Anthony Rose, Susan Hulme MW and Jason Millar tasted 109 wines, with 3 Outstanding and 41 Highly recommended.

Etna Rosso: Panel tasting scores

109 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 3

Highly recommended 41

Recommended 49

Commended 11

Fair 4

Poor 1

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their red wines classified as Etna DOC Rosso, Etna DOC Rosso Riserva or IGP Terre Siciliane, made using a minimum of 80% Nerello Mascalese or Nerello Cappuccio

In his Native Wine Grapes of Italy, Ian d’Agata writes: ‘Prior to 2000, nobody talked about Nerello Mascalese, or Nerello Cappuccio, its stablemate.’ Today, he says, things ‘couldn’t be more different, and the Etna area has become, without question, Italy’s single hottest wine production zone’.

Whether or not intended, there is a degree of irony in the word ‘hottest’ here, because – with all due respect to the reality of climate change – the huge Sicilian mountain attracting publicity this year for puffing volcanic vortex rings is distinctly colder and wetter than the rest of the island.

The Etna DOC was established in 1968, but it wasn’t until the ‘noughties’ that it saw the widespread adoption of indigenous grape varieties, most notably the light-coloured, late-ripening Nerello Mascalese.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Etna Rosso panel tasting

Etna Rosso panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

Anthony Rose is a widely published writer on wine and sake, including for The Oxford Companion. A DWWA Regional Chair, his latest book is Fizz! Champagne and Sparkling Wines of the World (Infinite Ideas, 2021).

Susan Hulme MW is a wine writer, editor, educator and presenter specialising in Italy. She runs her own wine training and consultancy company Vintuition and travels regularly to Italy’s wine regions. Now focusing more on her writing, she is Italian editor for The Wine Independent.

Jason Millar is a freelance wine writer, consultant, judge and communicator, with a focus on South Africa and Italy. He was formerly buyer and director at retailer Theatre of Wine, and in 2016 was the top WSET Diploma graduate worldwide.

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Beth Willard, Matthew Forster MW and Pierre Mansour tasted 48 wines, with 3 Outstanding and 20 Highly recommended.

Rioja Viñedos Singulares: Panel tasting scores

48 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 3

Highly recommended 20

Recommended 20

Commended 2

Fair 3

Poor 0

Entry criteria: producers were invited to submit up to two current release wines, red and / or white, classified as ‘Vino de Viñedo Singular’ as per the regulations of DOCa Rioja

This was an intriguing tasting that threw up some surprises, much like the viñedo singular category itself. Since the 2017 harvest, producers in Rioja have been permitted to classify specific vineyard sites, shifting the focus from the ageing process to the wine’s origin. In this tasting, we assessed wines from the first five vintages produced within this designation.

The highest scoring wines offered the clearest varietal character and sense of place. Among the three Outstanding wines (see below), the Garnacha-dominant blend of Quiñón de Valmira displayed the red cherry fruit that’s typical of the variety, accented by the flinty freshness of the higher zones of Monte Yerga. Meanwhile, Tronco Negro – from 90-year-old vineyards – exemplified the old-vine concentration that’s demanded by the category (vines must be at least 35 years old and yield at least 20% below the average for the rest of the DOCa).

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Rioja Viñedos Singulares panel tasting

Viñedos Singulares panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

Beth Willard is involved in sourcing wines for both the on- and off-trade in the UK, with a particular focus on Spain and Eastern Europe. Formerly buying manager at Direct Wines, she is a DWWA Co-Chair and also a member of Spain’s Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino

Matthew Forster MW is an independent wine consultant and education specialist, and founder of The Wine Partnership. A former director at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, he has a particular passion for the food and wine cultures of Spain and Portugal

Pierre Mansour is director of wine at The Wine Society, and has been buying The Society’s Spanish wines since 2008. He is a member of Spain’s Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino, and a DWWA joint Regional Chair for Spain

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Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, Sarah Jane Evans MW and Pierre Mansour tasted 115 wines, with 7 Outstanding and 46 Highly recommended.

White Rioja: Panel tasting scores

115 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 7

Highly recommended 46

Recommended 54

Commended 8

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit current-release white Rioja wines of any style and any vintage

The category of white Rioja includes acclaimed wines such as Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva and Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay – wines with exquisite elegance that can last longer than a human lifetime. There are also newer wines made in that model, as well as many other younger wines in a variety of styles, made from several different grape varieties. Probably because of this stylistic diversity, it can be hard for wine drinkers to pinpoint what ‘white Rioja’ is.

