The following wines won trophies in the recent New Wave Spanish Wine Awards 2007 organised by Wines from Spain in London and judged by the panel of eminent British tasters listed below. Note how inexpensive and easy to find some of them are, although it’s a shame that the best wine of the show is not even imported into the UK – and nor does winesearcher.com seem to have heard of it. Very tantalising…
Best Value Cava
René Barbier Brut Reserva NV Cava
£7.16 Oliver Wines Ltd, East Sussex 01273 474766
£6.30 Berkmann Wine Cellars Direct 02076700972
Best Cava
Jaume Codorníu NV Cava
£22.09 (£132 x 6) www.everywine.co.uk
Best Wine with no UK agent
Viña Somoza Clásico Godello 2006 Valdeorras
No UK importer.
Best White under £10
Viña del Alba Albariño 2006 Rias Baixas
£8.99 Taurus Wines 01483 548484
£8.99 Magnum Wines 0207 839 5732
Best White over £10/Best Wine of Show
Pazo Señorans Selección Añada 2002 Rias Baixas
£32.20 Connollys of Birmingham 0121 236 9269
£26.50 Gauntleys of Nottingham Tel: 0115 911 0555
£25.99 Philglas & Swiggott 020 7924 4494
Best Rosado of Show
Hijos de Antonio Barcelo, Storks’ Tower 2006 Castilla León
£5.99 Tesco from 15 Aug (1,000 stores)
Best Red under £10
Barón de Ley Club Privado Reserva 2002 Rioja
£10.99* (3 for 2 £7.33 a bottle) Thresher
Note: At the time of entry, this wine was £9.99, but has since increased in price to £10.99.
Best Red over £10
Bodega Mustiguillo, Finca Terrerazo 2004 Utiel Requena
£19.95 Cooden Cellars 01323 649663
£19.75 Halifax Wine Co 01422 256333
Best Value Red/Best Own Label Red
Tesco Old Vines Tempranillo 2006 Campo de Borja
£4.99 or £28.44 for 6 Tesco
Best Premium Wine £20+
Bodegas Labastida, Manuel Quintano Reserva 2001 Rioja
£25 Direct Wines/Laithwaites
Best Unfortified Sweet Wine
Julián Chivite Colección 125 Vendimia Tardía 2005 Navarra
£14.25 a half Waitrose
£14.31 a half Berkmann Wine Cellars Direct 0207 6700972
Best Sherries (joint)
Bodegas Hidalgo Manzanilla Pasada Pastrana Single Vineyard Sherry
£8.49 Majestic
Fernando de Castilla Antique Oloroso
£18 Woodwinters 01786 834 894
£18.95 Bentleys 01584 875 520
Best Own Label Sherry
Waitrose Solera Jerezana Fino del Puerto Sherry
£6.49 Waitrose
Best Fortified Sweet Wine
González Byass Matusalem Muy Viejo Sherry
£12.59 per half Sainsbury’s
The JUDGES (chaired by Tim Atkin MW):
Tim Atkin MW is the wine correspondent of The Observer and wine editor at large of OLN. He is also a co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge.
Sam Harrop MW is a consultant winemaker and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge.
Alex Hunt is the purchasing director of Berkmann Wine Cellars, and has contributed articles to Decanter, The Drinks Business and World of Fine Wine.
Bruno Murciano, from Valencia, is head sommelier at The Ritz, London.
Derek Smedley MW is a consultant. He works with many City Livery Companies, The Mansion House and Guildhall advising on which wines should be bought and when to drink them. He is also a co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge.
Charles Metcalfe is a co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge. He is a well-known TV wine presenter and has written two books about the wines of Spain and Portugal.
James Griswood is the product development manager at Tesco for Iberian wines including sherry and port. He is also responsible for the wines from Italy and the USA.
John Radford is a freelance writer and broadcaster specialising in Spain. He is the author of the award-winning The New Spain and The Wines of Rioja.
Simon Woods is an award-winning wine writer and columnist for Wine & Spirit magazine.
Peter Richards is an award-winning wine writer and broadcaster. Spain is one of Peter’s specialities, having lived and travelled extensively in the country, where he acquired a taste for the wines as well as a daily siesta.
Nick Room is a wine buyer for Waitrose. He has bought table wine from Spain for nine years, and has worked with sherry for over 15 years.
Alison Buchanan is associate director of buying for Corney and Barrow.
Jonathan Butt is the chief wine buyer for Thresher group (Threshers and Wine Rack).
Joanna Simon is an author, wine writer and the wine correspondent of The Sunday Times.
Peter McCombie MW is a consultant. He writes about the on-trade and works with restaurants and hotels developing wine lists and training staff.
Patricia Langton became a freelance journalist last year. She is the former wine editor of OLN and writes regularly about Spanish and South American wines for business and consumer magazines.
Sam Harrop MW is a consultant winemaker and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge.
Alex Hunt is the purchasing director of Berkmann Wine Cellars, and has contributed articles to Decanter, The Drinks Business and World of Fine Wine.
Bruno Murciano, from Valencia, is head sommelier at The Ritz, London.
Derek Smedley MW is a consultant. He works with many City Livery Companies, The Mansion House and Guildhall advising on which wines should be bought and when to drink them. He is also a co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge.
Charles Metcalfe is a co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge. He is a well-known TV wine presenter and has written two books about the wines of Spain and Portugal.
James Griswood is the product development manager at Tesco for Iberian wines including sherry and port. He is also responsible for the wines from Italy and the USA.
John Radford is a freelance writer and broadcaster specialising in Spain. He is the author of the award-winning The New Spain and The Wines of Rioja.
Simon Woods is an award-winning wine writer and columnist for Wine & Spirit magazine.
Peter Richards is an award-winning wine writer and broadcaster. Spain is one of Peter’s specialities, having lived and travelled extensively in the country, where he acquired a taste for the wines as well as a daily siesta.
Nick Room is a wine buyer for Waitrose. He has bought table wine from Spain for nine years, and has worked with sherry for over 15 years.
Alison Buchanan is associate director of buying for Corney and Barrow.
Jonathan Butt is the chief wine buyer for Thresher group (Threshers and Wine Rack).
Joanna Simon is an author, wine writer and the wine correspondent of The Sunday Times.
Peter McCombie MW is a consultant. He writes about the on-trade and works with restaurants and hotels developing wine lists and training staff.
Patricia Langton became a freelance journalist last year. She is the former wine editor of OLN and writes regularly about Spanish and South American wines for business and consumer magazines.
