
The International Wine Challenge
The International Wine Challenge was the first and is still the most prestigious of the UK's wine award competitions. Every year importers submit thousands of wines to the IWC for judging. The initial tasting by the judges takes a few days - they weed out the poorer wines and award Gold, Silver, Bronze and Commended medals to the better ones. Then the remaining wines are re-tasted by "Super Judges" who are comprised of some of the most experienced tasters in the wine trade who re-check the results. It's a very thorough judging process and after the results are announced each year the medal winning wines are marked with stickers in wine shops and online by many merchants.
However it is important to point out that a substantial number of wines win gold, silver, bronze and commended and any wine in these categories will be judged to have achieved a certain standard. For example the "Bronze" does not mean that the wine came third in its category but instead demonstrates a quality level of assurance. Below is a list of the IWC medal winning wines that we stock from this year:
Trophy Winners from the International Wine Challenge

- Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 2006
- Chateau Filhot Sauternes 2011
- Man O' War Dreadnought Syrah 2013
- Gonzales Byass Fino Una Palma
Gold Medal Awarded Wines from the International Wine Challenge

- Gonzalez Byass Del Duque Amontillado
- Château Filhot Sauternes 2011
- Man O'War Dreadnought Syrah 2013
- Esk Valley Pinot Noir 2015
- Gonzalez Byass Fino Una Palma
- Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs Brut 2013
- Gonzalez Byass Noe Pedro Ximenez
- Tracidión Oloroso 30 Años
- Oliver Zeter Sauvignon Blanc Fumé 2015
- Paul Cluver Noble Late Harvest Riesling 2014
- Taittinger Brut NV
- Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 2006
Silver Medal Awarded Wines from the International Wine Challenge

- Ambriel Classic Cuvee
- Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque 2008
- Domaine des Sansonnets Pouilly Fuissé 2015
- Errazuriz Aconcagua Costa Syrah 2014
- Esk Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2016
- Franschhoek Cellar 'Statue de Femme' Sauvignon Blanc 2016
- Gusbourne Pinot Noir 2014
- Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2013
- Laurent Perrier Cuvée Rosé NV
- Gonzalez Byass Leonor Palo Cortado
- Lustau East India Solera
- Lustau Almacenista Manzanilla Pasada de Sanlúcar
- Gonzalez Byass Matusalem
- Morande Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2015
- Gonzalez Byass Nectar Pedro Ximenez
- Nyetimber Classic Cuvée NV
- Paddy Borthwick Paper Road Pinot Noir 2015
- Spinyback Riesling 2016
- Taittinger Prélude Grands Crus NV
- Taittinger Nocturne Sec NV
Bronze Medal Awarded Wines from the International Wine Challenge

- Fernando de Castilla Antique Amontillado
- Lustau Amontillado Los Arcos
- Bolney Estate Bacchus 2015
- Boschendal Brut Rose, NV
- Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy, Geoffroy 2015
- Château d'Aussières Corbières 2014
- Furleigh Estate Classic Cuvée Brut 2014
- Gonzalez Byass Cristina Oloroso
- Deutz Brut Classic Champagne NV
- Domaine Ferret Pouilly Fuissé 2015
- Félicette Grenache Blanc 2016
- Château de Fleurie 2015
- Henriques & Henriques 3 Year Old Full Rich Madeira
- Gusbourne Brut Rosé 2013
- Lopez de Haro Rioja Crianza 2014
- Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay 2015
- La Crochette Mâcon Villages 2015
- La Gitana Manzanilla
- Les Volets Malbec 2015
- Luigi Bosca Malbec Los Miradores 2014
- Lustau Puerto Fino
- Mayfly Sauvignon Blanc 2016
- Morgon, Les Charmes, Château Bellevue 2014
- Lustau Moscato Emilin
- Nyetimber Rosé NV
- Quinta dos Roques Tinto 2014
- Robert Oatley Signature GSM 2014
- Hancock & Hancock Cabernet/Touriga 2015
- Taittinger Rosé NV
- The Opportunist Shiraz 2015
- The Black Craft Shiraz 2015
Commended Wines from the International Wine Challenge

- The Courtesan Riesling 2016
- Amancaya Gran Reserva 2014
- Gonzales Byass Apostoles Palo Cortado
- Aruma Malbec 2016
- Beronia Rioja Reserva 2012
- Cabaret Frank No.2 'The Aviary' 2015
- Casas del Bosque Reserva Carmenere 2015
- Chapel Hill Chardonnay Brut NV
- Château de la Clapière Rosé 2016
- Contino Rioja Reserva 2011
- Franschhoek Cellar 'The Churchyard' Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
- Franschhoek Cellar 'Stone Bridge' Pinotage 2015
- Gusbourne Guinevere Chardonnay 2013
- Jean Gamay Noir 2015
- Digby Leander Pink NV
- Domaine Lafond Lirac 2014
- Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
- País Salvaje, Bouchon 2016
- Ramos Pinto Collector Reserva Porto
- Spinyback Pinot Gris 2016
- Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir 2014
- Chapel Down, Three Graces 2011
- Valpolicella Classico Cantina di Negrar 2016