Raise your glasses as IEWA’s Gold, Silver and Bronze medals adorn the necks of 2017’s finest English bottles
“So English wine; if it is as good as they say, it must be everywhere, right?” Actually, no.
Given its quality, English wine remains relatively low profile; in the media, on retail shelves and on tables. Talk of beating high end Champagne at blind tasting events and a £100 million a year industry is of course fantastic, but unless they read the wine press, or specifically seek it out, the average consumer still doesn’t hear much about English wine.
The Independent English Wine Awards is a new world-class, independent wine competition created to reward, and celebrate the best of English wine. ‘The IEWA’ is aimed at the consumer, to raise awareness, inform, engage, promote and ultimately help increase sales of English wine and assist the continued development of the industry. Of course it is also an exercise in celebration: of excellence, achievement, growth and really great wines.
The IEWA uses international competition quality judging standards and its panel of diverse and highly credible judges taste all wines within a carefully controlled and independently audited process. That credibility is crucial in the IEWA’s journey to become an established and trusted consumer signpost.
In a hyper-competitive global marketplace, the emergent story of English wine and its significant export potential blends sustainability, ethical production, culture, tradition, heritage and quality. Through its medals and media activity, the IEWA is excited to help tell that story.
IEWA founder Alexander Taylor explains: “English wine has a fantastic opportunity. It’s enjoying more interest and revenue than ever before but its quality, diversity and potential should put it on an even more exciting upward trajectory. As a new independent voice the IEWA is committed to adding volume to the conversation. After all, English wine is worth shouting about.”