Medal Winning Wines
All wine shows present the wines to be judged in an anonymous context - judges know only variety, vintage and, where appropriate, region of origin. The top-scoring wines are all re-tasted before final awards are decided upon.
Usually the judging panel comprises three judges from different arms of the trade - winemakers, media, sommeliers, etc. Wines are judged in "classes", determined by criteria such as variety/varieties, vintage, volume available, region, price or style. Classes range from a handful to more than 100.
Wine Medals
Like at the Olympics, medals awarded at wine shows come in a range of three colours:
GOLD - approximately 5% of entries, the absolute best.
SILVER - approximately 8% of entries, well above average.
BRONZE - approximately 25% of entries, well-made, good quality.
This is all great to add to your wine knowledge. But, the next time you see a medal winning wine, remember that although medals are a handy guide to quality, they are no guarantee that you will personally like the wine. You are the ultimate judge.
Visit these boutique wineries to grow your knowledge of boutique wine and boutique wineries:
