Top 10 fortified wines from the Global Masters

About the competition

The Fortified Masters is a competition created and run by the drinks business, and is an extension of its successful Masters series for grape varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as regions from Rioja to Chianti.

The competition is exclusively for fortified wines, and the entries were judged by highly experienced tasters using Schott Zwiesel Cru Classic glasses supplied by Wine Sorted.

The top fortified wines were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and those entries that stood out as being outstanding received the ultimate accolade – the title of Fortified Master.

For further information on the Global Masters, including how to enter, please call +44 (0)20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Raichura at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com

About the tasting process

All the entries are tasted blind, ensuring that the judges have no knowledge of the identity of each wine beyond its price band and basic style.

Once a score for each wine from every judge has been revealed, and the reasons for the result given, the chair of each judging group will compile an average score, and award medals accordingly.

Each wine is scored on the 100-point scale, with pre-set scoring bands corresponding to the medals awarded, which range from Bronze to Gold, and Master – the ultimate accolade, awarded only to outstanding samples. The judges are told to consider the resulting medal when assigning their score.

The bands are as follows: 85-88 – Bronze; 89-92 – Silver; 93-96 – Gold; 97-100 – Master.

Although the judges are tough, they are accurate and consistent, and the open judging process allows for debate and the revision of initial assessments.

Within the style and price category, the judges are looking for appropriate flavours – be they attributable to the vineyard or the winemaking processes. They are also in search of complexity, intensity and persistence at levels expected of the style and price band. In particular, the judges will reward wines highly if they have both balance and personality.

Thanks to the quality of the judges and the sampling process, the Global Masters provides an unrivalled chance to draw attention to hidden gems, as well as confirm the excellence of the renowned.

Please visit the Global Masters website for more information.