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Supermarkets reign supreme at wine challenge

The International Wine Challenge (IWC) 2011 bronze, silver, gold and trophy winners have been announced, along with a number of special awards, including supermarket of the year – Waitrose

Tesco was awarded the inaugural IWC Own Label Range of the Year award, with an impressive line-up of Great Value Champion awards. Great Value Champion Rosé Wine (Tesco Finest* Navarra Rosé 2010, Principe De Viana), Great Value Champion Champagne (Tesco Finest* Premier Cru Champagne, Union Champagne) and Great Value Champion Sweet Wine (Tesco Finest* Dessert Semillon 2007, De Bortoli Wines). This last wine, at only £6.49rrp, underlines how accessible and affordable some of the best wines in the world are.

Innovator of the Year was awarded for the second year running to Naked Wines, and High Street Chain of the Year for the third consecutive year to Majestic Wines. The Generic Campaign of the Year was won by Wines of Chile, for their ‘Carmenere Made for Curry’ campaign.

This year’s awards went to:

Supermarket of the Year: Waitrose
High Street Chain of the Year: Majestic Wines was named the High Street Chain winner for the third consecutive year
Wine Club of the Year: The Wine Society, who also won Wine Merchant of the Year
Innovator of the Year: Naked Wines, for the second year in a row
Direct Merchant of the Year: Laithwaites
Corporate Social Responsibility Award: Bibendum Wine Ltd, for the second year running
Sustainable Trophy: Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2009, from Mt Difficulty Wines
Organic Trophy: Chablis 1er Cru Vaillon 2009, Domaine Christian Moreau Père Et Fils
Biodynamic Trophy: Fleury Extra Brut 1995, Champagne Fleury
Fairtrade Trophy: 1962 Fairhills Vineyards Selection Shiraz 2010, Origin Wine
James Rogers Trophy for best wine in its first year of production: Chambolle-Musigny 2009, Domaine de la Pousse d’OrLen Evans Trophy for the producer who has performed consistently well over the last five years: Manuel Lozano of Emilio Lustau, who also collected the Fortified Winemaker of the Year Award
Sir George Fistonich, founder of Villa Maria Estates, one of New Zealand’s leading wine producers, collected the Lifetime Achievement Award, adding to his earlier honour of being inducted into the New Zealand Hall of Fame for services to New Zealand’s wine industry.

Other success stories included:

Sparkling Winemaker of the Year: Régis Camus, Champagnes P. & C. Heidsieck for the third consecutive year. Régis also collected the Daniel Thibault Trophy for Champion Sparkling Wine for the second year in a row for the Charles Heidsieck Millésime Brut 2000Sweet Winemaker of the Year: Hans Tschida, Weingut Hans Tschida for the second consecutive year
Red Winemaker of the Year: Patrick Landanger of Domaine de la Pousse d’Or, which was also awarded the Champion Red Wine for its Chambolle-Musigny 2009
Great Value Champion White Wine: Marlborough Chardonnay 2009, Oyster Bay Wines New Zealand Ltd
Great Value Champion Champagne: Tesco Finest Premier Cru Champagne, Union ChampagneGreat Value Champion Red Wine: Tamaya Winemaker’s Selection Carmenere 2009, Viña Casa Tamaya
Great Value Champion Rosé Wine: Tesco Finest Navarra Rosé 2010, Principe De VianaGreat Value Champion Sweet Wine: Tesco Finest* Dessert Semillon 2007, De Bortoli Wines
Great Value Champion Fortified Wine: Marks & Spencer Dry Old Oloroso, Emilio Lustau
Champion: Nabeshima Daiginjo 2010, Fukuchiyo Shuzo Co Ltd