Supermarket brands sweep the board at IWC
The licensed trade is facing increased opposition from the off-trade sector when it comes to wine, results from the 2015 International Wine Challenge (IWC) indicate.
In a decisive win, five out of six of the Great Value Champion awards went to supermarket own-brand products, showing wine producers are upping their game in the off-trade sector.
Tesco, Aldi, Marks & Spencer and ASDA all produced Great Value Champions, reinforcing the growing threat of the supermarket sector when it comes to their wine offer.
Tesco came out ahead with two of its wines being awarded Great Value Champion status. Its Tesco Finest Vintage Grand Cru Champagne 2007 was named the IWC Great Value Champion Sparkling 2015 and also received the IWC Great Value Champion sweet of the year for its Tesco Finest Dessert Semillon 2009.
Other category winners included:
- Tuscany-based vineyard Castello Romitorio received the 2015 Champion Red Wine Award for its 2010 Brunello di Montalcino ”Filo di Seta”.
- The 2015 IWC Champion White Wine Award was given to Bordeaux winery Château Brown for its Château Brown 2013.
- German winemaker Staatlicher Hofkeller Würzburg picked up the top prize for Sweet wine, with its 2013 Hörsteiner Abtsberg Beerenauslese.
- Spain-based winery Harveys was awarded the IWC Champion Fortified Wine for its Very Old Palo Cortado 30 Year Old V.O.R.S.
- Charles Heidsieck was awarded the Daniel Thibault Trophy for Champion Sparkling Wine 2015 for its 1995 Champagne Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires.
- Piper Heidsieck was also awarded the IWC 2015 Champion of Champions Award for its Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Rare 1998 Magnum.
- Laithwaites Wine scooped IWC Merchant of the Year 2015.
For a full list of IWC winners visit here.
