Decanter World Wine Awards: new panel chair appointments, guess who for Portugal?

Yesterday Decanter announced “D’Agata, Gilby and Ahmed appointed panel chairs as DWWA [Decanter World Wine Awards] strengthens ranks” (see here).  I’m thrilled to have been appointed regional chair for Portuguese table wines.  Ian d’Agata takes on Piedmont and Southern Italy, while Dr Caroline Gilby MW will chair Hungary.  

And the ranks needs swelling – with nearly 11,000 entries in 2010,  DWWA lays claim to being the world’s biggest international wine competition.   There are now 30 panel chairs.

Coincidently, last night I presented a “nose to tail” themed tasting of Douro wines and fortifieds for Dulwich Wine Society, so we marked the occasion in some style over a stunning line up:

Quinta do Passadouro Passadouro White 2009
Quinta do Noval Cedro do Noval 2007
Quinta do Crasto Reserva 2007
Croft Pink Port
Ad Favaios Moscatel Douro 1989
Andresen 20 year old White Port
Grahams 20 year old Tawny Port
Duorum Vintage Port 2007    

Vintage Port may be the Douro’s best known export but Dulwich members certainly appreciated its other charms, including new to most of them, the Douro’s facility with white grapes (the table wine, age dated white Port and Moscatel do Douro).  

Most talked about wine of the night? Amongst stiff competition, Ad Favaios Moscatel Douro 1989 , much appreciated for its well judged balance of lift and complexity.  Moscatel de Setubal watch out!

Can’t wait to unearth lots more gems over a fabulously focused week chairing the Portuguese panel this April! The results will be announced in the October edition of Decanter and you can find out more about Decanter World Wine Awards, past winners, also how to enter your wine here.  The deadline for entries is 1 March 2011.