Fast on the heels of the bronze medal Delicata picked up for its 2010 vintage Grand Vin de Hauteville Moscato in Bordeaux last month, the winemaker received another bronze medal for its 2012 vintage Victoria Heights Chardonnay at the prestigious International Wine Challenge (IWC) held last week in London. This latest medal brings Delicata’s international award count up to an impressive 85.

The official tasting note from the judges describes the Victoria Heights Chardonnay, which is made exclusively from Gozo-grown Chardonnay grapes as: “Fresh cut apples on the nose followed by a crisp lemony palate; very big style, best with freshly grilled fish.”

The IWC, which has reached its 30th year, is accepted as the world’s finest and most meticulously judged competition. It assesses every wine ‘blind’ and judges each for its faithfulness to style, region and vintage.

Each medal-winning wine is tasted on at least three separate occasions by a minimum of 10 different judges. Awards include medals (gold, silver, bronze) and commended awards. The IWC is committed to helping consumers discover great wine, and the medals are displayed on winning bottles to offer a trusted guarantee of quality.

The 2013 competition awarded 514 gold medals. Entries were received from all over the world including Peru, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Thailand and Malta. Croatia impressed with a gold and a handful of silver medals, while a Chardonnay from Nagano became the first Japanese wine to win gold, highlighting the quality coming from emerging regions.

The Victoria Heights wine brand was created and launched by Delicata 12 years ago with the 2001 vintage and has gone from strength to strength. It is now arguably Gozo’s most popular wine brand. Besides the white wine, the DOK Gozo range includes a rosé made from Shiraz and two reds, a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc blend. However, it’s the Chardonnay that’s the star and consistently brings home the medals. This latest award is the sixth bronze medal this delightful, crisp, fruity, dry white wine has been awarded in its relatively short lifetime.

The Victoria Heights Chardonnay (and Merlot) will also be available in 37.5cl half bottles from next month.

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