English wine beats Moët in blind tasting

A sparkling wine from Bolney Wine Estate in Sussex came out top in a blind tasting of over 40 wines from across the UK,  to secure a £50,000 order with wine retailer Naked Wines.

The winning Sparkling Cuvée Rosé 2009 also beat a bottle of the famous Moët & Chandon Champagne which was slipped into the line-up and revealed at the end of the event – much to the surprise of those who took part.

English wine’s reputation has been on the rise and here it beat a Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial NV Champagne which retails for between £30 and £37.

The tasting was the second leg of Naked Wines’ US$1million Zero to Hero Wine Awards, a consumer-powered competition launched earlier this year to discover the world’s most talented unknown winemakers.

Sam Linter, chief winemaker at Bolney Wine Estate, said, “We are delighted to have won the Naked Wines’ Zero to Hero Wine Award with our Sparkling Cuvée Rosé 2009 made from Pinot Noir grapes.

“It’s an innovative way of doing business, and gives lesser known producers a platform to shine based purely on talent. Plus, it’s secured us access to over 200,000 wine drinkers across the UK – which is a huge boost for Bolney Wine Estate.

“The highlight of running this business has been watching the wines grow into something very unique and special. And for me and the team, it’s great to see that we’ve created something so delicious after all of our hard work”

Linter’s winning wine will be entered into the Zero to Hero Grand Final in November, against wines from France, Spain, Chile, Argentina and Australia, with a chance to win a US$500,000 investment contract with the retailer.

Sparkling Cuvée Rosé 2009 will be available to pre-order at www.nakedwines.com/marketplace this Friday 11 May – for £21.14 a bottle (RRP £24.99).