06-05-2025
Sussex vineyard scoops four medals at competition
A vineyard on the Sussex-Kent border has scooped four medals at the 2025 London Wine Competition.
Bewl Water Vineyard, Wadhurst, was awarded a gold, two silvers, and a bronze at the eighth annual competition, which took place on March 24 and 25.
The competition is regarded as a significant accolade in the global wine industry, with wines needing to score highly in quality, value and packaging to be recognised.
Judges come from a variety of sectors including retail, hospitality, and the travel industry.
Ashton Kirby, wine grower at Bewl Water Vineyard, said: "The authority of a London Wine Competition award comes from the power of being judged across quality, value and appearance, the high calibre of the judges, and the intensely competitive product set.
"We are thrilled that our wines grown on the Sussex/Kent border performed so well.
"These gold, two silver, and bronze medals demonstrate that we are creating the types of wines that restaurants and retailers want to use, and wines that drinkers enjoy choosing and consuming."
Bewl Water Vineyard, which has some of the oldest vines in England, produces only a few thousand bottles each year.
The vineyard's success at the competition accounted for nearly one-third of all the medals awarded to English wines.
The vineyard's blanc de noirs 2020 was awarded a gold medal, one of only two English wines to do so.
The judges described it as "golden-hued with subtle brioche and red apple notes, the palate is crisp and refined with soft orchard fruit, fine bubbles, and a poised mineral finish that speaks to quiet complexity".
The rosé de noirs 2021 and old vine Bacchus 2023 were both awarded silver medals, two of only four English wines to receive this recognition.
The rosé de noirs was described as "pale pink with a fine mousse and fragrant red berry aromas, this elegant rosé reveals strawberry, cherry, and a hint of citrus on the palate with bright acidity and a graceful finish".
The old vine bacchus was described as "pale green-gold with elderflower, citrus zest and soft herbs, the palate is dry and aromatic with vibrant acidity and a crisp, zesty finish that reflects English wine character beautifully".
The blanc de blancs 2021 was awarded a bronze medal, one of only eight English wines to do so.
The judges described it as "bright and floral with jasmine and blossom leading into lemon peel and citrus zest, this fruit-driven wine is clean and expressive, finishing with clarity, freshness, and aromatic lift".
