The annual Decanter Retailer Awards aims to offer wine drinkers an indispensable guide to the best retail experiences, championing the very best wine retailers in the UK.
This year the Decanter Retailer Awards judging panel made their way through more than one hundred entries, assessing, scoring and re-scoring across three stages of judging, ultimately narrowing down entries to determine one winner in each category.
Scroll down to see this year’s winners
Retailers impressed the judges perhaps more than ever as entries were submitted during the height of lockdown in the UK. Judge Andy Howard MW commented, ‘I was almost astonished at how good most of the entries were given the environment that everybody was in when they would have been doing this, so I think an awful lot of commendation needs to be given to the people who’ve put this together.’
House of Townend, this year’s Burgundy Specialist of the Year
The Decanter Retailer Awards judging process is based on what Decanter readers think is most important to them when purchasing wines: Quality, Value, Range and Service. The impact of the pandemic on retailers was taken into consideration, and on this judge Laura Clay commented, ‘I was very impressed with how quickly people changed their business model because of the situation. It was absolutely incredible.’
All proceeds from the 2020 awards and an additional donation made by Decanter were donated to The Drinks Trust and The Ben, raising an impressive total of £25k for these UK drinks industry charities. Learn more here.
Decanter Retailer Awards 2020 Results
Australia Specialist of the Year: The Vinorium
Runner-up: Majestic Wine
Austria Specialist of the Year: The Wine Society
Runner-up: N/A
Bordeaux Specialist of the Year: Goedhuis & Co
Runner-up: BI Wines & Spirits
Burgundy Specialist of the Year: House of Townend
Runner-up: Goedhuis & Co
Central & Eastern Europe Specialist of the Year: Novel Wines
Runner-up: Best of Hungary
Champagne & Sparkling Specialist of the Year: Waitrose
Runner-up: The Whisky Exchange
England & Wales Specialist of the Year: Grape Britannia
Runner-up: Waitrose
Germany Specialist of the Year: The WineBarn
Runner-up: N/A
Italy Specialist of the Year: Jeroboams
Runner-up: Noble Grape
Loire Specialist of the Year: Lay & Wheeler
Runner-up: Majestic Wine
New Zealand Specialist of the Year: Majestic Wine
Runner-up: Jeroboams
Organic & Biodynamic Specialist of the Year: Buon Vino
Runner-up: Wanderlust Wine
Rhône Specialist of the Year: Lay & Wheeler
Runner-up: The Wine Society
South & Regional France Specialist of the Year: The Wine Society
Runner-up: N/A
South Africa Specialist of the Year: Museum Wines
Runner-up: Stone, Vine & Sun
South America Specialist of the Year: Taste Argentina
Runner-up: N/A
Spain & Portugal Specialist of the Year: The Wine Society
Runner-up: The Tapas Room
Sweet & Fortified Specialist of the Year: Vintage Wine & Port
Runner-up: Waitrose
USA Specialist of the Year: Roberson Wine
Runner-up: N/A
Newcomer of the Year: Diogenes the Dog
Runner-up: Savage Vines
Subscription Wine Club of the Year: Honest Grapes
Runner-up: The Wine Society
En Primeur Campaign of the Year: Goedhuis & Co (for Bordeaux Campaign)
Runner-up: Lay & Wheeler (for Bordeaux Campaign)
Green Champion Award: Marks & Spencer
Runner-up: Honest Grapes
Local Wine Shop of the Year: St Andrews Wine Company
Runner-up: The Whalley Wine Shop
Local Multi-Store of the Year: Loki Wine
Runner-up: WoodWinters Wines & Whiskies
London Neighbourhood Wine Shop of the Year: The Good Wine Shop, Richmond
Runner-up: Davy’s Wine Merchants, Greenwich Shop
London Wine Shop of the Year: Noble Green Wines
Runner-up: Philglas & Swiggot
London Multi-Store of the Year: Lea & Sandeman
Runner-up: Jeroboams
National Wine Shop of the Year: Cambridge Wine Merchants
Runner-up: Tanners Wines
Supermarket of the Year: Booths
Runner-up: Co-op
Small Online Retailer of the Year: Wanderlust Wine
Runner-up: N/A
Large Online Retailer of the Year: The Wine Society
Runner-up: Roberson Wine
Judges’ Choice: D. Byrne & Co
Runner-up: Majestic Wine
Outstanding Wine Retailer of the Year: Honest Grapes
