When it comes to wine, we’re often in search of good value – whether that’s overdelivering on a £5 bottle or £50 – and the Decanter World Wine Awards judging process takes that factor into consideration.
Alongside typicity, balance, finesse and drinkability, among other things, the DWWA judges are looking for wines that are of exceptional quality within their price band, with wines below the £15* mark categorised as ‘Value’ wines.
‘Price is very critical to everybody’s buying decisions,’ notes DWWA Co-Chair Andrew Jefford. ‘I’m always buying the best wine I can get for the price. So having that price band enables consumers to calibrate what they can actually get hold of, with respect to their own budget – I think that’s what people are really looking for.’
Scroll down to see 15 great-value Gold medal winners from DWWA 2022
When categorised as ‘Value’, the winning wine may not have the same kind of intrinsic complexity that wines above £50 would have. However, what Value Gold, Platinum and Best in Show wines do deliver is a clear sense of place, harmony and a delicious expression of fruit – to the extent that these wines have secured top medals after three to five separate rounds of tasting by some of the world’s leading wine experts.
‘If you’re trying to recommend something to a customer, one of the first things they may be looking at is how much it’s going to cost them. When judging, it’s important to know the price band to evaluate if customers are getting value for money within that price band.’
– Ronan Sayburn MS, DWWA Co-Chair
The 2022 competition saw nine Best in Show, 15 Platinum and 42 Gold medals awarded to Value wines with almost half of these awarded to wines from the New World.
Below, discover 15 great-value Gold medal winners to seek out from New World producers, with more Value wines to discover in our DWWA supplement, or via awards.decanter.com
*NB: prices under £15 at the time of submission and judging in May 2022, but with time elapsed and market conditions these are subject to change.
New World Gold: 15 wines under £15
Argentina
Colomé, Estate Torrontés, Calchaquíes, Salta 2021
95 Value Gold
£11.95-£13.29 Booths, Hay Wines, Hennings, Liberty Wines, North South Wines, NY Wines, Wine Direct
Pretty and attractive, hints of lime leaf and seductive lavender on the lifted, floral nose, while the palate is braced with lemon sherbet, lean, well-defined fruit and subtle acidity. Alcohol 13.5%
Alambrado, Malbec, Mendoza 2021
95 Value Gold
£14.49 Averys, Laithwaites
An inviting nose with hints of red cherry and lifted floral notes, followed by a palate of supple, textured tannins and focused, pristine fresh fruit. Alc 14%
Finca Martha, Gran Malbec, Mendoza 2020
95 Value Gold
fincamartha.com
Opulent and inviting nose of plummy fruit, vibrant cherry and polished floral notes, then the palate is graced with plush bramble, velvet tannins, lifted spice and bright acidity. Alc 14%
Zuccardi, Brazos Cabernet Franc, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2021
95 Value Gold
POA Hatch Mansfield
Lifted and floral on the nose, with hints of peppery, plush fruit, then on to a palate of silky smooth tannins and lush, fresh fruit. Alc 14%
Australia
Robert Oatley, Craigmoor Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Southeast Australia 2021
95 Value Gold
£8.99 Waitrose
A wine with excellent typicity, fresh acidity and geenrous tropical fruit flavours. Very good quality for the price. Alc 12%
Chile
Co-op, Irresistible Carmenère, Maipo Valley 2021
95 Value Gold
£7 Co-op A deliciously peppery style and a lot of wine for the price! Attractive varietal aromas: roasted red pepper, soy, rich cassis, a hint of mint. Dense palate with firm-ish tannins, yet rounded and showing a lovely freshness. Impressive. Alc 14%
Emiliana, Salvaje Syrah-Roussanne, Casablanca Valley 2021
95 Value Gold
£11.89-£14.99 All About Wine, D Byrne & Co, John Hattersley, ND John, NY Wines, Vinceremos, WoodWinters
Fresh nose of dense cassis, blueberry and violet notes. Concentrated, slightly reductive, but very youthful and bright, with some wild rough edges that suit its gastronomic style. Alc 13%
J Bouchon, Canto Sur, Maule 2021
95 Value Gold
£15.99 Condor Wines
Bright berry fruit aromatics lead to a touch of resin, mint and wild herbs. Juicy, lifted acidity carries the upbeat fruit and herbal tones perfectly. Engaging and different, this has a bittersweet finish that will work well with a variety of foods. Alc 13.5%
Mayu, Titon Vineyard Gran Reserva Syrah, Elqui Valley 2018
95 Value Gold
mayu.cl
An elegant wine with expressive black pepper, violet perfume and black olive notes – very typically Elqui. Juicy yet savoury, with some meaty bacon fat and a touch of spice. Perfectly pitched at this level and offers great value. Alc 14.5%
Morandé, Terroir Wines Cinsault-País, Maule 2020
95 Value Gold
£11-£12 Hay Wines, The Old Bridge Wine Shop
Juicy wild berry, sour cherry, cherry jam, plum skin and wild herbs, a nip of tannin. Not contrived or confected, it speaks of its varieties and place: frank, fresh, cogent, not cloying. More entrylevel Chilean reds should be like this. Alc 13.5%
New Zealand
Grove Mill, Sauvignon Blanc, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2021
95 Value Gold
£9.50-£9.95 Co-op, The Wine Society
Attractive, clean, lifted and generous nose displaying scents of fresh-cut grass, asparagus, gooseberry and peaches. Has a slight sweetness but with vibrant, harmonious acidity. Alc 13%
Vavasour, Sauvignon Blanc, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2021
95 Value Gold
£10-£14 Co-op, Majestic, Matthew Clark-Bibendum
Lovely purity of fruit with a core of plush, ripe citrus and apple with some light tropical fruit notes and savoury oceanside nuances. Mineral and crunchy. Alc 13.5%
McArthur Ridge, Brassknocker Pinot Noir, Central Otago 2021
95 Value Gold
mcarthurridge.nz
Pretty and fresh bouquet, a core of light red berry fruits with a fine savoury layer adding depth and charm. Lovely mouthfeel, delicious and long. Alc 13.5%
Paddy Borthwick, Paper Road Pinot Noir, Wairarapa 2021
95 Value Gold
POA Armit
Savoury and mineral nose with notes of rich berry, dark cherry and spiced plum. Firm, structured tannins, well textured with a very persistent, toasty finish. Alc 13.5%
USA
Chronic Cellars, Sir Real Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, California 2020
95 Value Gold
£14.99 Majestic
Layers of black plum, cherry, blackcurrant and bramble fruit, with toast, clove spice and peppermint aromas. Concentrated cassis palate, beginning to show some gamey notes, linear structure but with ample mid-palate fruit. Alc 14.5%
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