This panel tasting was excellent on two counts. First, because of the good scores. Second – and probably more importantly – because it helps us establish a definition of the most promising white Rioja style.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the White Rioja panel tasting

White Rioja panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW is a widely published wine journalist, educator and judge. He holds a degree in agronomical engineering and a Masters in viticulture and oenology, and is a DWWA joint Regional Chair for Spain

Sarah Jane Evans MW is an awarded journalist, author and broadcaster, a DWWA Co-Chair, and the chair of the Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino. Her latest book The Wines of Central and Southern Spain is set for release in 2025

Pierre Mansour is director of wine at The Wine Society, where he has worked for 23 years. Starting out with merchant Berry Bros & Rudd, he joined The Wine Society in 2000, moved into buying after four years and has been buying The Society’s Spanish wines since 2008

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Amanda Barnes, Madeleine Stenwreth MW and Dirceu Vianna Junior MW tasted 136 wines with 8 Outstanding and 74 Highly recommended.

Premium Argentinian Malbec: Panel tasting scores

136 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 8

Highly recommended 74

Recommended 44

Commended 2

Fair 8

Poor 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release wines labelled as single-varietal Malbec, in which Malbec represents at least 85% of the blend, with a minimum retail price of £15 or US$18

You would be surprised at how exciting it can be to taste nearly 140 Malbecs back-to-back. Far from any monotony, there was a compelling diversity of wine styles, regions and expressions in this panel tasting. Proving that premium Malbec remains at the forefront of the evolving face of Argentine wine, the tasting highlighted not only an ever-greater focus on terroir – particularly in the sub-regions of Mendoza’s Uco Valley – but also a quest for freshness and elegance.

‘The best examples displayed excellent varietal definition and a real sense of place,’ commented Dirceu Vianna Junior MW. ‘It is wonderful to see great premium Malbec emerging from all corners of the country, with especially high quality coming out of Mendoza’s Uco Valley and more specifically [Paraje] Altamira.’

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Premium Argentinian Malbec panel tasting

Premium Argentinian Malbec panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

Amanda Barnes is a writer and presenter specialising in South American travel and wine. A DWWA judge, she is author of the awardwinning South America Wine Guide (£35 www.southamericawineguide.com)

Madeleine Stenwreth MW is an international wine consultant based in Sweden. Prior to setting up her consultancy in 2010, she was quality & product development manager for a leading wine importer in the Nordic market, having also been wine buyer for South Africa and South America at Swedish alcohol monopoly Systembolaget

Dirceu Vianna Junior MW is a wine writer, consultant and educator. Based in the UK since 1989, he was a director at some of the UK’s top distributors. After becoming a Master of Wine in 2008, he co-authored the awarded book Conheça Vinhos (‘Understanding Wine’, in Portuguese)

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Ronan Sayburn MS, Eugenio Egorov and Ben Gubbins tasted 49 wines with 3 Outstanding and 17 Highly recommended.

US Merlot: Panel tasting scores

49 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 3

Highly recommended 17

Recommended 27

Commended 2

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release Merlot red wines from any recognised US wine region, containing a minimum of 75% Merlot if in a blend with other varieties

It’s 20 years since the protagonist in the movie Sideways – Miles, a dedicated Pinot-phile – expressed his utter disdain for Merlot. Not long after the film came out, figures released by market analyst Nielsen showed a 16% jump in sales of Pinot Noir against the previous year, along with a 2% decrease in sales of Merlot. A study carried out by economist Stephen Cuellar of Sonoma State University and two colleagues, and released four years after the movie, showed a similar effect.

The small drop in Merlot sales, despite the devastating put-downs of Miles, may be an indication of the continued popularity of this variety with many consumers – it’s soft, approachable, easy to pronounce and can offer rich and deep, ripe fruit. At one time, it was even talked about as a potential contender for Cabernet Sauvignon’s crown.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the US Merlot panel tasting

US Merlot panel tasting scores

The following wines all scored 90 points or above. Wines were tasted blind.

