Best in Taste Wine Awards
A shortlist of spectacular quality announced ahead of the inaugural ‘Best in Taste Wine Awards’
To complement its indulgent menu of Michelin starred food, the UK’s most popular restaurant festival, Taste of London, has announced an impressive shortlist of wines ahead of its first ever Best in Taste Wine Awards.
A panel of established sommeliers and specialists including Mickey Narea (sommelier at Launceston Place), Roberto Della Pietra (sommelier at Gauthier Soho), Denise Medrano (The Wine Sleuth) and Neil Phillips (Taste of London Wine Ambassador) have tasted over 75 wines in a series of blind tastings.
Neil Phillips, who chaired proceedings and will be announcing the winners at the Taste of London Preview Night (15 June) is delighted with the mix of wines suitable for both food matching and summer socialising. “The inaugural Best in Taste Wine Awards attracted a wonderful array of wines from all corners of the world, representing many different varieties and styles. It was a very tough call on all fronts as the quality was so high, but we managed to whittle entries down to three real taste bud tantalisers as the contenders for each prize.”
The shortlisted wines for the three categories are as follows:
Taste of Summer Wine Award
The ultimate wine to be drinking this summer
- Berberana Seleccion Oro Rose 2010, Spain
- Prosecco Riccardo, Italy
- Zimbro Douro Tinto 2006, Portugal
Foodies Wine Award
Wines which demonstrate the structure, flavour and textural qualities for great food-matching
- Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes, Domaine Roux 2008, France
- Gran Feudo Edición Chardonnay 2008, Bodegas Chivite, Spain
- Pizzato Concentus 2005, Brazil
Indulgence Wine Award
Wines which are a luxurious treat for the palate
- Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle, France
- Fèlsina Vin Santo 2001, Italy
- Reserva Malbec, Bodega
s Norton 2008, Argentina
The tastings took place at Launceston Place which recently won the ‘Tatler Restaurant Wine List of the Year Award’. Head chef, Tristan Welch comments, “The team at Launceston Place were honoured and excited to be involved in the first year of the Best in Taste Wine Awards. In our restaurant, Mickey Narea and I have worked incredibly hard together to produce an extensive wine list, making fine wine accessible as part of the D & D Love Wine campaign.”
Sponsored by London’s premier eating out guide, Blue Tomato, the Best in Taste Wine Awards will be a chance for the most celebrated wines of 2011 to take the stage alongside the annual renown Best in Taste Awards, where iconic dishes from each of the 40 restaurants involved for 2011 will be judged by a panel of revered critics, with the winner announced on the eve of the show at the official Preview Night. Last year’s winning dish, Pigs Trotters by Adam Byatt of Trinity restaurant, sold out in record time and became the most talked about dish at the four day festival.
For more information about Taste of London visit www.tastefestivals.com/london
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Notes to Editors
Taste of London is celebrating what is arguably its best restaurant line-up to date, totaling an impressive eleven Michelin stars. Scott’s, Le Caprice, Petrus, Skylon, Gauthier Soho and Bocca di Lupo / Gelupo are just a handful of new restaurants involved for 2011, promising to delight over 50,000 visitors across the four days.
Restaurants at Taste London 2011
Asia de Cuba • Awana • Barrafina • Benares • Bentley’s • Bocca di Lupo / Gelupo • Chef Collin Brown • Club Gascon • Corrigan’s Mayfair • Fino • Fouronine • Gaucho • Gauthier Soho • Kai Mayfair • Launceston Place • Le Caprice • Le Gavroche • L’Anima • L’Etranger • Maze • Melati • Opera Tavern • ORA • Paramount • Petrus • Quo Vadis • Refettorio • Rhodes 24 • Roux at The Landau • Satay House • Scott’s • Skylon • Suka • Tamarind • The Cinnamon Club • The Modern Pantry • The Ritz • Yauatcha • York & Albany •
Taste of London visitors can dine from 40 of the capital's top restaurants, try and buy from 200 food and drink producers, enjoy fine wine tasting and watch some of the world's greatest chefs demonstrate their skills live on stage.
New for 2011 is the Secret Garden which will be tucked away in an exclusive enclave of Marylebone Green. The beautiful gastronomic oasis will play host to a line of world class chefs including Silvena Rowe, Gary Rhodes, Michel Roux Jr, Chris Galvin, Theo Randall and Jacob Kennedy and provide a stage for the much anticipated British BBQ Championships where 18 of the UKs most renowned chefs including Tristan Welch (Launceston Place), Paul Merrett (The Victoria) and Atul Kochhar (Benares) will battle it out on the coals to impress a line-up of revered food critics.
British Airways is once again on board and will be offering some first class service at its Exec Club Lounge whilst Masterclasses with Laurent-Perrier, Estrella and San Pellegrino will introduce guests to an indulgent tasting experience.
Taste Festivals has set a new benchmark for food and drink events worldwide. In 2011 there will be 14 Taste Festivals across the world all based on the flagship event, Taste of London. Taste of London runs from 16th – 19th June in Regent’s Park, London. Tickets are on sale now.
Pre-purchased Ticket Prices
Standard (entry only) £22.00
Child (entry only) £12.00
Premium (entry + £20 of Crowns) £38.00
VIP (fast track entry + VIP area, glass of champagne & £20 of Crowns) £55.00
Laurent-Perrier Masterclass (VIP benefits + entry to one LP Masterclass) £75.00
Secret Garden Pass:
(Secret Garden benefits + canapés, glass of champagne & £20 of Crowns) £95.00
Crowns are the official Taste of London currency used to purchase food and drink consumed at the event.