England's best wines?

See also Richard's views on why English wine is not Champagne.

The notes below were taken at the awards ceremony for the annual English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition, organised by the United Kingdom Vineyards Association (UKVA) and the only one in the world to have a panel consisting entirely of Masters of Wine. All wines are judged blind.

The styles on display showed no little diversity, from oaked whites to dessert wines to light reds and,of course, the flag-bearing sparkling wines that were responsible for seven out of the 11 golds in the whole competition. The...