English sparkling wine beats champagne at prestigious wine competition
Another English sparkling wine beats champagne at a prestigious wine competition and is voted one of the best in the world
An English sparkling wine has once again beat Champagne in prestigious awards.
Sandridge Barton, a Devon estate with 40 years of history, was impressed by industry experts who were named a Master – the highest award – at the Global Sparkling Masters 2023.
The expert judges, including six Masters of Wine, awarded it this top medal after tasting more than 200 wines from all corners of the world.
Organized by leading publication The Drinks Business, the competition was open to any sparkling wine made anywhere in the world.
Sandridge Barton’s Blanc de Noirs was one of only seven wines to receive the highest Master’s medal, an even higher distinction than gold, which equates to 97+ points.
Sandridge Barton, a Devon estate with 40 years of history, impressed industry experts who were named a Master – the highest award – at the Global Sparkling Masters 2023 (stock image)
This put the homegrown success story in the same league as Lanson and Laurent-Perrier champagnes, as well as wines from the famed Asti and California regions.
Patrick Schmitt MW, chairman of the jury, praised the wine for its aromas of cooked apple, freshly baked bread and puff pastry, as well as its spicy, bone-dry finish.
He described the Master Medalist as “a super fresh bubble bursting with flavors of crunchy, fresh fruit from the orchard.”
Winning the prestigious medal is even more remarkable as the 2020 Blanc de Noirs is the first release in the company’s premium range.
The vintage is the first from their new Sandridge Barton estate; the team, formerly known as Sharpham Wine, completed their move to the site near Stoke Gabriel in 2022.
Duncan Schwab, the CEO and Head Winemaker, commented on the win, claiming it is “a testament to the harmonious blend of passion, skill and artistry we pour into every bottle.”
Sandridge Barton’s Blanc de Noirs was one of only seven wines to receive the highest Master’s Medal, an even higher accolade than gold, which equates to 97+ points (stock image)
He took the victory as proof that “English wines have the potential to establish themselves as a prominent player in the global wine market, with unique and exceptional expressions of terroir and winemaking expertise.”
Two other English wines proved this point by winning gold medals in the competition: the 2015 All Angels Classic Cuvée and the 2018 Busi Jacobsohn Blanc de Noirs. The English successes echo those of Woodchester Valley, the Cotswold winery that, after winning a entire vintage was sold out. a Master medal in last year’s Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters.
With English wines increasingly challenging Champagne, Judge Patricia Stefanowicz MW thinks we should take note: ‘they are more than understudies in their roles.’
It comes after an English sparkling wine was voted one of the best in the world at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards, while red, white and rosé from the UK took first place.
Although critics have looked down on British wine for decades, the changing acidity of the soil where grapes grow in the UK means that homegrown bottles now rival those from France, Spain and Italy.
A total of 143 British wines took home the awards, with one from Kent being awarded ‘best in show’, praised for its ‘citrus purity, seaside freshness and unmistakable grit’.
Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2018 received a Best in Show award, while winemakers in Hampshire, Sussex and Kent also saw their wine win gold medals.