vivacious, lively and dancing: a spring-fresh Chardonnay of great grace whose pleasures are almost amplified by their restraint, and by the resulting drinkability and gastronomic amenability of the wine.
Fine vineyards and a fine season have come together to memorable effect here."
A full list of winners can be viewed online at http://awards.decanter.com/DWWA