Wine: Challenging winners

AS WELL as gold medals, the IWC also selects wines of the year, based on value as well as quality. This year's Challenge Wines of the Year were: 1988 Tinto da Anfora, Portugal, pounds 4.55 Waitrose, pounds 4.59 Majestic; 1990 Stratford Zinfandel, California, pounds 3.99 Victoria Wine, pounds 3.75 Majestic; 1991 La Serre Chardonnay, pounds 3.98 Bibendum, London NW1, pounds 3.99 Victoria Wine; 1992 Errazuriz Sauvignon Blanc, pounds 3.99 Oddbins, pounds 4.19 Victoria Wine; 1991 Hardy Bird series Gewurztraminer Riesling, pounds 4.79 Safeway, pounds 4.99 Augustus Barnett.

Wine Merchants of the Year joint award: Adnams and Wine Rack; wine list: Oddbins; regional chain: Fuller and Smith and Turner; national chain: Wine Rack; mail order: Adnams and the Wine Society; supermarket: Safeway; 'Going Places': Gateway.

A full list of all trophies, medals and merchant awards along with commentary is in the October issue of Wine magazine.