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The Annual Wine Challenge

2012 Wine Challenge at Renishaw Hills
2011 Wine Challenge at Welcombe
2010 Wine Challenge at Wroxeter
2009 Competition Results
2008 Competition Results
2007 Competition Results
2006 Competition Results
The magnificent setting of Renishaw, the Sitwell mansion in Derbyshire was the location for the 2012 Wine Challenge. A difficult summer in 2011 saw entries down, but the standard of the best was suberb. Three Gold medals for a sweet white wine from Astley in Worcestershire (the eventual competition winner) and for sparkling wines from Fleurfields and Halfpenny Green were the highlights. Amateurs also took their place in the honours list, with a really tasty Siegerrebe from Darryl Gill of Claylands (a difficult but much neglected grape) and a superb sweet wine from Geoff Card of Spring Cottage were the highlights. The new Millington Trophy was awarded to Halfpenny Green. This is for the grower/winemaker with the highest average score for his/her top three wines.
Thanks are due to Kieron Atkinson and the staff of Renishaw for hosting the event, and to David and Jane Bates who calculated all the results and who organised the presentations.

Gold, Silver, Bronze and Highly commended certificates are awarded. Those receiving at least 13 points out of 20 may describe their wines as of being of Regional Standard, one step up from Table Wine.

The Association has a large number of cups, which are awarded for specific types of wine or regions.

THE ATTINGHAM CHALLENGE CUP MERCIAN WINE OF THE YEAR (Best wine, any class or vintage)
THE RENISHAW TROPHY Best Dry White Wine (Class 1, including dry "oaked")
THE MILLINGTON TROPHY Best average for a grower/winemaker
THE WROXETER ROMAN TROPHY Best Medium-Dry White Wine (Class 2)
THE SEVERN VALLEY TROPHY Best Non-Dry White Wine (Class 3, medium or sweet)
THE WELLAND VALLEY TROPHY Best Rosé Wine (Class 4)
THE HEART OF ENGLAND TROPHY Best Red Wine (Class 5)
THE EGLANTINE TROPHY Best Sparkling Wine (Class 6)
THE TANNERS TROPHY Best New Vintage Wine (previous year only, any class)
THE VINE HOUSE TROPHY Best Older Vintage Wine (two years or more, any class)
THE LEVENTHORPE TROPHY Best Commercial Winemaker (any class or vintage)
THE MORVILLE TROPHY Best Small Producer (grower & maker, any class or vintage)
THE EAST MIDLANDS TROPHY Best East Midlands Wine (from Derby, Leics.,Lincs, Notts,Rutland or Northants.)
THE HINNIGHAN TROPHY Best Wine (Herefordshire,Shropshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and North Wales,Northern Ireland)
THE RICHARDSON TROPHY Best Wine (Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Co.Durham,Northumberland, Scotland)
THE SOUTH MERCIA TROPHY Best Wine (Warwickshire,Worcestershire, Gloucestershire)