Micaela Martins Ferreira – Deputy Competition Director at Sommelier Wine Awards with Pete Fairclough of Kingsland Drinks, Vistamar’s UK distributor, accepting the House Wine of the Year Award.

Vistamar’s Brisa Sauvignon Blanc has been named House Wine of the Year at the 2018 Sommelier Wine Awards earlier this week. Distributed in the UK by Kingsland Drinks, this Sauvignon Blanc, which sells in the trade for £3.77 DPD per bottle, is produced in Chile’s Central Valley, and has received critical acclaim from the UK’s top sommeliers.

SWA Judge Sahar Gharai of La Dolce Vita Wine Lounge (California), said that this Gold medal Sauvignon Blanc was ‘great for the price’ and described a wine that was ‘well-balanced – floral and aromatic, with some good citrus notes’, while SWA team leader Angela Reddin had good things to say about its ‘bright, fresh nose containing red apple and some citrus character’, going on to praise it for being ‘fresh and light in the mouth’.

The Sommelier Wine Awards is the UK’s only on-trade wine competition. Judged by top sommeliers, the awards are overseen by Head of Judging and group wine buyer for restaurant group Hakkasan, Christine Parkinson.

All the wines are tasted blind and by category. Around 25% of entries receive a Commended classification, with about half of entries making it through to the second round, where they are then considered for medals: Bronze, Silver and, the ultimate award, a place on the Gold List.

Criteria judged are food-friendliness, versatility, typicity, personality – and, importantly, value for money at whatever the price. Judges know the trade prices of each wine as they are judging each flight.

Vistamar winemaker Irene Paiva says, ‘We are thrilled that our Brisa Sauvignon Blanc has been named House Wine of the Year. We aim to make modern wines with great fruit and freshness, that present greater complexity as you move up our ranges, but always showing the back bone of Vistamar; wines with cool intensity.’

Vistamar Brisa Sauvignon Blanc is available in 75cl & 187ml. Kingsland Drinks is the UK distributor for all Vistamar wines’. For further details contact Antony McIndoe via E-Mail: Antony.McIndoe@kingsland-drinks.com

Product Information available here.