In all there are 75 Best in Class awards presented this year in the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships 2020, with each winning entry truly standing out from the competition in their category.
Only entries that have been awarded a Gold medal are even considered for a potential Best in Class certificate, so to receive one really is an accolade of the highest award. Except for NV & Vintage Classic Brut Blend (including Brut Nature & Extra Brut) the CSWWC has only awarded one Best in Class award per category per region from the 2020 competition.
The CSWWC judges – made up of competition founder Tom Stevenson, Essi Avellan MW, who has been part of CSWWC since it first started, and Champagne expert and wine consultant Simon Stockton – selected theoretical Best in Class for NV and Vintage and then conducted a taste-off to determine the overall final Best in Class awards.
By doing so it effectively halved the number of Best in Class entries competing for trophies, meaning a Best in Class award has become twice as hard to win and even more prestigious than before.
Essi Avellans sets out what winning a Best in Class award means: “For me, learning what our Best in Classes are is only second to the excitement of the World Champion Trophies. I truly enjoyed the Best in Class selection process this year, when we put our heads and palates together to select ‘the one’ amongst all the very good Gold Medal quality contenders within every region and category. It is sheer pleasure. These BICs all are world-class wines and I think that our list this year displays a superb assortment of cuvées from the world’s best sparkling wine producers. As a sparkling wine lover, I feel like a kid in a candy store in front of a selection like this.”
(Click here to watch Tom Stevenson announce the Best in Class results)
Best in Class Certificates 2020
Best in Class Argentine Brut
Chandon Argentina 2014 Brut (150cl)
Best in Class Argentine Magnum
Chandon Argentina 2014 Brut (150cl)
Best in Class Australian Vintage Blend Brut
Chandon Australia 2008 Late Disgorged Brut
Best in Class Australian Brut Nature
House of Arras 2004 E.J. Carr Late Disgorged Vintage (150cl)
Best Australian Brut Magnum
House of Arras 2004 E.J. Carr Late Disgorged Vintage (150cl)
Best in Class Australian NV Blend Brut
House of Arras NV Brut Elite Cuvee 1501
Best in Class Australian Vintage Blanc de Blancs Brut
House of Arras 2009 Vintage Blanc de Blancs
Best in Class Bulgarian Blanc de Blancs Brut
Midalidare Estate NV Brut (150cl)
Best in Class Bulgarian Magnum
Midalidare Estate NV Brut (150cl)
Best in Class Alsace NV Rosé Brut
Cave de Hunawihr NV Crémant Calixte 5 Rosé
Best in Class Loire NV Non-Classic Blend Brut
Bouvet Ladubay NV Brut Saumur Brut
Best in Class Champagne NV Blanc de Blancs Brut
Palmer & Co NV Blanc de Blancs (150cl)
Best in Class Champagne NV Blanc de Noirs Brut
Domaine Alexandre Bonnet NV Blanc de Noirs (150cl)
Best in Class Organic Champagne
Domaine Alexandre Bonnet NV Blanc de Noirs (150cl)
Best in Class Champagne NV Blend Brut
Palmer & Co NV Brut Réserve (150cl)
Best in Class Champagne Magnum
Palmer & Co NV Brut Réserve (150cl)
Best in Class Champagne Vintage Blend Brut
Laurent-Perrier 2008 Brut Millésime (150cl)
Best in Class Champagne NV Rosé Brut
Devaux NV D Rosé (150cl)
Champagne Devaux
Best in Class Champagne Vintage Blanc de Noirs Brut
G.H. Mumm 2009 RSRV Blanc de Noirs (150cl)
Best in Class Champagne Vintage Blanc de Blancs Brut
Louis Roederer 2013 Blanc de Blancs Brut
Best in Class Champagne Vintage Rosé BrutLouis Roederer 2012 Brut Rosé 150cl
Best in Class Single Vineyard Champagne
Pommery 2004 Clos Pompadour Brut (150cl)
Best in Class Deluxe Champagne Vintage Rosé Brut
Louis Roederer 2004 Cristal Rosé (150cl)
Best in Class Deluxe Champagne Magnum
Louis Roederer 2004 Cristal Rosé (150cl)
Best in Class Deluxe Champagne NV Blend Brut
Laurent-Perrier NV Grand Siecle Iteration N°24
