Wine GB Awards: Langham gains top gong again

By Hamish Graham

Published: 17 July, 2026

At this year’s buzzy Wine GB Awards at Borough’s 10 Union St, Langham Wine Estate once again showed itself as a leading light in English winemaking taking home four prizes including both Supreme Champion and Best Producer.

The Dorset winery also took home the Best Sparkling Wine and Best Non-Vintage Sparkling Wine for its Corallian Classic Cuvée NV, achieving a 99 score from this year’s judges.

The team at Langham (pictured) were on hand to accept the awards. Though busy head winemaker Tommy Grimshaw was unable to attend to the awards, he appeared via a colleague’s phone on video call to celebrate alongside.

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The Best Vintage Cuvee award went to Hampshire’s Hattingley Valley for its Kings Cuvée 2017, another high-scoring wine with assessing judges giving it a 98.

Sparkling success was also seen for Chapel Down, the well-known Kent producer winning both the Classic Cuvee award and Best SWGB [Sustainable Wines of Great Britain] wine for its Grand Reserve 2019.

West Sussex saw success when Best Sparkling Rosé went to Oastbrook’s Sparkling Rose 2018; Somerset’s Fenny Castle Blanc de Noirs 2021 won Best Blanc de Noirs; while Woodchester Valley from Gloucestershire, with its Blanc de Blancs 2019 won the Blanc de Blancs category; and Hampshire’s Exton Park’s Blanc de Blancs Vintage 2013 won the Best Aged/ Prestige Wine award.

Still wine winners

Battersea’s Blackbook Winery showcased its urban winery wizardry; winemaker Sergio Verrillo was present to accept both Best Still Chardonnay and Best Still Wine gongs for his Pygmalion Chardonnay 2023, sourced from top Crouch Valley vineyards.

Best Still Wine (not Chardonnay) – the prize this year sponsored by Harpers – was won by Balfour Winery’s aromatic Liberty’s Bacchus 2025. A nod to the success British producers are having with the Germanic variety, the wine also gained a Highly Commended for Best SWGB wine.

Further still wine awards went to East Sussex’s Walgate, winning the still rosé category for its Rosé 2023; Best Pinot Noir went to Simpsons' Wine Estate, its Rabbit Hole Pinot Noir gaining the nod; and Sandridge Barton won the Still Innovation category for its Sonny NV for the second year in a row. The latter wine is an unfortified flor-aged Pinot Blanc, resting for over two years in a single old oak barrel.

Regional success

West Sussex gained further accolades with Wiston Estate winning Best Contract Winery and Best Newcomer going to Abingworth Vineyard.

Regional awards went to the following: Flint Vineyard won the East prize; the Midlands and North gong went to Hencote Estate; the South East award was earned by Oastbrook Estate; Harrow & Hope achieved the Thames & Chilterns honour; Wessex was won by Langham; while West went to Fenny Casttle Vineyard; and a tie was on the cards for Wales with Vale Vineyard (Gwinllan y Dyffryn) and Velfrey Vineyard sharing the honours.

Prizes beyond winemaking went to producers, including Sandridge Barton which won Innovative Label Design, while artistic plaudits went to Adrian Franklin who won the Photography Award for his drone shot of Mereworth Vineyard.

Best Small Cellar Door went to Westwell Wines with the Large winner being Chapel Down.

Co-chair judge and host for the soiree Peter Richards MW reflected: “The quality on display this year was exceptional. Perhaps fuelled by some excellent recent vintages but also by the growing expertise, professionalism, experience and attention to detail that’s clear to see both in the vineyards and wineries across the land – and in the wines themselves. Tremendously positive.”

Image credit – Saltwick Media

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