The results are in and Wine GB has awarded nine Kent Surrey and Sussex vineyards gold
Despite the coronavirus pandemic locking down many businesses in the food and beverage industry, Wine GB decided to press on with its 2020 awards which highlight the best English and Welsh wines.
The judging took place in July, with the panel – co-chairs Susie Barrie MW and Oz Clarke MBE along with Rebecca Palmer wine buyer of Corney & Barrow – tasting through a record number of wines in very different circumstances to the normal tasting set up.
With strict COVID-19 measures in place the three judges deliberated all 281 entries over five days. Of the 34 gold medals handed out by the judges, over half were from vineyards in Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
BEST OF THE BEST
Kent
CHAPEL DOWN: Kit’s Coty Coeur de Cuvée 2014, Kit’s Coty Bacchus 2017 and Kit’s Coty Chardonnay 2017
GUSBOURNE: Cherry Garden Rosé 2019, Pinot Noir 2018, Chardonnay Clone 809 2018 and Guinevere 2017
Surrey
HIGH CLANDON ESTATE VINEYARD: Endymion Cuvée Prestige Vintage 2015
Sussex
ASHLING PARK ESTATE: Ashling Park Cuvée NV and Ashling Park Sparkling Rosé NV
BLUEBELL VINEYARD ESTATES: ‘Hindleap’ Ruby 2018
BREAKY BOTTOM: Cuvée Peter Christiansen 2014 Cuvée, Gerard Hoffnung 2009, Cuvée Reynolds Stone 2010, Cuvée Michelle Moreau 2014 and Cuvée Cornelis Hendriksen 2013
HIDDEN SPRING VINEYARD: Bacchus Fumé 2019
SUGRUE SOUTH DOWNS: The Trouble With Dreams 2014
WISTON ESTATE: Cuvée 2015
Best of the rest
The judges awarded a further 98 silver medals and 113 bronze medals. Sussex dominated the medal table with 48, closely followed by Kent with 45 medals.
You can view all the results here.