The judges

Ronan Sayburn MS is CEO of the Court of Master Sommeliers European chapter and runs his own consultancy and wine training company, RS Wine Academy. A Co-Chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards, he is also a previous winner of the UK Sommelier of the Year competition

Eugenio Egorov is head sommelier at AA five-star The Stafford in London. Born in Ukraine, he began his hospitality career in restaurants in Italy and Florida, USA, before moving to London in 2014, where he rose through the ranks as a sommelier at the likes of 45 Park Lane and The Dorchester

Ben Gubbins is general manager and WSET wine educator at Vagabond Wines in London. A native of Chile, he previously worked as UK & Europe sales director for Dos Andes Wines before joining Vagabond in 2013

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Susan Hulme MW, Vincenzo Arnese and Sara Bachiorri tasted 46 wines with 16 Highly recommended and 26 recommended.

Lugana white wines: Panel tasting scores

46 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 0

Highly recommended 16

Recommended 26

Commended 4

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their Lugana DOC dry white wines, either from the 2022 vintage or, if a Riserva, from the most recent vintage

Lugana is a white wine from the southern shores of Lake Garda. Cradled in a beautiful spot in the hills around the town of Sirmione, between the towns of Peschiera del Garda and Desenzano, Lugana DOC is one of the few Italian wine denominations that crosses two regions: Lombardy and Veneto.

The DOC was set up in 1967 and covers 2,600 hectares. It permits five different designations – annata (the regular wine of the vintage), Superiore, Riserva, late harvest and spumante (sparkling) – although most wines produced are dry whites.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Lugana white wines panel tasting

Lugana white wines panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

Susan Hulme MW is a wine writer, editor, educator and presenter specialising in Italy. She runs her own wine training and consultancy company Vintuition and travels regularly to Italy’s wine regions. Now focusing more on her writing, she is Italian editor for The Wine Independent.

Vincenzo Arnese is director of wine at Raffles London at the OWO. Born in Naples, he worked at top hotels in Italy, Switzerland and Australia, and later Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. A DWWA judge, in 2022 he won the coveted title of Taittinger UK Sommelier of the Year

Sara Bachiorri is in the buying team at merchant WoodWinters. A DWWA judge, she was formerly head sommelier at The Glasshouse in Kew then Chez Bruce in London, followed by a stint at Italian specialist merchant FortyFive10°.

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Jason Millar, Sara Bachiorri and Bruno Besa tasted 105 wines with 2 Outstanding and 32 Highly recommended.

Montepulciano: Panel tasting scores

105 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 2

Highly recommended 32

Recommended 60

Commended 8

Fair 2

Poor 2

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release vintages of Montepulciano red wines, with a minimum retail price of £9.99 or US$12

A staple of pizzerias across the land, Montepulciano is a grape variety that everyone knows but few love. Despite being the second most-planted red grape in Italy, it has struggled to be taken as anything other than good-value ‘house wine’.

This panel tasting focused on Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and showed encouraging signs of progress in recent vintages. It also made it clear that picking a premium Montepulciano can be a lottery, with little evident territorial definition and the range of styles wide.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Montepulciano panel tasting

Montepulciano panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

Jason Millar is a freelance wine writer, consultant, judge and communicator, with a focus on South Africa and Italy. He was formerly buyer and director at retailer Theatre of Wine, and in 2016 was the top WSET Diploma graduate worldwide.

Sara Bachiorri is in the buying team at merchant WoodWinters. A DWWA judge, she was formerly head sommelier at The Glasshouse in Kew then Chez Bruce in London, followed by a stint at Italian specialist merchant FortyFive10°.

Bruno Besa is founder and managing director of specialist wine importer Astrum Wine Cellars. A DWWA judge, he is originally from Friuli in northeast Italy, and was formerly a sommelier at the Dorchester Collection in London.

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Ronan Sayburn MS, Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW and Ben Gubbins tasted 48 wines, with 21 highly recommended and 26 recommended.

Washington GSM: Panel tasting scores

48 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 0

Highly recommended 21

Recommended 25

Commended 2

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest-release, blended red wines made using Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, either entirely or predominantly, from any Washington State AVA region.

A GSM blend is often associated with the Southern Rhône, especially Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where most of the blend is commonly Grenache, with some Syrah and Mourvèdre.

In Washington State, in the US northwest, the  proportion of the most dominant variety in  the blend is often not more than 50%, and it’s not always primarily Grenache. 

