Decanter World Wine Awards Buyers' Report

Producers seeking distribution in the UK market
Decanter Recommends is a list of Decanter-endorsed wines seeking distribution in the UK market.

The wines below have been tasted & rated at the Decanter World Wine Awards, then evaluated and approved from a commercial standpoint by a panel of leading wine buyers as part of the DWWA Buyers' Report.

With both quality and commercial viability confirmed across multiple stages of judging & deliberation, Decanter recommends the below wines as worthwhile additions to a UK portfolio. Select the wines of interest for more information and to contact these producers directly.

Recommended sparkling wines

Col dei Franchi, Caj Extra Dry, Prosecco, Veneto, Italy 2020

Bronze medal, 86 points

Buyers' Feedback: This is a fantastic package that looks modern and engaging, and it will stand out on a shelf. Importantly the liquid in the bottle is also very good, making this a really appealing overall proposition.

Finca La Font de Jui, Mimas, Penedès, Spain 2017

Silver medal, 91 points

Buyers' Feedback: This has both a suave, lean lemon Chardonnay profile and considerable depth with concentrated notes of white fruit over citrus, biscotti and stone fruit. Finishes lengthily.

Fernand Lemaire, Myra Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV

Silver medal, 91 points

Buyers' Feedback: The wine style & dosage are commercially relevant, and price point is in line with UK expectations. Low volumes makes this suitable to small, niche, independent and specialist merchants.

Busi Jacobsohn, Cuvée Brut, Conwy, United Kingdom 2018

Bronze medal, 89 points

Buyers' Feedback: UK sparkling wines are a growing category, traditional made, high quality wines such as these, are commercially viable to both on and off-trade. Packaging is classy, eye-catching and engaging.

Chateau Franc Couplet, 1'Intuition, Vin de France, Southwest France, France, NV

Bronze medal, 88 points

Buyers' Feedback: The quality is above average for its price point but the presentation especially label and capsule needs to be reviewed.

Recommended white wines

Pindal, Verdejo, Rueda, Spain 2021

Bronze medal, 87 points

Buyers' Feedback: A very good expression of Rueda. The positioning & commercial viability is well targeted and strikes the right note. Branding is excellent and price is suitable. This would work very well in supermarket & restaurant chains. Well done.

Château de Malessert 1er Grand Cru Chasselas, Féchy, Vaud, Switzerland, 2020

Silver medal, 90 points

Buyers' Feedback: A lovely example of the grape and region, unusual but accessible, that will appeal to more engaged consumers looking for something different at an interesting price point.

Domaine Les Remparts, Les Renards Sauvignon Blanc, IGP Côtes de Gascogne, Southwest France 2021

Bronze medal, 88 points

Buyers' Feedback: Better than average packaging and a good quality wine, well judged for the off trade, in major retail in the UK market which is very price sensitive.

Russian, Sauvignon, Collio, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy 2021

Silver medal, 90 points

Buyers' Feedback: A trendy region which is on the radar of the knowledgeable wine consumers, classic example of an internationally recognized variety in Sauvignon Blanc. Small production ambitious price point and therefore suitable to hand selling in the on and off premise.

Tenute Tozzi, I Turrizzi, Etna, Sicily, Italy 2018

Silver medal, 90 points

Buyers' Feedback: An increasingly relevant region for the UK on and off-trade scene. Style and quality is on trend, however, pricing is over ambitious. The back label needs to be translated for the UK, including USPs such as altitude of vineyard & winemaking, particularly oak use.

Stellenzicht, Thunderstone Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2020

Bronze medal, 89 points

Buyers' Feedback: A well packaged wine that is very well suited to the UK market with honest liquid that will appeal to the average consumer. A little work on price will make this very competitive.

Falatório Branco, Lisboa, Portugal 2020

Bronze medal, 86 points

Buyers' Feedback: Excellent quality, well made, fruity and textured with versatility with or without food. Very comprehensively well executed striking label design to match a wine with immense personality and stylistically well relevant to the engaged UK wine drinker capable of engaging the younger, cult wine drinker.

Domeniile Averești, Zghihara de Averesti, Huși, Moldova, Romania 2021

Domeniile Averești, Zghihara de Averesti, Husi, Moldova, Romania 2021

Silver medal, 90 points

Buyers' Feedback: A well made, aromatic white wine which is round, soft and very appealing. This unoaked style is very popular in the UK market and has similarities to gruner or albarino or riesling. It would appeal to wine drinkers who like to try new and different things.

Recommended orange wines

Twins Wine House in Napareuli, Qvevris Mze, Napareuli, Kakheti, Georgia 2021

Bronze medal, 86 points

Buyers' Feedback: This wine offers individuality of excellent quality and very clean and approachable which will appeal to people looking for this style of wine. Everything about the wine and packaging speaks of the origin of the wine - we love it.

Joan de la Casa, Nimi Tossal Reserva Moscatell Sec, Alicante, Spain 2017

Silver medal, 93 points

Buyers' Feedback: Very suitable to a small but interesting sector of the UK wine scene. Good quality price ratio, needs hand selling in the independent sector and preferable to be consumed with food.

Recommended red wines

Kauzo Estates, Cofermented Malbec, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 2020

Silver medal, 90 points

Buyers' Feedback: An interesting new approach to create something in a market like Malbec which is so saturated: a great way to combine accessibility of style, price and the two vineyard sites which speaks of Argentine terroir in an affordable package.

