PRESS RELEASE

Thursday 20th July 2006

OUTSTANDING SUCCESS FOR ENGLAND IN THE INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION

ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL TRIUMPH FOR ENGLISH SPARKLING WINES

The International Wine & Spirit Competition announced its 2006 results today, and England gained an outstanding set of awards.

England triumphed as the most successful country in the bottle fermented sparkling wine category, scooping the Trophy and top medals.  The Trophy for Bottle Fermented sparkling wine was won by Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 1998 – beating entrants from around the world.  This is the second year in succession that an English wine has scooped this prestigious trophy.

England was the only nation in this category to win Gold Best In Class, where two were awarded - to Denbies Greenfields 2003 and Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 1998.  In the same category England also won five of the seven silver medals and the second most medals of any country – with a total of ten (behind Spain’s 26).

There were some other notable winners for England.  Three still whites – Chapel Down Bacchus 2004, Chapel Down Nectar 2005 and Denbies Ortega 2004 – won Bronze medals.  English reds also featured this year, with Bronze medals awarded to three Pinot Noir reds from Bookers Vineyard, Chapel Down, and Denbies Wine Estate.

“This is one of the best results England has achieved in the International Wine & Spirit Competition,” commented Julia Trustram Eve, Marketing Manager of English Wine Producers.  “English wines have once again triumphed on an international level and reinforced their world-class status, above all for their sparkling wines.  It is competition successes like these that prove just what outstanding quality is being produced over here.”

Ends

For more information please contact Julia Trustram Eve, English Wine Producers, tel: 01536 772264 or email julia@englishwineproducers.com

Nyetimber Vineyard – Marketing & PR Anne Stabler tel: 01428 707301

Denbies Wine Estate, tel: 01306 876616 – contact Jeanette Simpson

Chapel Down Wines, tel: 01580 763033

Bookers Vineyard, tel: 01444 881575