Toasted Marshmallows, Toffee Apples, Chocolate Cherries – no I’m not talking about food, these are just some of the descriptions that I was using when helping to Judge the Peoples Choice Wine Awards.

I’m not an expert in Wine by any means, but I know what I like and I love my food, so for me I try and liken wines to a food aroma or taste that other people could recognise.

I have previously posted that I was asked to attend these awards as a Round 1 Judge, but then also invited to join the Wine Experts including Amelia Singer, PleaseBringMeMyWine, Peter Ranscombe, Sorcha Holloway and Sumita Sarma in the final Judging of Round 2.

The whole point of the Peoples Choice Awards, is that its the ‘People’ that help to vote – not just the experts. This is why Round 1 is a mixture of wine enthusiasts both with and without qualifications.

All wines were tasted blind, so we had no idea what we were tasting, what all scores were added up, we were left with a selection of ‘Finalists’ that went through to the second round for scoring and ranking.

I have been waiting with great anticipation to discover what wines we had selected from the 100’s of entries, to put through to the second round – finally, this week they were announced – and here they are in no particular order:-

BOXING CLEVER

Off-Piste Wines: Most Wanted Sauvignon Blanc Bag in Box 

The Wine Society: Domaine Jaume Côtes-du-Rhône (2016) 

Concha y Toro: Isla Negra Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz (2017)

FABULOUS FIZZ – BEST CHAMPAGNE

Asda: Asda Extra Special Louis Bernard Vintage Champagne (2007) 

Champagne Jacques Chaput: Jacques Chaput Blanc-de-Noirs (2010)

The Wine Society: The Society’s Champagne Brut NV

FABULOUS FIZZ  – BEST SPARKLING WINE UK

Waitrose: Leckford Estate Brut (2013)

The Wine Society: The Society’s Exhibition English Sparkling Wine

Lyme Bay Winery: Lyme Bay Winery Sparkling Rosé (2014) 

FABULOUS FIZZ – BEST SPARKLING WINE REST OF WORLD

Louis Latour: Cremant de Bourgogne Brut 

Rude Wines: Rude Prosecco Brut DOC 

Seckford Agencies: Bird in Hand Sparkling Pinot Noir (2017) 

FOOD FRIENDLY WINES-WHITE FOR LIGHT MEALS

Invivo Wines: Invivo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (2018)

Iceland: Doubtful Sound Sauvignon Blanc

Seckford Agencies: The Edge Pinot Gris  (2017) @LarryMcPinot (Escarpment)

Ian Botham Wines: The All Rounder Chardonnay (2017)

FOOD FIRENDLY WINES-WHITE FOR AROMATIC/ASIAN CUISINE

The Wine Society: The Society’s Exhibition Alsace Gewurztraminer (2013) 

Aldi: Exquisite Collection Clare Valley Riesling (2017) 

Concha y Toro: Cono Sur Bicicleta Gewurztraminer (2017) 

Wakefield/Taylors: St Andrews Chardonnay (2017)

FOOD FRIENDLY WINES – WHITE FOR LIGHT MEALS WITH SAUCES

Rude Wines: Michel Fonné Riesling Tradition (2015)

Concha y Toro: Cono Sur Bicicleta Viognier (2017)

Treasury Wine Estates: Wolf Blass Yellow Label Chardonnay (2017) 

FOOD FRIENDLY WINES-RED FOR LIGHT MEALS

Wakefield/Taylors Promised Land Shiraz (2017)

Rude Wines: Albert Bichot Coteaux Bourguignons  (2015)

The Wine Society: The Society’s Beaujolais-Villages (2017)

FOOD FRIENDLY WINES-RED FOR EASY WEEKDAY MEALS

Iceland: Rabo de Gallo

Ian Botham Wines: The Botham All Rounder Cabernet Sauvignon (2017) 

Treasury Wine Estates: Lindeman’s Bin 50 Shiraz (2017)

FOOD FRIENDLY WINES – RED FOR HEARTY MEALS

Berkmann: Masi Campofiorin (2014) 

ASDA: Orbitali Amarone Della Valpolicella (2013)

The Wine Society: The Society’s Exhibition Rioja Reserva (2011)

Seckford Agencies: The Boxer Shiraz (2016)

WAR OF THE ROSES

Invivo Wines: Graham Norton’s Own Pink by DesiGN Rosé (2018)

BIB Wine: Domaine of the Bee ‘Bee Pink’ (2017)

Rude Wines: Domaine de Pellehaut Family Réserve Rosé (2017)

Concha y Toro: Adorada (2017)

BARGAIN BUYS

Concha y Toro: Isla Negra Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon (2017)

Concha y Toro: Vina Maipo Merlot (2017)

The Wine Society: Viña Santico Carmenère (2017)

GIRLS NIGHT IN

Invivo Wines: Graham Norton’s own Sauvignon Blanc (2018)

Iceland: Château de Champteloup, Brut

Fitz Wine: FITZ (2017)

Treasury Wine Estates: Blossom Hill, Pale Rosé

ONE MAN AND HIS BBQ

Domaine of the Bee: Grenashista (2016)

Wakefield/Taylors: St Andrews Shiraz (2016)

Wakefield/Taylors: Jaraman Shiraz (2017)

The Wine Society: The Society’s Exhibition Pinotage, Stellenbosch (2015)

PIZZA NIGHT

Asda: Asda Extra Special Primitivo (2016)

Cellier des Dauphins: Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Reserve Red (2017) @LesDauphins_UK

The Wine Society: The Society’s Barbera d’Asti Superiore (2015)

OUT OF THE ORDINARY

South East Wineries Ltd: Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard, Rosé Brut (2013) 

Waitrose: Villa Blanche Terret Blanc (2017) 

The BIB Wine Company: Weingut Sraka Blaufränkisch (2017) 

Concha y Toro: 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel Fermented Zinfandel (2016) 

BLOW OUT

Il Colle Srl Azienda Vitivinicola: Colle Baio

Berkmann: Famille Brocard Chablis (2017)

Treasury Wine Estates: Wolf Blass Gold Label Riesling (2017)

Wakefield/Taylors: The Pioneer Shiraz (2014)

The Society’s Exhibition Barolo (2014)

HEAVY DUTY

The Wine Society: Blind Spot Rutherglen Muscat

Raymond Reynolds: Vinhos Barbeito-Malvasia 5yr old Reserva Madeira @irunroca

Raymond Reynolds: Sivipa-Moscatel de Setubal (2015)

PARTY CENTRAL

Off-Piste Wines: Most Wanted Pinot Grigio Pink Fizz (Cans)

Treasury Wine Estates: 19 Crimes Red Blend

Rude Wines: Escada Touriga Nacional (2016)

SWEETS FOR MY SWEET

Gem Wines: Eleganza (2016) 

Seckford Agencies: Stanley Noble Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc (2014)

The Wine Society: The Society’s Exhibition Sauternes (2015)

BEST INDEPENDENT WINE MERCHANT:

The Whalley Wine Shop, Whalley, Lancashire 

Lancaster Wine Company, Lancaster

The English Wine Collection, Devon

BEST SUPERMARKET:

Aldi 

Waitrose

Morrisons

Booths 

So now we know what we put through as finalists – we now need to wait to find out the overall winners – all of which will be revealed at the award ceremony on the 25th Feb – I definitely can’t wait!!

Keep up to date with all happening with the awards at https://peopleschoicewineawards.com