We are absolutely thrilled to have been voted the first-ever International Wine Website of the Year in last night's Louis Roederer International Wine Writers Awards 2010 announced at the top of the bulbous skyscraper in the City of London known as The Gherkin. Very many thanks to the judges, the organisers, those who have already tweeted their congratulations and to you for your support and encouragement. It's great to have all the effort we put into www.JancisRobinson.com noticed and appreciated.
There was a very strong shortlist for this award, also featuring Tom Cannavan's www.wine-pages.com, Jamie Goode's www.wineanorak.com and Gabriella Opaz's www.catavino.net – all excellent online sources of wine information.
Many congratulations too to the other winners:
International Wine Feature Writer of the Year 2010
John Stimpfig (FT – How to Spend it magazine)
International Wine Columnist of the Year 2010
Andrew Jefford (Decanter and Waitrose Food Illustrated)
International Wine Book of the Year 2010
Michael Edwards (The Finest Wines of Champagne)
Regional Wine Writer of the Year 2010
Tom Bruce-Gardyne (The Saturday Herald)
International Wine Publication of the Year 2010
Neil Beckett & Sara Morley (The World of Fine Wine)
International Online Wine Columnist/Blogger of the Year 2010
Simon Woods (www.simonwoods.com)
Emerging Wine Writer of the Year 2010
Rebecca Gibb (various publications, and see www.rebeccagibb.com) although our very own Richard Hemming was also shortlisted.
The prize is an extremely heavy glass sculpture (as seen in the picture below by wine writer Greg Love), a magnum of Cristal and a very generous cheque. The last two will be shared, the first only if there is a terrible accident.
The other great treat of the evening was a taste of the just-launched Roederer Cristal 2004 (see my tasting note just added to our tasting notes database, fast approaching a total tally of 50,000). I was roundly teased, I may say, for writing a tasting note on it on my Blackberry, but who knows when I will get a chance to taste it again?
When I got home I opened Ornellaia 2007, expecting a thrill, but was actually a bit disappointed. It seemed just too sweet and ripe and I found myself craving some bite or freshness on the finish. I have a feeling that if I had been given it blind, I would have guessed California rather than Italy.