Vardon Kennett, the winery responsible for Familia Torres’s high-end sparkling wines, has garnered new international accolades. The Glass of Bubbly Awards 2022, which recently celebrated their sixth edition in London, presented Rosé de Mar 2017 with the highest distinction in the ‘Sea Breeze’ category, whereas Cuvée Esplendor 2015 took home the gold medal in the ‘Classic and Elegant’ category.

The goal of the Glass of Bubbly Awards is to help consumers discover the rich variety of flavours and styles that characterize the world of champagne and sparkling wines. Participating in the competition are wines from different countries, which are evaluated by an international jury in two rounds of blind tastings. The wines are classified into 18 categories with descriptive and evocative names that make it easy for the consumer to understand what they can expect from each bottle of sparkling wine. The contest awards a trophy to the highest-scoring wine in each category, along with gold, silver, and bronze medals.

The new Rosé de Mar 2017 by Vardon Kennett took home the top award in the ‘Sea Breeze’ category for its “floral notes and minerality”, culminating in “a long briny finish,” according to the jury, which described the rosé as a “perfect example of a sea breeze”. First released this past summer, Rosé de Mar 2017 is a long-aged vintage sparkling wine, very limited in terms of production, and made according to the traditional method from Pinot Noir grown in the winery’s own altitude vineyards.

As for Cuvée Esplendor 2015, the jury found its elegance and freshness surprising, as well as its “floral, citrus, and brioche notes”, which earned the wine the gold medal in the ‘Classic and Elegant’ category. Made from a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and a small percentage of Xarel·lo, the varietal queen of Penedès, the wine stands out for its subtle yet lively bubbles.

Located in Santa Margarida d’Agulladolç in Alt Penedès, the winery takes its name from Daniel Vardon Kennett, an early 19th-century maritime trader, adventurer, and entrepreneur who lived and made his own wines in the country house which is now home to the present-day winery.