Wines of the Year 2022: the top sparkling, sweet and fortified

Of the 125 nominations in Decanter’s Wines of the Year 2022, just 19 were sparkling, sweet and fortified. However the diversity and quality on offer impressed our three judges, who spoke with Tina Gellie after the tasting.

By Tina Gellie

last updated 9 January 2023

in Tastings

wines of the year sparkling sweet — (Image credit: Credit Unknown)

The 11 sparkling wines were a highlight among the 125 global entries assessed over two days at Decanter’s Wines of the Year 2022 tasting.

After the initial judging, two Champagnes stood above the rest, each scoring 98 points. And they provoked much debate between Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, Vincenzo Arnese and Amanda Barnes as to which would be crowned Sparkling Wine of the Year.

Scroll down for the top sparklings, sweets and fortifieds from Decanter’s Wines of the Year 2022 tasting

‘We discussed these two a lot because they were quite different styles but both completely incredible,’ said Ballesteros Torres.

‘The eventual winner – and it was so close – was outstanding,’ said Arnese. ‘Elegant, rich and generous, with great integration and complexity, not just now but also for the future.’

Ballesteros Torres commended the entries from other regions for ‘being at an equal level to Champagne, with different and delicious expressions,’ but personally felt ‘it’s impossible for anyone to do it better.’

However Arnese was full of praise for English sparkling wine, including the two entries in this line up. ‘The style is more integrated and refined than ever,’ he said. ‘The prospect for England is looking more interesting – and competitive as well. Perhaps we will see this in future Wines of the Year?’

Impressive sweet and fortified wines

We don’t award a Sweet or Fortified Wine of the Year but, if we did, the judges were in agreement that it would be the Terrantez from Madeira in Portugal.

‘Devastatingly good,’ enthused Arnese. ‘The level of complexity, the layers of flavour, the balance between the sweetness and acidity… I could talk for hours about this wine!’

His fellow judges were equally effusive, although Barnes also highlighted the Fino from Jerez. ‘I just loved its sweaty funkiness, expressing real complexity and eccentricity,’ she said.

‘The five fortified nominations were all really sophisticated, which I don’t expect any less of from Decanter’s experts!’

There were only three sweet wine nominations but each from a different region and grape variety. ‘My personal favourite was the Tokaji for its punchy acidity that offset the sweetness,’ said Barnes. ‘But it was also wonderful to have a beautiful Chenin Blanc straw wine from South Africa – waxy and intense – as well as an exuberantly sweet Rieslaner from Pfalz in Germany, which offered a different expression completely.’

Full list of all sparkling, sweet and fortified wines

SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR – 99 points

Champagne Louis Roederer, Cristal Brut, Champagne, France 2013 (nominated by Peter Liem; Classic)

98 points

Billecart-Salmon, Louis Salmon Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne, France 2008 (Charlotte Hale; Classic)

96 points

Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millénaires Brut, Côte des Blancs, Champagne, France 2007 (Michael Hill Smith MW, Classic)

Henri Giraud, Blanc de Craie Brut, Champagne, France NV (Charlotte Hale; Classic)

Marguet, Sapience 1er Cru Brut Nature, Champagne, France 2010 (Yohan Castaing; Classic)

95 points

Fleur de Miraval, ER2 Exclusivement Rosé, Côte des Blancs, Champagne, France NV (Elizabeth Gabay MW; Classic)

Gusbourne Estate, Blanc de Blancs Brut, Kent/West Sussex, England 2016 (Charlotte Hale; Classic)

94 points

Roederer Estate, Quartet Brut, Anderson Valley, California, USA NV (Brooke Herron; Value)

93 points

Balnaves of Coonawarra, Sparkling Cabernet, Coonawarra, South Australia NV (David Sly; Offbeat)

Hattingley Valley, Kings Cuvée, Hampshire, England 2015 (Anthony Rose; Classic)

90 points

No1 Family Estate, No1 Rosé, Marlborough, New Zealand NV (Cameron Douglas MS, Classic)

SWEET WINE

96 points

Balassa, Villő Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj, Hungary 2017 (Caroline Gilby MW; Classic)

95 points

Mullineux, Olerasay 3 Chenin Blanc, Swartland, South Africa NV (Malu Lambert; Offbeat)

93 points

Müller-Catoir, Herzog Rieslaner TBA VDP Erste Lage, Pfalz, Germany 2017 (Darrel Joseph; Classic)

FORTIFIED WINE

98 points

Henriques & Henriques, 20 Year Old Terrantez, Madeira, Portugal (Richard Mayson; Classic)

97 points

San Francisco Javier, Viña Corrales Fino Bottled 2021, Jerez, Spain (Paz Levinson; Classic)

96 points

Blandy’s, 20 Year Old Malmsey, Madeira, Portugal (Demetri Walters MW; Classic)

95 points

Bodegas de Alberto, Dorado, Rueda, Spain (Gabriela Colotto; Classic)

93 points

Sopla Poniente, Fino en Rama Cerro del Majuelo, Montilla-Moriles, Spain 2020 (Rod Smith MW; Offbeat)

Wines of the Year 2022: the top sparkling, sweet and fortified

Wines of the Year 2022: the top whites

Wines of the Year 2022: the top reds

Buy tickets for Decanter Wines of the Year Tasting on Thursday 26 January

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Tina Gellie has worked for Decanter since 2008 across a number of editorial roles and is currently the brand's Content Director. An awarded wine writer and editor, she won several scholarships on the way to getting her WSET Diploma, and is a freeman of The Worshipful Company of Distillers. She has worked in wine publishing since 2003, including as Deputy Editor and Acting Editor of Wine International. Before her wine career she was a newspaper journalist for broadsheets in London and Australia.

Wines of the Year 2022: the top sparkling, sweet and fortified