Winners in the aisles

This is the time of year that supermarkets dangle banners across their wine aisles shouting their success in the various wine competitions while bottles sprout sticky labels declaring that they have won a medal or two. Are these successes worth taking notice of? Definitely. A shiny label bearing a medal is a sure sign that a wine has been tasted and judged worthy of recognition for its quality, value for money or maybe even both.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Sep 2010, 15:56 BST
Updated 29th Sep 2010, 15:57 BST

There are several competitions run on an annual basis but I reckon that the International Wine Challenge is the best. With entries running at about 10,000 wines from around the world and its judging panels made up of Masters of Wine, regional experts and wine professionals, it brings together 250 tasters over a

10-day period.

All the wines are grouped together, by region, grape variety or style and they are tasted blind in flights of up to 10 wines. Each wine is judged at least twice, first by a panel and then by the competition chairmen, so nothing is thrown out of the competition because of a single tasting. Faulty bottles are replaced and re-tasted to make sure every wine has a fair chance of going through to the medal stage. Wines that eventually win a top medal may have been scrutinised up to six times before the final decision is made.

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At this point it is worth saying that I am a panel chairman at the Challenge, responsible for steering one of the tasting panels to consensus about each wine – but even I don't know what labels lurk beneath the covers.

At the end of a fairly exhausting fortnight, the medal results are announced on the Challenge website (www.internationalwinechallenge.com) but top winners, the trophies, are kept under wraps until now.

Some of the best wines to look for after the results come out are the good value awards. We all love a bargain and if a wine producer can make consistently good wine at an affordable price, then that is definitely the place to start.

Marks and Spencer did extremely well this year and won the Supermarket of the Year Award which is an outstanding result considering that they have a tiny range compared with the likes of Tesco and Waitrose. They also won the Champion White Wine Award for their Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru Les Chalumeaux 2007 (30) which has sadly sold out, although the 2008 vintage has followed on and is tasting just as good. They also won the Great Value Champion Ros Award for their Secano Ros Pinot Noir 2009 from the Leyda Valley in Chile (7.49). This is a wine that I have recommended before for its bright cherry and redcurrant fruit and crisp, lively flavours.

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With a far bigger range and a by-the-case policy, although the case is now a six-pack instead of a dozen, Majestic Wine Warehouse claimed the title of High Street Merchant of the Year and overall Merchant of the Year at the Challenge. I like Majestic for its wide and serious range but, most of all, for its clear pricing policy. Like everyone they have their special offers with 2 off here and there, but the offers are clearly marked, and the prices don't seem to be artificially inflated just to accommodate a price reduction later. The multibuy is the key to getting the best prices at Majestic, so it is well worth doubling up on certain wines just to save money.

Their top wines from the Challenge include the deep spice-edged cherry and mulberry fruit of Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2008 from Mount Difficulty in Central Otago, New Zealand (17.49 per bottle or 13.99 on multibuy) and the fabulous complexity and layers of figs, tobacco and damson fruit in EQ Syrah 2008 from Chile's San Antonio's Valley (22 per bottle or 19 on multibuy).

Not all medal-winning wines cost a fortune and I was pleased to see that La Gitana Manzanilla (8.49 Majestic) won a gold medal once again.

If I call it a sherry, which it is, it will be classified along with the hefty, sweetish brown stuff that sits on sideboards for years. La Gitana is more like a cold, fresh shower for the tastebuds with crisp, nutty flavours and a light salty tang which refreshes the palate perfectly before lunch or dinner. Served chilled with salted almonds for the perfect aperitif.

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After last year's triple sweep of awards for local merchants with the Halifax Wine Company winning the Specialist Merchant award for its range of Portuguese wines; Harrogate Fine Wine named as Specialist Merchant for South African wines, and Terroir Languedoc the Specialist Merchant for Languedoc Roussillon, this year only Terroir Languedoc managed to hold on to its crown. This dynamic mail order company, based in Skipton, is run by Gemma Crangle and she spends much of her time in the south of France sourcing wines from specialist, individual producers who do not have the volume and organisation to sell through large retailers. The result is that she has a

fine collection of wines which sell regularly and are replaced by others. The best way to see the range is on her website (www.terroirlanguedoc.co.uk). She lists the fabulously deep and complex wines of Mas de Daumas Gassac (2006 red, 22.95), the supple, ripe wines of Ch de Pech Redon (2005 red L'Epervier 11.95) and the super sweet wines of Domaine des Soulanes (2007 Maury Blanc 11.25), plus many other specialist domaines.

Also in Skipton, The Wright Wine Company was shortlisted for Northern Wine Merchant of the Year. This treasure-trove of a shop is well worth a visit, not only for a great range of wines, but also for a fabulous selection of rare and old whiskies.

For one day during the 2010 Challenge tastings I was joined by Yorkshire Post reader Kim Thompson who won a place on my panel by blind tasting her way through a selection of wine. She certainly enjoyed the experience and early next year I shall be looking for another reader to join me in London to help select some of the best wines in the world.