Decanter Retailer Awards 2020
Judging awards in a pandemic lockdown is a strange affair.
But we wanted to press on with our annual Decanter Retailer Awards more than ever in 2020, to reward and champion those people who had worked tirelessly to keep our spirits up and our glasses full at a very difficult time.
At the time of judging, I wrote a piece on why such awards matter at a time such as we were going through.
And when it came to the judging, it’s no exaggeration to say that we judges were brought to tears by the tales of selflessness, devotion and resourcefulness of the UK’s best wine retailers.
Often it was just a simple gesture, going the extra mile, often looking after or rewarding the most vulnerable or the most deserving, that caught our collective eye.
This kind of thing speaks volumes about how challenges have been overcome and the community served by these retailers.
What’s more, thanks to the entrants and the goodwill of Decanter magazine, the awards were able to donate £25,000 to The Drinks Trust and The Ben charities.
Wine may not be the most important thing in life, but it’s at times like these we learn to value such pleasures, moments and service more than ever.
Here’s a brief recap of the winners:
- Outstanding Retailer of the Year: Honest Grapes
- Judge’s Choice winner: D Byrne & Co
- Supermarket winner: Booths
- National Wine Shop winner: Cambridge Wine Merchants
- Local Multi-Store winner: Loki Wine
- Local Wine Shop winner: St Andrews Wine Co
- London Multi Store winner: Lea & Sandeman
- London Wine Shop winner: Noble Green
- London Neighbourhood Wine Shop winner: The Good Wine Shop (Richmond)
- Online Retailer (Small) winner: Wanderlust Wine
- Online Retailer (Large) winner: The Wine Society
- Newcomer winner: Diogenes the Dog
- En Primeur winner: Goedhuis & Co (Bordeaux)
- Subscription Wine Club winner: Honest Grapes
- Green Champion: Marks & Spencer
Specialist Awards
- Australia: The Vinorium
- Austria: The Wine Society
- Bordeaux: Goedhuis
- Burgundy: House of Townend
- Central & Eastern Europe: Novel Wines
- Champagne & Sparkling Wine: Waitrose
- England & Wales: Grape Britannia
- Germany: The Wine Barn
- Italy: Jeroboams
- Loire: Lay & Wheeler
- New Zealand: Majestic
- Organic & Biodynamic: Buon Vino
- Rhone: Lay & Wheeler
- South & Regional France: The Wine Society
- South Africa: Museum Wines
- South America: Taste Argentina
- Spain & Portugal: The Wine Society
- Sweet & Fortified: Vintage Wine & Port
- USA: Roberson
[Decanter Retailer Awards The 2020 Winners appeared in Decanter magazine’s December 2020 edition – you can also find it on the Decanter website]
