The reveal of the winners for The Wine Awards by Cosmo Middle East and MMI Dubai is fast approaching. Just in time for the weekend on 3rd March, you’ll find out what some of the best whites, reds, and sparkling drinks are, judged by none other than the region’s leading wine connoisseurs.
At the beginning of this year, it was announced that Dubai would be dropping its 30% alcohol tax, as well as the fee tourists and expats previously had to pay for a license to buy alcohol from stores to drink in private. So it looks like it’s happy hour, every hour 🍷.
We’re bringing you 60 wines, 19 categories, and 4 judges to give you ~all~ the wine inspo you’ll never need. Not only do our judges really, really like wine (obvs,) they’ve even blind tasted the best-selling wines so there’s no bias here, ppl!
Scroll down to find out more about The Wine Awards’ exceptional judges…
Milli Midwood
WSET Level 3 certified
Favourite red wine…
You can’t go wrong with a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru. But I also love a good Crianza if you’re buying on a budget.
Favourite white…
Give me a big, bold, buttery Chardonnay from Napa Valley any day.
If you were a wine, what wine would you be?
Bollinger La Grande Année – because life is better with a little sparkle.
The best wine you’ve ever drank?
Penfolds Grange when the team visited Dubai from Australia and hosted a private tasting at Il Borro. One of those moments you’ll never forget!
Tony Dodds
General Manager of Wine and Champagne at MMI
Tony Dodds is MMI’s wine aficionado with almost 4 decades of experience in the wine industry. After graduating college, Tony worked at the prestigious Gleneagles as a waiter and junior somm, then spent 10 years in Bermuda as a sommelier and maître d’. He went back to the UK to gain his WSET Diploma, winning a scholarship and worked for 3 different wine merchants and wholesalers before moving to MMI Dubai in 2006.
The moment you knew you wanted a career in wine?
Early on, working as a junior sommelier, being tasked to learn something new about a specific wine I’d served each night after service, really grabbed my interest.
Favourite red wine…
An unfair question, I don’t have one favourite as there are just too many great wines and styles to choose from, if forced to pick a few varietals I’m leaning towards currently I’d say Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Grenache.
Favourite rose…
Again too many to pick one, I really enjoy Turkey Flat or De Bortoli’s Rose Rose from Australia, and from Provence, I‘m very happy to sip Rock Angel or Garrus from Chateau d’Esclans
Favourite sparkling…
Easier question – has to be top quality champagne, such as Dom Perignon P2 or Jacquesson, a lesser-known producer but one worth looking out for
If you were a wine, what wine would you be?
Probably a Riesling – Understated, limey, dry with an acidic edge but an underlying touch of sweetness or maybe a young Chateauneuf-du-Pape – a bit jammy, a touch rustic, generous and balanced, still youthful with potential to age well!
Favourite wine region you’re loving right now?
The wines from South Africa get better and better in my view, it’s become like a wonderful mix of the best bits of the old world and the new world, there are loads of things going on in trendy areas such as Swartland and Hemel-en-Aarde but also in the classic wine regions such as Stellenbosch, where winemakers are experimenting and producing some terrific new wines, SA generally offers brilliant value for money too.
The best wine you’ve ever drank?
Hard to say which is best – I’ve been very lucky to taste/drink lots of great bottles over the years that have stuck in my memory, I would say though that one that always springs to mind is a Richebourg, Domaine de La Romanee Conti 1978 – a top red Burgundy made from Pinot Noir, drank in the mid-’90s whilst I was working in Bermuda – a wine that gave me my ‘Aha!’ moment (you’ll know when you get it) that really opened my eyes and palate to the highest level of truly great wines.
The most surprising wine you’ve ever drank?
Interesting question – I once tasted a 1927 Port-style fortified wine from Australia, which by all accounts should have been well over the hill, but once we’d managed to get the crumbly old cork out, it was full of life and fruit and was the star of the tasting.
The funniest/most outrageous wine myth you’ve ever heard?