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Washington GSM panel tasting

Some wines in this tasting were led by Syrah (14) or even Mourvèdre (nine). So, as Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW commented, styles may be more like you’d find in a Languedoc blend (including a  handful that had small percentages of other blending varieties in the mix, such as Cinsault, Carignan or Counoise).

Washington GSM: Panel tasting scores

The judges

Ronan Sayburn MS is CEO of the Court of Master Sommeliers European chapter and runs his own consultancy and wine training company, RS Wine Academy. A previous winner of the UK Sommelier of the Year competition, he is also one of four DWWA Co-Chairs.

Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW is a widely published wine writer, consultant, educator and WSET lecturer. She is a regular judge and contributor for Decanter, and from this year is the DWWA Regional Chair for Tuscany.

Ben Gubbins is general manager and WSET wine educator at Vagabond Wines in London. A native of Chile, he previously worked as UK & Europe sales director for Dos Andes Wines before joining Vagabond in 2013.

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Sarah Ahmed, Nelson Guerreiro and Joanna Locke MW tasted 109 wines with 1 Exceptional, 4 Outstanding and 30 Highly recommended.

Portuguese whites: Panel tasting scores

109 wines tasted

Exceptional 1

Outstanding 4

Highly recommended 30

Recommended 55

Commended 17

Fair 2

Poor 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release dry white wines from any region in Portugal other than Vinho Verde, and produced using native Portuguese white grapes only, including single-varietal wines or blends

Portugal has an exceptional diversity of grape varieties and terroir, making this panel tasting a stylistic smorgasbord. The standard of the country’s white wines has improved exponentially in the last decade. With a good 76% of wines here earning Highly recommended or Recommended ratings, the quality base was broad and the apex high. Expect to drink well from Portugal and expect to drink interesting, food-friendly wines from native grapes, which tend to a dry, rather than fruit-driven, profile.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Portuguese whites panel tasting

Portuguese whites panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

Nelson Guerreiro is a certified sommelier currently working as brand ambassador for prominent Italian producers at renowned Portuguese merchant Garrafeira Nacional, as well as a wine educator at the Turismo de Portugal schools.

Sarah Ahmed is an awarded wine writer, educator and judge with a focus on Portugal. The DWWA Regional Chair for Portugal, she is a Cavaleiro of the Confraria do Vinho do Porto and writes a monthly column for Revista de Vinhos.

Joanna Locke MW is a wine buyer for The Wine Society, responsible for sourcing wines from Alsace, the Loire and Portugal. Previously a buyer for Thresher group from 1991, she joined importer John E Fells in 2000, then moved to The Wine Society in 2004.

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Susan Hulme MW, Vincenzo Arnese and Sara Bachiorri tasted 95 wines with 1 Outstanding and 35 Highly recommended.

Piedmont Dolcetto: Panel tasting scores

95 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 1

Highly recommended 35

Recommended 57

Commended 2

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their currently available vintages of Piedmont Dolcetto red wines, with no price restrictions, from DOCs Dolcetto d’Alba, Dolcetto d’Asti, Dolcetto d’Acqui, Dolcetto di Ovada, or DOCGs Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba/Diano d’Alba, Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore or Dogliani

Dolcetto is the third-most important red grape variety in Piedmont, after Nebbiolo and Barbera. Although most closely associated with Piedmont, it is also grown in Lombardy, Liguria and the island of Sardinia, though often under other names (Ormeasco, Nibiò etc). It’s an early-ripening variety – two to three weeks before Nebbiolo – and produces deeply coloured, dry red wines with plenty of gentle tannins and lowish acidity, which emphasise the sweetness of fruit and perhaps explains the meaning of its name: ‘little sweet one’.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Dolcetto panel tasting

Dolcetto panel tasting scores

The judges

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Roger Jones, Freddy Bulmer and Cat Lomax tasted 197 wines with 6 Outstanding and 24 Highly recommended.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc: Panel tasting scores

197 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 6

Highly recommended 24

Recommended 72

Commended 74

Fair 21

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest-release dry, still white wines made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc from any region in New Zealand

For a long time, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has been ‘a safe banker’, as judge Cat Lomax said. ‘A wine you could pick up knowing exactly what to expect in the glass.’

The top-line results (see the scores below) suggest a solid tasting, but the recent-release wines came in for some strong criticism from our panel, over 2.5 days of judging.

