A VINEYARD toasted a major success with the help of a wine legend.

Grape guru Oz Clarke was among the judging panel of this year’s Wine GB (Wines of Great Britain) Awards - which saw Woodchester Valley Vineyard near Stroud scoop two trophies.

Not only did it win Best Blanc de Blancs but the wine was also judged as the overall Regional Winner for the West.

The Blanc de Blancs was named as joint winner with Marlow-based Harrow & Hope at the prestigious WineGB Awards Lunch held at Drapers’ Hall in London on Friday, July 19.

Wines were judged by an expert panel which included Oz Clarke and wine expert, TV presenter and podcaster Susie Barrie - who both presented the awards.

Woodchester’s triumph follows a seven medal win in June.

Delighted vineyard founder Fiona Shiner said: “Wow! Winning not just one but two trophies is something we weren’t expecting.

“We are really proud and it’s a great testament to all the work done by our winemaker, Jeremy Mount and the Woodchester Valley team to create quality wines year on year.

“Making wine in our cool climate is challenging and no vintage is the same. Results like this make the hard work and effort behind the scenes all the more rewarding.

“The awards lunch is a great chance for us to catch-up with other winemakers, and try the medal winners too.

“I think what makes winning the trophy for our Blanc de Blancs 2018 even more special is that it is a sparkling wine that will keep getting better and better.

“The competition was fierce with some truly exceptional sparkling wines out there from all over the country. We’re really pleased that a Cotswold sparkling wine from Gloucestershire made it to the Trophy table.”

The Wine GB Awards is the most high profile competition for Great Britain’s wines and vineyards There was a record number of wines entered this year, and the highest ever number of producers entering from all over the country.

Woodchester Valley was established in 2007 when a single acre was planted at Amberley to assess the suitability of the land for growing vines.

It now produces more than 100,000 bottles of still and sparkling wine a year and attracts thousands of visitors.