East Anglian vineyard owners will be toasting the best wines the region has to offer at a judging day hosted by Copdock Hall, near Ipswich, on Friday, June 8.

Judges will be deciding on five categories: best red, rose, sparkling, white and bacchus – a white variety which is particularly suited to the region - plus best overall wine in East Anglia at the event, organised by East Anglian Vineyards Association (EAVA)

EAVA chairman Dale Symons said the competition was a great platform for regional wines and a good opportunity for the public to taste them under one roof.

“We really do produce some terrific wines in East Anglia and also a wide variety. People are always saying to me that we don’t shout loud enough about them – so here’s a great opportunity to do just that,” he said.

“Bacchus in particular is well suited to our soils and weather so we decided to have a separate category for it, all on its own.”

He added: “English wine is enjoying something of a boom time at the moment and East Anglia is joining in with that with more land than ever being cultivated with vines. We’re also enjoying increasing critical acclaim for our wines – so this will be a celebration of that as much as a competition.”

The EAVA organising committee will announce the winners around 3pm. There will also be other wines judged to be bronze, silver and gold standard.

The public will then be invited in between 4pm and 8pm where they will be able to wander round the Elizabethan Copdock Hall, grounds and vineyard sampling and buying the wine.

Owner Ian Evans said: “Hopefully the sun will shine and it will be a great celebration of East Anglian and English wine. Good luck to all those who have entered wines…and let the wines win.”

While there will be parking available, visitors are urged to either walk to the venue or book a taxi.