We all agreed, on the basis of this tasting, that there was no longer a guarantee that expectations of ‘pungent aromatics and concentrated flavours’ would be met.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting scores

The judges

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Pinot Noir has been known in Alsace since the Middle Ages. It once flourished, but war and conflict reduced it to just 2% of regional production by 1969.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 18 Alsace Pinot Noir wines to try

By the 1990s, it was often boring, lacking the spicy, earthy nuance and beguiling, perfume-like cherry characters encountered in great Burgundy, the world standard. Instead I remember thin, weedy reds served in pitchers at local restaurants. Aside from a handful of producers, Pinot Noir was not taken seriously, and the official Alsace Grand Cru appellation of 1975 (revised in 1983) excluded Pinot Noir.

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Anne Krebiehl MW, Justin Knock MW and Dirceu Vianna Junior MW tasted 134 wines, with 12 outstanding, 100 highly recommended and 20 recommended.

New World Pinot Noir part II: Panel tasting scores

134 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 12

Highly recommended 100

Recommended 20

Commended 1

Fair 1

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release, dry, still 100% Pinot Noir red wines with a minimum retail price of £30 in the UK or equivalent in their domestic market

In a three-day Pinot Noir marathon in late September, we three judges tasted 273 premium examples from North and South America, Australasia and South Africa. There were so many high-scorers – 215 at 90 points or more – that we had to split the results. The wines from Canada, US, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay featured in last month’s November issue, while it is now time for Australia, New Zealand and South Africa to shine.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the New World Pinot Noir panel tasting

Australia, New Zealand & South Africa Pinot Noir: Panel tasting scores

The judges

Anne Krebiehl MW is a widely published writer, award-winning author and lecturer with a particular focus, among others, on Pinot Noir and traditional- method sparkling wines from around the globe.

Justin Knock MW is director of wine for luxury merchant Decant London, and has a background in winemaking, brand and generic marketing, education, consultancy and fine wine retail. An Australian national, he was a director of the California Wine Institute UK, and is currently a DWWA joint Regional Chair for Australia.

Dirceu Vianna Junior MW is a wine writer, consultant and educator. Based in the UK since 1989, he was a director at some of the UK’s top distributors. After becoming a Master of Wine in 2008, he co-authored the awarded book Conheça Vinhos (‘Understanding Wine’, in Portuguese).

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Beth Willard, Sarah Jane Evans MW and Pierre Mansour tasted 59 wines, with 1 Outstanding and 26 Highly recommended.

Galician whites: Panel tasting results

59 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 1

Highly recommended 26

Recommended 31

Commended 0

Fair 1

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-vintage white wines – single varietals or blends of any authorised white grapes except Albariño – from any of the five DOs in Galicia: Monterrei, Rías Baixas, Ribeira Sacra, Ribeiro, Valdeorras.

From Godello to Treixadura, Loureiro to Caiño Blanco, this tasting offered some exceptional examples of Galicia’s white wines, as well as some new discoveries and a few surprises.

Here we focused on Galicia’s treasure trove of white varieties excluding Albariño, which has already earned itself plenty of attention and been well explored in other tastings. Spanish agriculture ministry data for 2022 shows that production of white wines across the four provinces of Galicia constitutes a significant 69%, bucking the trend of the majority of regions in Spain where red varieties are more widely planted.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Galician whites panel tasting

Galician whites: Panel tasting scores

The judges

Beth Willard is involved in sourcing wines for both the on- and off-trade in the UK, with a particular focus on Eastern Europe and Spain. Formerly buying manager at Direct Wines, she is a member of Spain’s Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino, and a DWWA joint Regional Chair for Spain.

Sarah Jane Evans MW is a Decanter contributing editor and Co-Chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards. Her latest book The Wines of Central and Southern Spain (£35 Infinite Ideas) is set for release in early 2024.

Pierre Mansour is director of wine at The Wine Society, and has been buying The Society’s Spanish wines since 2008. He is a member of Spain’s Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino, and a DWWA joint Regional Chair for Spain.

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Anne Krebiehl MW, Justin Knock MW and Dirceu Vianna Junior MW tasted 139 wines, with 2 outstanding, 101 highly recommended and 36 recommended.

