Hotel du Vin hosts ‘Judgment of Birmingham’ dinner to decide what wines are best
Thirty guests attended Hotel du Vin’s ‘Judgment of Birmingham’ dinner to decide once and for all what wines are best: classic French or New World.
Running the tasting throughout the six-course dinner was Nigel Wilkinson, from Wrexham in Wales – one of fewer than 300 master sommeliers in the world.
Arron Wincott, general manager of Hotel du Vin Birmingham, said: “It’s been a topic of debate which has raged for many decades, but on this night the good folks of Birmingham put that debate to bed once and for all by voting with their taste buds on what wines are best – classic French or New World.
“And the winner was … to be quite honest, the room was evenly split. Despite our aim to declare a winner, we were unable to put any meaningful daylight between the wines of France and those from the New World. Our mission continues.”
The room was evenly split
From Marlborough in New Zealand and California in the US to French regions including Bordeaux and and the Loire, the 30-strong judging panel was split down the middle on what they preferred.
Among them was Paul Cadman, CEO of the One Thousand Trades Group, who said: “Another brilliant event at Birmingham’s finest hotel. Stunning food, stunning wines, stunning service. As for which wines were best, I’ll be honest: I couldn’t pick a winner either.”
The wines were supplied by Boutinot, the high-end purveyor of world-class wines from around the world.
