Winemakers from across the county are celebrating success following the announcement of this year’s Wine GB Awards medals. Nick Mosley has the in depth report as Sussex’s top winemakers win big at the national awards night.

SHOWCASING the increasingly world-recognised wine industry of England and Wales, the medal results were announced on Wednesday, having been judged earlier in June.

The calibre of judges and competition partners make this a major competition for Great Britain’s wine producers.

The panel included an impressive line up of wine luminaries, led by co-chairs master of wine Susie Barrie and Oz Clarke.

Each judge was carefully selected to represent different spheres of the wine world, and all the wines were judged to international standards of marking.

Notable wins from Sussex producers include two golds to Wiston Estate in West Sussex for its non-vintage Blanc de Blancs and Rosé sparkling wines.

Kirsty Goring of Wiston said: “It is with very great excitement that we had the news of our two gold medals for our Rosé NV and Blanc de Blanc NV.

“It is hugely encouraging to be building on our success of the WineGB Winery of the Year Award in 2018.

“Having recently won the 2019 Trophy from the Independent English Wine Awards for our Brut NV, and now these golds for our other two Non-Vintages it feels like a fantastic endorsement for our entry level wines.”

While around 70 per cent of wine production in England and Wales is sparkling, the percentage of still wine production is increasing, and more importantly, the quality is improving year-on-year.

Bluebell Vineyard Estates launched its Ashdown range of still wines earlier in the summer and these received both silver and bronze medals.

At Bolney Wine Estate, head winemaker Sam Linter is celebrating a gold medal for her Pinot Noir 2018 still red wine.

Bolney has been at the forefront of still red wine production in the the UK, meaning this accolade is particularly important for the team.

Sam said: “This is our first gold medal for this wine.

“We’ve worked hard perfecting our Pinot, year on year, since we started making it in the late Nineties.

“We have consistently won silver medals internationally and nationally for this wine, including Silver Outstanding previously, so this is a fantastic award and the next step for our hero wine... and the variety that we love most.

“We were championing Pinot Noir when English still wines and English reds were still in their infancy and this level of recognition is fantastic.”

The Wine GB Awards Trophy winners will be unveiled at the competition’s awards ceremony on July 23, sponsored by Waitrose and Rankin.

These will include 13 best in class trophies, plus the top winners for Best Still, Best Sparkling and Supreme Champion. Other notable trophies include Winery of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Boutique Producer of the Year.

Wine GB Awards 2019 medal winners from Sussex

Gold

Bolney Wine Estate Pinot Noir 2018

Breaky Bottom Cuvée Peter Christiansen 2014, Cuvée l l l l Gerard Hoffnung 2009, Cuvée Oliver Minkley 2011

Davenport Vineyards Limney Estate 2013

Ridgeview Bloomsbury NV

Wiston Estate Wiston Blanc de Blancs NV, Wiston Rosé NV

Roebuck Estates, Classic Cuvée 2014

Silver

Bluebell Vineyard Estates Hindleap Blanc de Blancs 2013, Ashdown Rosé 2018, Hindleap Classic Cuvée 2014

Bolney Wine Estate Pinot Gris 2018, Estate Bacchus 2018, Autumn Spice 2018

Breaky Bottom Cuvée Michelle Moreau 2014

Davenport Vineyards Diamond Fields 2017

Nutbourne Vineyards Nutty Brut 2015, Bacchus 2017

Oxney Organic Estate Classic 2016, Chardonnay 2018, Pinot Noir Rosé 2018

Rathfinny Wine Estate Cradle Valley 2017

Hidden Spring Vineyard, Bacchus 2017

Oastbrook Estate Ltd, Oastbrook Pinot Gris 2018

Bronze

Bluebell Vineyard Estates Hindleap Barrel Aged Blanc de Blancs 2014, Ashdown Bacchus 2018, Hindleap Seyval Blanc 2014, Ashdown Estate White 2018, Hindleap Rosé 2015

Bolney Wine Estate Lychgate Bacchus 2018, Dark Harvest 2017, Blanc de Noirs 2015, Cuvée Rosé 2016

Carr Taylor Brut 2014, Rosé Sparkling 2014, Demi Sec 2013

Davenport Vineyards Horsmonden 2018

Plumpton Estate Plumpton Estate Brut Classic NV, Plumpton Estate Brut Rosé NV

Ridgeview Blanc de Noirs 2014

Wiston Estate Wiston Brut NV

Busi Jacobsohn Estate, Brut 2017

Henners Vineyard, Native Grace Rosé 2018

Hidden Spring Vineyard, Bacchus Reserve 2018, Bacchus 2018, Pinot Gris 2018

Off The Line, Dancing Dog Rosé 2018, Hip Rosé 2018