Upperton has taken double gold medals at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) and the International Wine Challenge (IWC) for its Blanc de Blanc Alia. It has also won a silver medal for its Aurora classic blend in the IWSC awards, to add to a growing collection of awards. “DWWA is the world’s largest and most prestigious wine competition judged by top wine experts from around the world and respected internationally as an unrivaled source of wine recommendations and we are very proud to have won these medals, ” said vineyard owner Andy Rogers. Andy and his family planted their first vines on the slopes at Tillington in 2005. The vineyard now comprises Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir and all the wines are made using traditional grapes and methods. “DWWA has judges from around the world,” said Andy, “including masters of wine and master sommeliers, and many of them are the foremost experts in their field. Judging is organized into categories, initially based on region. For example, Champagne will be judged by a panel of Champagne experts. “Our Alia is one of only five wines awarded with gold medals in the English Sparkling wine category. “We are incredibly proud to have won two gold awards and a silver in three of the most prestigious international wine competitions. “It is a testament to the fantastic wine-growing area we live in and the high standard of winemaking we have set ourselves.”

He added: “Judging for the competition is unique in that it has two stages. “First, the products are tasted blind by expert panels, selected from over 300 fully experienced and qualified industry judges. Products which receive the top medals are then subject to technical analysis before results are released. This crucial stage ensures winners receive complete validation. Upperton’s Alia is a 100 per cent Chardonnay sparkling wine. The vineyard’s Aurora is a traditional blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir.

Read more at source: Midhurst and Petworth