Fortified Masters medal winners released

Finally, bronze medals were awarded to a broad array of entries, including a Vin Santo Liquoroso from Santo Wines in Santorini; a 20 year-old white Port from Kopke; a botrytised, fortified Semillon from De Bortoli called Black Noble 10 year old, and a Pink Port from Croft, among others.

Overall, the Fortified Masters drew the tasters’ attention to the character and complexity on offer among the world’s great fortified wines.

And such is the quality available, it’s only sad that these great fortified wines don’t attract a wider audience, although this does mean that they represent extremely good value.

Fortified Masters 2013: Bronze medal winners

Barros Porto Reserve Tawny	Bronze
Barbadillo Manzanilla Solear	Bronze
Morris Classic Liqueur Muscat	Bronze
Santo Wines Vinsanto Vin De Liqueur De Raisin Passerille	Bronze
Senhora do Convento Ruby Special Reserve	Bronze
Late Bottled Vintage 2008	Bronze
Kopke White 20 year old Porto	Bronze
De Bortoli Black Noble 10 year old	Bronze
Fonseca Terra Prima Organic Port	Bronze
Graham’s 20 year old tawny	Bronze
Monis Muscadel 2004	Bronze
De Bortoli Show Liqueur 8 year old Muscat	Bronze
Senhora do Convento Late Bottled Vintage 2003	Bronze
De Bortoli ‘Old Boys’ 21 year old tawny	Bronze
Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla	Bronze
Fonseca Late Bottled Vintage Unfiltered 2007	Bronze
Croft Pink	Bronze
d’Arenberg vintage fortified 2007	Bronze
Grant Burge aged tawny	Bronze
Blandy’s Alvada 5 year old	Bronze
Grant Burge 10 year old Muscat	Bronze

The judges

The judges were selected for their wine tasting experience, high regard in the trade, as well as expertise in the fortified wine sector. We chose a range of personalities to reflect different sectors, from the on-trade to off-trade, as well as those with a background in wine education and commentary. On the judging panel were the following people:

Nick Room, wine buyer, Waitrose
Lucy Clements, product development manager, Tesco
Godfrey Spence, wine educator and writer / fortified wine specialist
Ewan Murray, tastings manager, The Wine Society
Joris Beijn, sommelier and consultant
Dawn Davies, wine buyer, Selfridges
Patrick Schmitt, editor-in-chief, the drinks business

About the competition

The Fortified Masters is a competition created and run by the drinks business and it is an extension of its successful Masters series for spirits and Champagne. The competition is exclusively for fortified wine and almost 100 entries were judged by a selection of experienced tasters using Riedel Chianti/Riesling glasses supplied by Sensible Wine Services.

The fortified wines were scored out of 100, with those gaining over 95 points awarded the top title of Master. Those earning over 90 points were given a gold, those over 85 a silver and those over 80 a bronze.

The fortified wines were tasted over the course of one day on 30 May at the Institute of Masters of Wine.