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2024 Medal and Trophy Winners

by | Sep 17, 2024 | Richmond Wine Society, Teddington Wine Society

September is the month Teddington and Richmond Wine Societies explore some of the top winners from the various wine competitions run earlier in the year.  Companies submit wines into specific categories, and these are tasted by panels of experts ‘blind’, ie the panel knows the category (eg Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc under £20/bottle), but otherwise use their judgement to agree which are the best.  The winner of each category is awarded a gold medal if a panel of even more ‘elite’ judges confirm its quality, and gold medal winners can go on to be awarded platinum medals or trophies when judged against other category winners.  The competitions are huge logistical exercises, involving many poor souls spending weeks cataloguing the submitted wines and preparing the ‘blind’ flights, and then a week or so’s intense tasting with each judge tasting dozens or even hundreds of wines and agreeing views with colleagues.

So if you see a Gold Medal awarded by the Decanter World Wine Awards, the International Wine Challenge, or the Sommelier Wine Awards on a bottle of wine or drinks menu, it really does mean it’s good!

Our tasting consisted of a Torrontés from Salta in Argentina, made by Bodegas Colomé, winner of a Decanter Silver Medal; a Sauvignon Blanc from Sattlerhof in Sudsteirmark in Austria, a Saint Veran from Domaine Corsin and a Bobal (Spanish red grape) from Cien y Picos in the Spanish DO of Manchuela, all winners of Sommelier Gold Medals; a Decanter Gold Medal winning Cabernet Franc from Gasper in Goriśka Brda in Slovenia; a Decanter Platinum Medal winning Tasmanian Chardonnay from Dawson & James, and a spectacular magnum of Adelaide Hills Shiraz: the Balhannah from Shaw & Smith which won the South Australian Shiraz Trophy, the Australia Red Trophy and the Sustainable Trophy all from the IWC.

We rounded of the evening with another SWA Gold Medal winner, a Chambers Rutherglen Muscat which made a lovely sweet end to the evening.  The Britannia did us proud with a tomato and goats cheese salad and a spectacular pork chop main course, while at Teddington we enjoyed cottage pie with some super cheeses.

Prices ranged from £15/bottle to £120 for the magnum (specifics on the Wines we have tasted page), and while some were a bit beyond the reach for normal drinking, there was wide agreement that once again, our prize winning wine tasting came up trumps.

Meet Tim Syrad

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“Throughout the 17 years I have attended Tim’s wine tasting events, he has continued to deliver his extensive knowledge of wine and wine-making with great charm, and lots of humour, making the evenings not only informative, but also great fun. In the course of an average year, the tastings cover a kaleidoscope of different wine themes – interesting and entertaining for all, novices and experts alike. And the wines taste pretty good too!”

“We have been going to Teddington Wine Society events for a number of years. Tim runs the evenings with bonhomie and humour and wears his considerable knowledge lightly. The evenings are great fun, the wines are always a little bit different and help to expand knowledge and tasting horizons.”

“I have attended the Richmond Wine society for over ten years and always enjoyed Tim’s self-effacing style and gentle humour. His knowledge is globally eclectic and presented in a clear, interesting and always stimulating way. Every guest I have taken there has enjoyed the evening immensely. Tim also offers a wide range of wines to buy and my red cellar has provided great pleasure to my own dinner guests.”

“I’ve been enjoying Tim’s tastings for over 20 years – he is a great teacher, raconteur and wine expert. He is seriously passionate about his wine, but there is nothing serious about his tastings, which are always informal and relaxed. A lovely way to spend an evening and enjoy some fantastic wines.”

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