Last modified on Thu 10 Dec 2020 22.17 EST Poking around partitions of plonk at the bottle shop can be flustering on a regular day, and nightmarish when special occasions, gifts or in-laws factor. In a sea of unfamiliar labels, a little award-sticker bling is eye-catching, but is it a warranty that youâve snagged a winner? âItâs almost like throwing darts at a dartboard blind when youâre picking up a wine bottle with a medal on it,â says Mike Bennie, wine critic, judge and founder of the Drink Easy Awards. âItâs not necessarily a guarantee of higher quality per se, itâs a guarantee that itâs performed well in a wine show.â