I was once served a bottle of wine in a restaurant where the sommelier actually sniffed the metal screwcap to check if it was corked! Amused me, but the myth here is that screwcapped wines are of a lesser quality than wine with a cork closure – absolutely not true. Many of the world’s best wines use screwcap closures to ensure that the wine inside is exactly how the winemaker wants it to taste, rather than risking cork taint which is still a potential spoiler.
Lindsay Trivers
Founder of The Tasting Class
Lindsay Trivers launched The Tasting Class in 2015 which, today, delivers more than 200 tasting experiences annually. In 2017, Lindsay made WSET wine qualifications available to both trade and consumers for the first time, and by 2021 launched the UAE Vine Festival, the first nationwide wine festival in the Middle East.
The moment you knew you wanted a career in wine?
After high school, I was doing a ski season in Banff, Canada, while I decided what career path I wanted to pursue. I was working as a cocktail waitress in an upmarket steak house, and some servers were studying for their court of master sommelier exams. I was floored to learn that there was much more to wine than the colour and an entire industry for people who understood so much about wine just from smelling and tasting it. I was eager to learn so some of the sommeliers started teaching me. I gained a real thirst for it so I decided to travel to wine regions for work experience and build my knowledge and palate. I feel like I still haven’t stopped travelling and learning about wine.
Favourite red wine…
This is the most challenging question of all. I’ve had so many red wine ‘phases’; my most recent obsession has been Brunello di Montalcino. This wine is from a region in Tuscany that uniquely specialises in wines made from Sangiovese as single variety wine rather than a blend as we see in neighbouring Chianti. I was there scouting locations last summer for a wine tour itinerary; the wines were just so juicy and vibrant compared to other regions we had visited. We couldn’t even find a wine that wasn’t an absolute showstopper. My only regret is that I didn’t jam more bottles in my suitcase home.
Favourite white…
I taste so many wines, so it is hard to pick a favourite. It’s easier to list my most memorable wines. I love a white wine made from the viognier grape. It has a unique lily aroma and low acid, somewhat bitter palate. These characters always jump out at me when I am blind tasting. Some regions specialise in blending a viognier with red wine, and I can usually guess those wines correctly too. I love a wine that sets me up for the win.
Favourite rose…
I must admit the first wines that I got into drinking were white zinfandels (sweet roses) from California. I’m drinking many of the popular Provence-style rosés these days. I discovered them while working on yachts in the South of Spain and France. They remain my go-to as they pair well with light, summery cuisine and that Dubai sunshine! That said, I don’t shy away from a rosé with a bit more colour. I love rosé from Tavel. They are dry but have punchy strawberry aromas. What’s not to love?
Favourite sparking…
When I first got into wine, I worked on a luxury train that took excursions through the Canadian Rockies. I would pre-pour entire trays of Pol Roger Champagne when the guests were due to arrive. I would lean into the rising aromas, which became a core smell memory. Since then, it has been a wine I use to celebrate life’s special moments.
If you were a wine, what wine would you be?
White Burgundy: Complex, sumptuous, revered, glorious in youth, and coming into my own with age – I’m a little fruity and toasted too
Favourite wine region you’re loving right now?
I’ve been getting deeper into Spanish wines lately. I recently completed the Spanish Wine Scholar guild course that The Tasting Class is offering in Dubai. I already loved Rioja, Priorat, and Ribera del Duero, but it helped me gain a better understanding of it. I’m perpetually on the hunt for new Spanish wines coming into the market here in the UAE.
The best wine you’ve ever drank?
‘Best’ can mean so much, so I’ll interpret this as the rarest wine I’ve ever had 🙂 One that immediately springs to mind is a bottle of 1978 Haut Brion. It was a gift from a client that stumbled across a few bottles in the cellar at his mother’s house in the UK. He wasn’t sure of the condition, so gave me a bottle to test out. Amazingly, it was still in drinking condition. It was very old and quite faint, but it still had life. It is not every day you get to drink a 40-year-old bottle of wine from one of the world’s most sought-after producers.
The most surprising wine you’ve ever drank?
