BUT IT’S A SWEEP FOR ARGENTINA

China may have done well at the Decanter World Wine Awards but Argentina owned it, winning the most International Trophies of any single country in the history of the competition which included over 12,OOO entries. Etchart won Dry Aromatic Under £1O (US$1O)) for its Privado Torrontes, then Terrazas de los Andes – owned by Moët-Hennessy – won the same award in the Over £1O category, for its Seleccion Torrontes. The Red Bordeaux Varietal Trophy Under £1O went to Viñalba for its Patagonian Cabernet-Merlot – a third triumph for a winery that was only founded in 2OO8 and has already won two International Trophies. Then both Red Single Varietal Trophies – in the Under and Over £1O categories – went to Argentinian wineries: Argento for its Bonarda 2O1O and Bodegas dos Andes for its Chalten Malbec Coleccion 2OO9. Lastly, the Red Blend Over £1O Trophy was won by Mendoza’s Finca Sophenia, for Synthesis.