France tops the IWC awards for the 31st year running

France has once again fought off international competition to come top of the International Wine Challenge 2014 medals table, cementing its position as the global wine making champion. 113 French wines were awarded Gold medals by the prestigious wine competition, 38 more Golds than its closest rival Australia. Australia won a total of 890 medals, 75 of them Gold, including a £7.99 Oxford Landing Viognier. Argentina held its own this year too with a total of 327 medals: 16 Gold and with the rising popularity of Malbec, 5 Malbecs being gold winners. And English Sparkling wines had a record year with 5 gold winners from Sussex, Kent and Cornwall. These included West Sussex vineyard Nyetimber who received a Gold medal for their 2009 Classic Cuvée and Gusbourne Estate in Kent won Gold with its 2009 Brut Reserve.