While travelling the world for work experience in the wine industry, I settled in Mendoza, Argentina, for several months. I had followed my love of Malbec there, and at the time, I knew nothing about Argentina’s specialty white grape, Torrontes. I stopped by a tasting room called The Vines of Mendoza and had my first wine flight. I was confused and delighted by it. It was heavily perfumed like a Gewurztraminer or a Moscato, but it wasn’t heavy or sweet like these wines. It was crisp as a Sauvignon Blanc and incredibly drinkable. The service team caught me up on everything I needed to know about it, and before the week was out, I had secured a job there.
The funniest/most outrageous wine myth you’ve ever heard?
When I first started studying winemaking I heard that some wines were made with fish guts. That turned out to be more or less true, though. What’s funny is how often I get asked what causes the hangover headaches. Is it mixing drinks? Is it the sulfites? Is it the histamines? Maybe. But most likely it’s the alcohol. Drink in moderation and stay hydrated, folks!
Sveccha Kumar
Co-founder of drink this
Sveccha’s casual interest in wine quickly but surely turned into true passion and lead her to pursue the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) qualifications. Having completed Levels 1 through 3, she knew she’d found her true calling, and in 2021 co-founded ‘drink this’ to provide UAE residents the ability to explore the world of wine and discover grapes and styles that they may not have ordinarily chosen. The company also provides wine-related consultancy services, events, and experiences.
She is also a certified wine educator and regularly teaches Levels 1 and 2 of the WSET wine qualifications.
The moment you knew you wanted a career in wine?
2016 was the year that I knew I wanted to know and learn more about wine. I continued to study it over the next few years, and towards the end of 2019, I sort of knew I wanted to be in the wine industry. I quit my then corporate job in 2020 with the ambition of ‘wine learning/ travel’ but COVID put an abrupt brake on those plans. So, that was my chance and opportunity to pivot my career – and here we are! As they say – life happens when you’re busy making other plans.
Favourite red wine…
I’m a Rhône gal! I love wines made from Syrah, particularly from the Côte-Rôtie or Hermitage appellations – elegant in flavours and balanced in structure, with the ability to age with time.
Favourite white…
Wines made from Viognier, but they can be a bit tricky and a splurge at times. I also love Chenin Blanc’s from South Africa – they’re super versatile to drink on their own, or with any manner of curry!
Favourite rose…
I like my rosés with a bit more structure and savoury character – I recently tried the ‘Isle of Beauty’ rosé by Kiwi wine producer ‘Two Rivers’ which had delicious red fruit flavours with hints of brine-y saltiness. Perfect with seafood!
Favourite sparkling…
Nyetimber – I enjoy and appreciate the balance of flavours, elegant structure and refreshing acidity. PS – can’t ignore the stunning bottle and packaging either.
If you were a wine, what wine would you be?
Oooh, this is a tough one! I’d have to say ‘bubbly’ would match my personality the most. Aside from the obvious, it’s a style that comes in a range of styles, can be fancy or not, and – most people enjoy it!
Favourite wine region you’re loving right now?
I’m currently in Australia and discovering (also falling in love with) with Pinot Noir wines from Tasmania.
The best wine you’ve ever drank?
Wow! This is a really tough one. For me personally, the best wines are those that have a deeper connection, by occasion or circumstance. So, in this case – it has to be the Chardonnay I tried on my first-ever vineyard visit to Napa Valley, California. I can’t remember the name of the vineyard, but I can still vividly picture the older ‘handle-bar mustache, Harley Davidson driving’ type winemaker and his candid wine tasting. Not only did it change my mind about the grape, but it made me realise how much there is to know about wine…and put me on the WSET track
The most surprising wine you’ve ever drank?
Wines from Armenia! Their Areni Noir and Voskehat grapes are definitely worth a try.
The funniest/most outrageous wine myth you’ve ever heard?
I’ve given you three of my funniest ones; feel free to pick one that you think is the best or hasn’t been said by any of the other judges!
‘Sulfites give you headaches’ – no, it’s the alcohol (ABV) and dehydration that gives you headaches!
‘Screwcap wines are inferior to wines with cork’ – no, not true! There are pros and cons to both!
‘I love Chablis, but I don’t like Chardonnay’. Hmmm, Chablis wines are typically made with Chardonnay….
For more information on MMI Dubai’s best bottles, click here. And to click here to check out The Tasting Class and drink this.