Americas Pinot Noir: Panel tasting scores

139 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 2

Highly recommended 101

Recommended 36

Commended 0

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release, dry, still 100% Pinot Noir red wines with a minimum retail price of £30 in the UK or equivalent in their domestic market

What a Pinot Noir marathon! In late September in the tasting suite at Decanter’s London offices, we three judges tasted 273 New World Premium Pinot Noirs over three full days, and I do not think any of us had ever reviewed such a comprehensive selection before.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Americas Pinot Noir panel tasting

Americas Pinot Noir: Panel tasting scores

The judges

Anne Krebiehl MW is a widely published writer, award-winning author and lecturer with a particular focus, among others, on Pinot Noir and traditional- method sparkling wines from around the globe.

Justin Knock MW is director of wine for luxury merchant Decant London, and has a background in winemaking, brand and generic marketing, education, consultancy and fine wine retail. An Australian national, he was a director of the California Wine Institute UK, and is currently a DWWA joint Regional Chair for Australia.

Dirceu Vianna Junior MW is a wine writer, consultant and educator. Based in the UK since 1989, he was a director at some of the UK’s top distributors. After becoming a Master of Wine in 2008, he co-authored the awarded book Conheça Vinhos (‘Understanding Wine’, in Portuguese).

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Sarah Jane Evans MW, Pierre Mansour and Beth Willard tasted 137 wines, with 1 Exceptional, 5 Outstanding and 71 Highly recommended.

Albariño: Panel tasting scores

137 wines tasted

Exceptional 1

Outstanding 5

Highly recommended 71

Recommended 59

Commended 1

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release vintages of still white wines made from 100% Albariño

Search this website for Rías Baixas Albariño reviews and you will find we did a panel tasting way back in 2016. It was already an established favourite on wine lists: the new face of Spanish white, peachy and unoaked. We talked then of the risk that global demand was turning Albariño into another Pinot Grigio.

The verdict then was that it was a tasting of two halves. Said Pierre Mansour at the time: there were ‘some truly great [wines] with real identity and class… no poor or faulty wines, but too many neutral ones’.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Albariño panel tasting

Albariño: Panel tasting scores

The judges

Sarah Jane Evans MW is a Decanter contributing editor and Co-Chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards. Her latest book The Wines of Central and Southern Spain (£35 Infinite Ideas) is set for release in early 2024.

Pierre Mansour is director of wine at The Wine Society, and has been buying The Society’s Spanish wines since 2008. He is a member of Spain’s Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino, and a DWWA joint Regional Chair for Spain.

Beth Willard is involved in sourcing wines for both the on- and off-trade in the UK, with a particular focus on Eastern Europe and Spain. Formerly buying manager at Direct Wines, she is a member of Spain’s Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino, and a DWWA joint Regional Chair for Spain.

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Stephen Brook, Vincenzo Arnese and Sara Bachiorri tasted 60 wines, with 3 highly recommended and 40 recommended.

Piedmont Barbera: Panel tasting scores

60 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 0

Highly recommended 3

Recommended 40

Commended 17

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit current vintage releases of still red Barbera wines from any of the DOC/DOCGs Barbera d’Alba/Superiore, Barbera d’Asti/Superiore, Barbera del Monferrato/Superiore, Nizza or Nizza Riserva

Barbera is a wonderfully versatile grape variety that can be produced in a range of styles, from lean and refreshing to bold, rich and oaky. Above all, it’s a wine designed to be enjoyed with food: its high natural acidity is perfect for cutting through rich Italian dishes such as lasagne. Acidity can be treacherous, however – too much and the wine will be tart and astringent; too little and it can be flabby or drab.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Piedmont Barbera panel tasting

Piedmont Barbera: Panel tasting scores

The judges

Stephen Brook is a Decanter contributing editor and the DWWA Regional Chair for Piedmont. The author of 35 books, he has won several awards for his work in wine.

Vincenzo Arnese is the director of wine at Raffles London at the OWO. Born in Naples, he previously worked at top hotels in Italy, Switzerland and Australia, as well as Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. He is a DWWA judge, and in 2022 he won the coveted title of Taittinger UK Sommelier of the Year.

Sara Bachiorri is in the buying team at merchant WoodWinters. A DWWA judge since 2013, she was was formerly head sommelier at The Glasshouse in Kew, then Chez Bruce in southwest London, followed by a stint at Italian specialist merchant FortyFive10°.

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The post Piedmont Barbera: Panel tasting results appeared first on Decanter.

Andy Howard MW, Beatrice Bessi and Georgina Crawley tasted 89 wines, with 3 Outstanding and 28 Highly recommended.

