Amanda Barnes, Ben Gubbins and Dirceu Vianna Junior MW tasted 75 wines, with six Outstanding and 48 Highly recommended.
Premium South American whites panel tasting scores
75 wines tasted
Exceptional 0
Outstanding 6
Highly recommended 48
Recommended 21
Commended 0
Fair 0
Poor 0
Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit white wines with availability in the UK or US priced at £20/$20 or above, single varietal or blends, from any grape and any vintage
I’m giving scores of above 90 like I’ve never given before!’ exclaimed fellow panel taster Dirceu Vianna Junior MW, as we were getting to the end of a long, but delicious day of tasting. ‘I have been involved with Decanter for more than 10 years and I cannot remember such a success rate.’
Vianna was not alone in his enthusiasm. Together we tasted 75 wines, and 72% of those wines scored 90 points or above. At Decanter, that means it is a wine that has complexity and precision – a benchmark wine. Anything that touches, or even nearly touches, Gold at 95pts is not only exemplary but thrilling. And we tasted some thrilling wines.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring premium South American whites
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The top-scoring premium South American whites:
{}
{"wineId":"61369","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61604","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61605","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61606","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61607","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61608","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61609","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61610","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61611","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61612","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61613","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61614","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61615","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61616","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61617","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61618","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61619","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61620","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61621","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61622","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61623","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61624","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"61625","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
The judges
Amanda Barnes is a writer and presenter specialising in South American travel and wine. A DWWA judge, she is author of the award-winning South America Wine Guide (£35 southamericawineguide.com).
Ben Gubbins is general manager and WSET wine educator at Vagabond Wines in London. A native of Chile, he was previously with UK wine merchant Oddbins, moving into the buying department in 2010, then working as UK & Europe sales director for Dos Andes Wines before joining Vagabond in 2013.
Dirceu Vianna Junior MW is a wine writer, consultant, educator and broadcaster. Moving to the UK in 1989, he spent much of his career as wine director for some of the UK’s most prominent wine distributors, and in 2008 he became the first South American male to obtain the Master of Wine title.
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