The aisles of the leading supermarket chains are shelved with Gold, according to the results of the International Wine Challenge 2016, announced yesterday. The world-renowned wine competition awarded medals to 317 supermarket own brand wines, with 28 picking up a Gold medal.

Wines created for Aldi, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose all secured Gold medals, but it was Marks & Spencer that picked up the most with 13. In addition to its haul of Golds, Marks & Spencer also received 43 Silver medals and 61 Bronze medals bringing the total medal count to a 117.

Morrisons received 52 medals for its own label range, including a trio of Gold medals, 13 Silvers and 36 Bronzes. Aldi secured four Gold medals along with six Silver medals and ten Bronzes for its own range.

Tesco finished the competition with a pair of Gold medals, as well as 20 Silvers and 28 Bronzes, whilst Waitrose wines also performed well, with two Gold medals, seven Silvers and 16 Bronzes.

Sainsbury’s received a pair of Gold medals for its sweet wines and picked up a trio of Silver medals and 16 Bronzes. However, Asda only won a single Gold medal, and 6 Silvers and 10 Bronzes.

Charles Metcalfe, Co-Chairman of the IWC commented: “We are so fortunate in the quality of the wines selected for UK supermarkets. Not all are winners, but if you stick to wines that have won IWC medals, you will find so many great wines, of all colours and styles. And even the Gold medals don’t have to cost you a fortune. There are great wines in UK supermarkets to suit every occasion and every budget.”

He added: “By selecting an IWC medal winner from a supermarket shelf, you can buy with the confidence of knowing that wine has been tasted and judged by some of the world’s finest wine experts. Whether you want to impress friends and family, or just experiment with a new style, the IWC medal is the official stamp of approval you can trust.”

Commenting on Tesco’s success, Jason Tarry, the group’s Chief Product Officer, said: “We’re delighted with our performance at the International Wine Challenge and I am incredibly proud of the teams’ success. The over 100 awards we have been awarded this year is testament to the hard work we have done to simplify our range, whilst offering customers great quality world-class wines at affordable prices.”