4th November, 2013; Condé Nast Johansens is delighted to announce the winners of the Champagne Taittinger UK Wine List Awards 2014. The winners were revealed at the 32nd annual Johansens Awards for Excellence Dinner held at The May Fair Hotel, London this evening.
Commenting on the entries, head judge Sarah Jane Evans, Master of Wine, highlighted the excellent value for money evident in a great many of the lists, an important factor in the current challenging times. Also noted was the increase in promotional and creative activities around the exploration, education and enjoyment of wine to draw in the guest as well as the offer of a more extensive and interesting range of wines by the glass and carafe’s to encourage experimentation. Easy to read and well-designed lists to invite the reader to delve in and explore further were amongst the high scorers.
THE WINNERS
THE OVERALL WINNER OF THE CONDÉ NAST JOHANSENS CHAMPAGNE TAITTINGER WINE LIST AWARD 2014 IS THE PIG, Hampshire. “This is a very readable as well as superbly adventurous list with plenty of choice and certainly goes the whole hog as to what comprises an excellent, all round wine list. It is also great fun with its mix of tasting notes, snippets of information and even decanters for two. It is achingly cool, a list for the modern world and with no exception, a stand out winner.”
Overall winner finalists - The Bell at Skenfrith, Monmouthshire (“a personal list with great personality”) and Linthwaite House Hotel, Cumbria (“a definite wine lovers list for the adventurous.”)
CATEGORY WINNER – Best Champagne List
The Bell at Skenfrith, Monmouthshire. The judges commented“This list is descriptive, educative, chatty and very approachable and encourages the reader to learn more about Champagne in a chatty and friendly style. Top marks!”
CATEGORY WINNER – Most Innovative and Exciting Wine List
The Pig, Hampshire. The judges described this as “A list you immediately want to explore. It oozes personality, quirky additions and its approachable design engages its reader from beginning to end.”
CATEGORY WINNER – Best Value For Money
Dormy House. Worcestershire. The judges remarked “This list shows that you can be a top end establishment yet still offer value for money wines. In this climate, a wine list offering sensible pricing and a good selection scores brownie points – this list reflects this well.”
CATEGORY WINNER – Best Choice of Wine by the Glass
Vineyard at Stockcross, Berkshire
The judges said “The list ticks all the boxes, but an outstanding feature in particular is the wide selection and adventurous choice of wines by the glass which encourages the diner to experiment and enjoy being tempted. A stand out winner!”
SPECIAL COMMENDATIONS
‘As Nature Intended’ – Best Bio-Dynamic and Organic Wine Selection – Gidleigh Park, Devon
“The range and diversity of this list is outstanding and it is clear that the sommelier has done their homework.”
Customer Friendly Wine List – Langdon Court, Cornwall
“A beautifully presented and constructed list. It gets 10 out of 10 for its user friendliness.”
Events and Wine Education – Vineyard at Stockcross, Berkshire
“This list goes out of its way to engage the customer in a multitude of educative as well as fun events all wrapped around a stellar wine list. Top marks.”
NOTES TO EDITORS;
Commendations receive a Magnum of Taittinger Brut Réserve NV and the category winners, a Jeroboam of Taittinger Brut Réserve plus an accredited wine and spirit course from The Wine & Spirit Education Trust. The overall winnerselected from all the entries will be awarded a weekend for two in Reims. Included in the prize is a tour and tasting at Champagne Taittinger’s Cellars, two nights with dinner, bed and breakfast and return travel. All finalists and winners receive a certificate.
The expert judging panel for the 2014 Condé Nast Johansens Champagne Taittinger Wine List Awards was headed by Sarah-Jane Evans, Master of Wine and Wine Editor of BBC Good Food and Olive Magazine. Fellow judges comprised Lynn Murray, Marketing Director of Hatch Mansfield Charlotte Evans, Group Publishing Director of Condé Nast Johansens, and Graham Cox, Director at Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Fiona Patrick, from Condé Nast Johansens acted as facilitator and joint organiser of the Wine List Awards.
Champagne Taittinger is one of the few remaining major champagne houses to be owned and managed by the family named on the label. Making Chardonnay dominant and elegant champagnes appealing to the independently minded, Taittinger is distributed in the UK by sole agents Hatch Mansfield.
Condé Nast Johansens is now in its 32nd year, a year which heralded a digital evolution and brand modernisation for the internationally trusted Guides to luxury accommodation throughout the world. The reimagined website (www.johansens.com), refreshed logo, and three newly designed printed 2014 guides as well as an additional digital-only venue guide form the brand update. This has further established its position as the leading independently produced multi-media source for today’s traveller, sourcing hotels, spas and venues for leisure and business in the UK, Europe and the Americas. The 2014 guides are also available for download on the iPad. Condé Nast Johansens remains the most comprehensive illustrated reference to annually inspected, independently owned hotels. With dedicated and highly trained Inspectors, almost ten times as many properties have been assessed as appear online or in the Guides, in order to narrow the final selection down to, quite simply, the best selection of accommodation for independent travellers. With a readership of 7.6 million, the Guides distribution now totals 157,350 internationally.
For further information please contact Harriet Robertson, Melody Rayner or Richard Pickard in the Condé Nast press office on 020 7152 3388/3807/3474.
Company Name: Condé Nast Johansens
Contact Person: Harriet Robertson
Email:Send Email
Phone: 020 7152 3388
Country: United Kingdom
Website: www.johansens.com
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