Kauzo Estates, Terroir Expressions Hostage Malbec, Paraje Altamira, Mendoza, Argentina 2019

Gold medal, 95 points

Buyers' Feedback: This is a well deserved gold medal and the wine represents a well thought out proposition with excellent wine quality from a premium region with on point packaging at an excellent price. Well done.

Château Clématis, Fruité, Côtes du Rhône, France 2020

Bronze medal, 87 points

Buyers' Feedback: Not only is the appellation key here to sell the wine - the wine style corresponds perfectly to customers' expectations at a very interesting price point - but the bio classification really helps to promote the wine.

Château Clématis, Ste Cécile, Côtes du Rhône Villages, France 2020

Silver medal, 90 points

Buyers' Feedback: This is outstanding quality and value for a village level wine with great intensity and complexity at this level. In fact, it demands a slightly higher price point.

Bodega Marqués de Montecierzo, Emergente Crianza, Navarra, Spain 2019

Bronze medal, 88 points

Buyers' Feedback: This wine has the potential to make a mark in the UK market as a more classic style of Navarra and an alternative to other well known classic wine regions.

Bodegas Cornelio Dinastía, Crianza, Rioja, Spain 2018

Gold medal, 95 points

Buyers' Feedback: Great quality in smart and modern packaging, ambitious price points and therefore suitable to highly discerning, knowledgeable consumers who look beyond the entry level Crianza styles.

Bodegas Cornelio Dinastía, Imperial Autor, Rioja, Spain 2018

Best in Show medal, 97 points

Buyers' Feedback: Excellent quality in a classy and serious packaging. Premium, but has the quality to compete with some of the best and biggest names from this region. Justifiably self confidence both in and out of the bottle - Impressive wine.

Martínez Lacuesta, La Sucursal, Rioja, Spain, 2020

Silver medal, 91 points

Buyers' Feedback: The label design is very clever and will attract consumers as it's charming with a unique identity. With some work on overall packaging to be more sustainable, and benchmarking on price, it could find an interesting niche in the UK market.

Martínez Lacuesta, Reserva, Rioja, Spain 2012

Gold medal, 96 points

Buyers' Feedback: This is a traditional package, traditional Rioja and will appeal to a traditional Rioja drinker. Ticks all the boxes.

Bodegas Álvarez Alfaro, Selección Familiar, Rioja, Spain 2017

Silver medal, 91 points

Buyers' Feedback: This is a modern style of Rioja, with obvious oak and a lot of fruit that will appeal to a lot of consumers but in a saturated market it will take a little time to find its niche.

Luigi Bosca, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy 2018

Bronze medal, 88 points

Buyers' Feedback: With some small tweaks to the bottle shape and the label, this wine should offer an excellent proposition to both the on and off trade as it is on trend, good value and a good quality wine.

Luigi Bosca, Barolo, Piedmont, Italy 2017

Bronze medal, 87 points

Buyers' Feedback: This is great value for money for this appellation. The wine offers a lot for the price and could be a price fighting wine in this category in the UK market with just a few improvements to the packaging.

Poggio Mori, Blu di Vigna, Chianti Riserva, Tuscany, Italy 2019

Bronze medal, 87 points

Buyers' Feedback: An authentic humble, modest and discrete with a sense of place. Elegant and ethereal ticking all the boxes for what good Chianti should be.

Poggio Mori, Rosso Toscana, Tuscany, Italy 2019

Bronze medal, 87 points

Buyers' Feedback: Well crafted, modern, Italian red which looks and tastes the part. A superb commercial proposition of super-Tuscan at a reasonable price.

Menin Douro Estates, Reserva, Douro, Portugal 2019

Silver medal, 90 points

Buyers' Feedback: This is a strong package with a bold, clean label and a more modern approach to winemaking which will appeal to consumers looking for big, rich styles of wine with oak influence.

Falatório, Vinho Tinto Palhete, Lisboa, Portugal 2020

Silver medal, 93 points

Buyers' Feedback: Very trendy and stylishly designed. A proposition with real personality, striking label design, championing local varieties and well balanced. Unashamedly targeting a trendy wine consumer in terms of pricing and packaging. But, a narrow playing field at a fiercely competitive market sector.

Via Vinera, Heritage Mavrud, Thracian Valley, Thracian Lowland, Bulgaria 2019

Silver medal, 90 points

Buyers' Feedback: A true discovery wine which needs to be sold via specialist distributor and would appeal to both novice and consumers who are interested in discovering different examples of rich ripe powerful, rustic wines at great value.

Via Vinera, Izba Karabunar Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon -Syrah, Thracian Lowland, Bulgaria 2018

Via Vinera, Izba Karabunar Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon -Syrah, Southern Region - Thracian Lowland, Bulgaria 2018

Silver medal, 91 points

Buyers' Feedback: Familiar grapes from a lesser known region combine to produce a highly drinkable wine in smart packaging at a good price. This should have great commercial success.

Recommended fortified wines

Quinta do Cume, Vintage, Port 2019

Gold medal, 96 points

Buyers' Feedback: While Port is difficult to sell in the UK market and this wine is expensive, the Port is beautiful and will find its niche among true wine connoisseurs.