Best in Class Deluxe Champagne Vintage Blend Brut
Louis Roederer 2004 Cristal (150cl)
Best in Class Deluxe Champagne Vintage Blanc de Blancs Brut
Ruinart 2006 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs (150cl)
Best in Class Deluxe Champagne Library Brut
Rare Champagne 1998 Millésime (150cl)
Best in Class Hungarian Brut Vintage
Kreinbacher 2016 Brut Classic (150cl)
Best in Class Hungarian Magnum
Kreinbacher 2016 Brut Classic (150cl)
Best in Class Indian Brut NV Rosé Brut
Chandon India NV Rosé Brut
The stunning Chandon India property
Best in Class Asti NV Sweet
Cuvage NV Acquesi Asti
Best in Class Franciacorta NV Rosé Brut
Romantica NV Rosé
Best in Class Franciacorta Vintage Rosé Brut
Fratelli Berlucchi 2014 Freccianera Rosa (150cl)
Best in Class Franciacorta Vintage Blend Brut
Lantieri de Paratico 2015 Arcadia
Best in Class Franciacorta Vintage Blanc de Blancs Brut
Fratelli Berlucchi 2014 Freccianera Satèn (150cl)
Best Franciacorta Magnum
Fratelli Berlucchi 2014 Freccianera Satèn (150cl)
Best in Class Franciacorta Brut Nature
Ca’del Bosco 2015 Vintage Collection Satèn (150cl)
Best in Class Lambrusco Red Brut
Cantina Zucchi 2019 Etichetta Bianca
Best in Class Prosecco Dry
Tenuta Amadio 2019 Dry Millesimato
Best in Class NV Prosecco Brut
Bottega NV Bottega Gold Prosecco Doc
Best in Class Prosecco Vintage Extra-Dry
Follador 2019 Extra Dry
Best in Class Organic Prosecco
Follador 2019 Extra Dry
Best in Class Vintage Prosecco Brut
Andreola 2019 Dirupo Brut
Best in Class Prosecco NV Extra-Dry
Bellussi NV Extra Dry
Best in Class Prosecco Vintage Extra – Brut
Nino Franco 2018 Nodi
Best in Class Prosecco DOC
Bottega NV Bottega Gold Prosecco Doc
Best in Class Sicilian Vintage Blanc de Blancs Brut
Azienda Agricola G. Milazzo 2011 Federico II (150cl)
Best in Class Sicilian Magnum
Azienda Agricola G. Milazzo 2011 Federico II (150cl)
Best in Class Sicilian Brut Nature
Azienda Agricola G. Milazzo NV Milazzo Nature V2
Best in Class Trentodoc NV Blanc de Blancs Brut
Ferrari NV Brut (150cl)
Best Trenodoc Magnum
Ferrari NV Brut (150cl)
Best in Class Trentodoc Vintage Blanc de Noirs Brut
Ferrari 2011 Perlé Nero Riserva (150cl)
Best in Class Trentodoc Vintage Blanc de Blancs Brut
Ferrari 2013 Perlé (150cl)
Best in Class Organic Trentodoc
Maso Martis 2014 Brut Riserva (150cl)
Best in Class Trentodoc Vintage Blend Brut
Maso Martis 2008 Madame Martis Brut Riserva (150cl)
Best in Class Trentodoc Vintage Rosé Brut
Rotari 2013 Alperegis Rosé (150cl)
Best in Class Trentodoc Brut Nature
Ferrari 2006 Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore (150cl)
Best in Class New Zealand Brut NV
Hunters Wines NV MiruMiru
Best in Class New Zealand NV Rosé Brut
No.1 Family Estate NV Rosé
Best in Class Portuguese NV Blend Brut
Provam NV Castas de Monção
Best in Class Cava Vintage Blend Brut
Pere Ventura 2017 Tresor Reserva
Best in Class Cava NV Blend Brut
Mascaro NV Pure Brut Nature
Best in Class Organic Cava and Best in Class Brut Nature
Agusti Torello Mata 2015 Barrica Gran Reserva
Best in Class Cava Magnum
Freixenet NV Cordon Negro (150cl)
Best in Class Corpinnat Vintage Brut
Gramona 2015 Imperial
Best Corpinnat Organic Sparkling Wine
Gramona 2015 Imperial
Best in Class English Vintage Rosé Brut
Hattingley Valley 2017 Rosé
Best in Class English Vintage Blanc de Noirs Brut
Gusbourne 2016 Blanc de Noirs
Best in Class English Vintage Blend Brut
Squerryes 2014 Brut (150cl)
Best in Class English Sparkling Wine (150cl)
Squerryes 2014 Brut (150cl)
Best in Class English Vintage Blanc de Blancs Brut
Ridgeview 2009 Blanc de Blancs (150cl)
Enjoying the sunshine, sparkling wine and other local produce at Ridgeview Garden Launch Party. Photo ©Julia Claxton
Best in Class English NV Blend Brut
Nyetimber NV Classic Cuvee in Jeroboam
Best in Class Californian Vintage Rosé Brut
Caraccioli Cellars 2014 Brut Rosé
Best in Class Californian NV Rosé Brut
Domaine Chandon California NV Rosé
