The South West has performed well in The WineGB Awards 2023.
This year saw a record number of entries for the English wine recognition which awards gold, silver and bronze medal status. Of the medals awarded, 156 went to sparkling, (38 Gold, 81 Silver and 37 Bronze) and 157 to still wines (10 Gold, 64 Silver and 83 Bronze).
Notable successes among smaller producers in the gold medal sparkling wine category included two Wiltshire producers, first-time entrant Domaine Hugo's Hugo 19 and Southcott Vineyard 2018 Classic. This year the competition saw two sparkling red wines taking home medals, one of which was Cornwall's Camel Valley Vineyard, which won a bronze medal for its sparking red 2021.
Nania’s vineyard in Bristol won a silver medal for its still Orange Ortega, while Cornwall-based Trevibban Mill took home a silver medal for its Pet Nat wine, Trevibban Mill Pét Nat 2022.
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Cornwall, Devon and Hampshire, gained 19 medals each, closely followed by Wiltshire (14 medals) Dorset (13 medals), and Gloucestershire (11 medals).
James Cumming owner of Fenny Castle, based in Wells, said: “It is an amazing time to be part of the English wine Industry as the wines go from strength to strength. As a small producer in Somerset we are delighted to have been awarded a gold medal in the 2023 WineGB Awards for our Fenny Castle Sparkling Rosé 2019.”
Martin Fowke, winemaking director at Three Choirs Vineyard near Newent, added: “We are delighted for ourselves and two other vineyards White Castle (in Llanvetherine) and Whitehall (based in Wiltshire) who we also produced gold winning wines for that were entered into the WineGB awards.”
The White Castle gold winning wine was Pinot Noir Reserve 2021 and Whitehall’s gold winning medal wine was Whitehall Sparkling Rosé 2019.
Langham Wine Estate, Dorchester, head winemaker Tommy Grimshaw commented: "It means a huge amount to us as a small team to represent Dorset and the South West. The vineyard team work so hard to produce such high quality fruit and it’s a privilege to get to make wine with from it, so we’re over the moon that we have been so well awarded this year.”
Woodchester Vineyard, Stroud, founder Fiona Shiner, said: “We're really pleased with this year's results at the WineGB Awards. As the biggest and most prestigious competition in the UK, with a formidable and highly qualified judging panel, it's a great chance for us to benchmark our wines against the best in the country.
"This year we were awarded a Gold medal for our sparkling Rosé with some lovely tasting notes from the judges, saying there were inviting aromas of "macerated strawberries and cream, so soft yet persistent presence on the palate, with minerality underpinning red berry fruit and orange zest."
Sandridge Barton in Stoke Gabriel, Devon, said: “Happy Days! We entered seven wines this year and achieved seven awards, including a Gold for our ‘Pinot Noir 2020’, four Silver awards and two bronze medals.
"WineGB medals are always a real delight to the whole team and an acknowledgement that all the hard work is paying off. It’s a validation that the wines we believe to be top quality are backed up by esteemed peers and professionals within the English wine industry."
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