Bourgogne whites: Panel tasting scores

89 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 3

Highly recommended 28

Recommended 46

Commended 9

Fair 3

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest-release or widely available still white wines from any of 13 specified Bourgogne regional appellations 

The complexity and geographical range of wines labelled with the Bourgogne regional name was fully displayed in this intriguing tasting, which encompassed many different appellations. Combined with a focus on some of the less well-known areas, this was an opportunity to understand the quality-to-value offer outside the more established Burgundy appellation names.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Bourgogne whites panel tasting

Bourgogne whites: Panel tasting scores

The judges

Andy Howard MW is a Decanter contributing editor and DWWA Regional Chair. A former retail wine buyer for more than 30 years, he now runs his own consultancy Vinetrades, focusing on wine education, judging, investment and sourcing.

Beatrice Bessi is head sommelier at Chiltern Firehouse luxury hotel and restaurant in central London. A DWWA judge, Bessi is a CMS Advanced Sommelier and WSET educator. She moved from Italy in 2016 and began her sommelier career at 67 Pall Mall.

Georgina Crawley is an experienced and widely travelled wine buyer who has worked for some of the UK’s leading wine merchants for more than 20 years. In this time, she has developed a great passion and knowledge for the wines of Burgundy.

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The post Bourgogne whites: Panel tasting results appeared first on Decanter.

Ronan Sayburn MS, Eugenio Egorov and Ben Gubbins tasted 105 wines, with 9 Outstanding and 32 Highly recommended.

USA Chardonnay: Panel tasting scores

105 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 9

Highly recommended 32

Recommended 50

Commended 8

Fair 6

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest-release, still, dry white wines made from 100% Chardonnay, from any region in the US.

Chardonnay: The chicken of the wine world. A blank canvas upon which winemakers can draw their own style. And just like artists, some draw well, and some draw badly. As a winemaker, there are many tools that can be used to give flavour to Chardonnay. Inherently it is a neutral-tasting grape variety that’s high in acidity. So the flavours can be manipulated in the winery.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the USA Chardonnay panel tasting

USA Chardonnay panel tasting scores

The judges

Ronan Sayburn MS is CEO of the Court of Master Sommeliers European chapter and runs his own consultancy and wine training company, RS Wine Academy. A previous winner of the UK Sommelier of the Year competition, he is also one of four DWWA Co-Chairs.

Eugenio Egorov is head sommelier at AA five-star The Stafford in London. Born in Ukraine, he began his hospitality career in restaurants in Italy and Florida, USA, before moving to London in 2014, where he rose through the ranks as a sommelier at the likes of 45 Park Lane and The Dorchester.

Ben Gubbins is general manager and WSET wine educator at Vagabond Wines in London. A native of Chile, he previously worked as UK & Europe sales director for Dos Andes Wines before joining Vagabond in 2013.

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The post USA Chardonnay: Panel tasting results appeared first on Decanter.

Amanda Barnes, Vincenzo Arnese and Ben Gubbins tasted 149 wines, with 5 Outstanding and 61 Highly recommended.

American Cabernet Franc: Panel tasting scores

149 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 5

Highly recommended 61

Recommended 69

Commended 8

Fair 6

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest-release dry, still red wines made from a minimum of 75% Cabernet Franc grapes.

Cabernet Franc is undoubtedly a rising star of the Americas. Although still niche, it has been steadily rising in the ranks and playing a greater role in each of the major wine countries. Its leafy, peppery, fresh, fragrant style can offer the ideal counterpart to the richer styles of heavyweight champion varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Tannat and Merlot.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the American Cabernet Franc panel tasting

American Cabernet Franc: Panel tasting scores

The judges

Amanda Barnes is a writer and presenter specialising in South American travel and wine. A DWWA judge, she is author of the award-winning South America Wine Guide (£35 southamericawineguide.com)

Vincenzo Arnese is the director of wine at Raffles London at the OWO. Born in Naples, he specialised in sommellerie at hospitality school, then worked at top hotels in Italy, Switzerland, and Australia, as well as Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester

Ben Gubbins is general manager and WSET wine educator at Vagabond Wines in London. A native of Chile, he previously worked as UK & Europe sales director for Dos Andes Wines before joining Vagabond in 2013

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The post American Cabernet Franc: Panel tasting results appeared first on Decanter.