Balfour Winery sees record medal haul at International Wine Challenge

We are delighted to announce a record-breaking haul for Balfour Winery at this year’s International Wine Challenge.

Our Tesco Finest English Sparkling won a coveted trophy for “IWC Great Value Sparkling under £25”. The judges were impressed by its “Rich upfront apple cake, floral elderflower, and elegant, ripe nectarine on the palate.” This delightful sparkling wine is available from Tesco.

Meanwhile, our aromatic Leslie’s Reserve Brut NV scored an impressive 95 points, placing it in the top 1% of wines entered and earning a prestigious Gold Medal. This recognition highlights the exceptional quality and craftsmanship that goes into every bottle, with the judges describing it as “Yeasty, fresh floral blossoms, white peach, lemon and lime curd. Full in the mouth, rounded with creamy mousse, balanced and long.”

Our authentically English range continued to impress, with 90+ scores for the Blanc de Noirs 2020 (“Flavours of ripe raspberries with wild strawberry focussed finish.), Balfour Brut Rosé 2019 (“great vibrancy and length”), and Nannette’s Rosé 2022 (“lovely intensity on the palate, good balance and mouth watering acidity”). Additionally, our new Albariño 2022, 1503 Classic Cuvée NV (available from @majesticwine), and Tesco Finest English Sparkling Rosé NV also received medals, further cementing our reputation as one of the UK’s leading producers.

After recently winning Gold at the Global Rosé Masters, this marks an incredible week for us at Balfour Winery, with a record-breaking run of awards. A gold medal at the Rosé Masters is only awarded according to the rigorous judging criteria, which states it must be ‘a brilliant wine that is a benchmark for its type’.

This summer, for every bottle of their gold-medal-winning Nannette’s Rosé sold the winery is also donating to a Kent Wildlife Trust – to help support the creation of wildflower meadows in the county. This means you can sip one of the world’s best rosés, and support nature, this summer.

A huge congratulations and thank you to our winemaking team, led by Fergus Elias, and to our brilliant vineyard and viticulture workers. These wins are a testament to their incredible devotion, hard work, and creativity.

Adam Williams, Balfour’s Chief Operations Officer, shared his excitement: “This is a monumental achievement for Balfour Winery. The recognition from the International Wine Challenge is a testament to our commitment to producing outstanding English wines. I am incredibly proud of our team’s dedication and passion, which are reflected in every bottle we produce.”