The winners of the Delicata 2011 People’s Choice Wine Awards, chosen from voting during Delicata’s Classic Wine festivals in Valletta and Nadur, have been announced.

Thousands of visitors who attended the wine festivals this year were invited to participate in this new Delicata initiative.

Wine lovers were asked to vote by sending a text message identifying their preferred wine of choice during all seven days of the events. Hundreds of wine enthusiasts took up the opportunity to participate by identifying their favourite red, white or rosé wines from the variety of wines that were available.

The white wine with the most votes was Grand Vin de Hauteville Viognier DOK Superior Malta and the red wine receiving most votes was the Gran Cavalier Barrel Matured Syrah DOK Malta. The rosé wine to acquire most votes was the Ġellewża Rosé Frizzante demi sec IGT Maltese Islands.

A spokesman at the winery said: “We are delighted with the response we got from so many of our wine festival visitors. It was particularly encouraging to see how widespread the voting actually was; in fact, every wine at the festival received votes, which just goes to show the diversity of people’s palates.”

The 23 wines eligible for votes were: White wines – Girgentina Frizzante, Medina Girgentina Chardonnay, Medina Vermentino Zibibbo, Gran Cavalier Chardonnay, Maltese Falcon Chardonnay, Dolcino Bianco, Pjazza Reġina White, Grand Vin de Hauteville Viognier, Gabrieli Pinot Grigio, Casella Moscato.

Rosé wines – Ġellewża Rosé Frizzante, Medina Rosé Grenache, Victoria Heights Rosé Shiraz, Maltese Falcon Rosé Ġellewża, Dolcino Rosé, Pjazza Reġina Rosé.

Red wines – Medina Sangiovese, Victoria Heights Merlot, Gran Cavalier Syrah, Maltese Falcon Merlot, Pjazza Reġina Red, Carissimi Cabernet Sauvignon, Grand Vin de Hauteville Shiraz Cabernet.