Details of the awards and the Indian winners are available online.

The Awards Dinner was held on September 1st at the Hempel Hotel, where a vast marquee had been erected for the 350 guests. We mingled in the hotel foyer and outside on the pavement as it was a fine evening, drinking Lanson Black Label and Lanson Rose Champagne, the latter setting me up well for the speech I had to give after publisher Sarah Kemp’s always splendid opening words. Trophy winning wines (of course) were selected for the dinner, the whites being a lovely Lunae Vermentino Colli di Luni 2007 from Italy’s Liguria, a classic Chablis Grand Cru Valmur 2006 J. Moreau et Fils and an Australian Classic, Semillon 2002 Barossa Valley from Peter Lehmann.

There was a choice of two reds to match the Welsh rack of lamb: Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Vasse Felix, a fine example from the cooler growing region of Australia’s Margaret River, and a stunning Cahors l’Authentique 2005 from Chateau Pineraie in south-west France.

The 30 year old Sandeman’s Tawny Port that went with the cheese made me not wish to get up from the table it was so delicious, but then it was back into the Hempel for dessert canapés and Jazz, accompanied by Gewurztraminer Selection de Grains Nobles from Pierre Spaar in Alsace and Lanson Gold Label 1998.

Finally, to keep the party going, a crisp and clean 100% Sauvignon Blanc 2006 from Chateau Couhins-Lurton in the northern Graves alternated with a robust Cabernet Merlot Barossa Valley 2006 from a new winery named Tempus Two. A good time was had by all. Roll on 2009.