Nyetimber ends year with a flourish

English vineyard Nyetimber ended 2009 on a high note as it enjoyed its best ever harvest and another major first prize on the international stage. CEO Eric Heerema announced that Nyetimber’s Classic Cuvee 2003 has been crowned Champion of Worldwide Sparkling Wines in the second annual Bollicine Del Mondo competition in Italy. Heerema says: “It really has been an extremely exciting year for all of us here at Nyetimber and to conclude the year with the announcement of another significant win on the international stage and against champagnes, is extremely rewarding.” Importantly for Nyetimber, champagnes and sparkling wines competed against each other in this competition on a level playing field, observes Heerema. The Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2003 scored the highest marks and took the gold medal in the competition ahead of 13 Champagnes including Louis Roederer (Millesimè 2000), the Bollinger-owned Champagne Ayala, (Dosage Zero), Pommery (Blancs de Blanc and Brut Apanage), Gosset (Grand Reserve), Joseph Perrier (Brut Cuvée Royale) and Devaux, and the Nyetimber 2001 Blanc de Blancs, which was also entered, came 12th ahead of seven of the champagnes. No other producer had two places in the top seventeen. The competition is organised and run by Italy’s leading wine magazine, Euposia and attracts sparkling wines from around the world. It is open only to traditional method and traditional varietal wines and there were a total of 52 entries in the competition. The wines were tasted blind by a panel of oenologists, winemakers, sommeliers and journalists. Report James Graham

1 January 2010 - Felicity Murray