World's Most Admired Wine Brands is published

Source: Drinks International
September 2, 2011

Drinks International has launched the World’s Most Admired Wine Brands, a comprehensive industry poll of the world's best regarded wine.

Concha y Toro was named the most admired brand in the secret ballot, pulling in more nominations from Drinks International’s 60-member judging panel than any other.

The global wine community was represented by masters of wine, consultants, winemakers, critics, retailers, educators, buyers and analysts.

Judges - who were all offered the option of anonymity - included: Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, global wine director of Direct Wines; Dan Jago, category director of beers, wines and spirits at Tesco; Charles Metcalfe, author, wine competition judge and speaker; Stephen Rannekliev, analyst at Rabobank; Neil Barker, former commercial director for UK and Ireland for Foster’s Group.

They were asked to choose up to five wine brands - with which they had no association - using the following criteria:

• Wines should be of consistent or improving quality
• They should reflect their region or country of origin
• They should respond to the needs and tastes of their target audience
• They should be well marketed and packaged
• They should have strong appeal to a wide demographic

The top ten of the 50-strong World's Most Admired Wines list comprised:
Concha y Toro
Torres
Jacob’s Creek
Antinori
Penfolds
Cloudy Bay
Chateau Lafite
Vega Sicilia
Marqués de Riscal
Château Latour

Supplement editor Graham Holter said: “Drinks International’s Most Admired Wine Brands project was conceived as an opportunity to salute the producers whose products have done the most to put regions on the map, to popularise wine drinking and to spread best practice throughout the industry.”

“We feel this is the most thorough and democratic exercise of its kind, and a fascinating glimpse into the way the international wine industry regards its leading producers.”