Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 results revealed: Global wine quality reaches new heights

The results of Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2026 have been published today (17 June), revealing a global wine landscape that is more diverse, competitive and exciting than ever before.

As the world's largest wine competition, DWWA offers a unique snapshot of global wine quality. This year, almost 17,000 wines from 58 countries were blind tasted by 245 leading wine experts, including 63 Masters of Wine and 24 Master Sommeliers, travelling from 35 nations to judge.

Its significance, however, extends well beyond scale. Every medal-winning wine has passed through a rigorous multi-stage judging process, with top-scoring wines repeatedly re-tasted and debated by specialist panels before receiving Gold, Platinum or Best in Show recognition.

'The judging process at DWWA is one of the most demanding I've come across,' said DWWA Co-Chair Beth Willard. 'With each wine having to go through several rounds of judging to get to a Gold, Platinum or Best in Show award, it really means that the top-scoring wines are worth seeking out.'

The result is one of the wine world's most trusted guides for both consumers and trade professionals.

'With so many choices available, consumers often look for reassurance when selecting a bottle, and the DWWA medals help simplify the decision,' said DWWA Co-Chair Ronan Sayburn MS. 'The wines are judged blind by leading international experts, ensuring that quality in the glass is always the focus.'

Quick links to Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 results

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Global wine quality has reached a new high

The headline story of DWWA 2026 is simple: global wine quality continues to rise.

This year's results mark the strongest overall quality performance in the competition's 23-year history, with the proportion of wines awarded Platinum, Gold and Silver medals reaching record levels.

The judges are not awarding more medals because judging standards have changed. Rather, advances in viticulture, winemaking, vineyard management and technical knowledge have raised quality levels across both established and emerging wine regions.

'The nearly 17,000 wines tasted at DWWA 2026 have once again demonstrated that top-quality wine now comes from all corners of the globe,' said Resident Co-Chair Caro Maurer MW. 'Whilst the styles may differ and different terroirs may have left their mark, the standard overall was very high. The wines that were awarded medals truly deserved them.'

Five key trends from DWWA 2026

Beyond the medal counts, DWWA 2026 reveals several clear shifts shaping today's global wine landscape, from regional identity to consumer value.

1. Great wine now comes from more places than ever

One of the strongest messages from DWWA 2026 is the continued expansion of fine wine geography, with medals awarded to wines from 56 countries.

Traditional benchmarks remain important, but outstanding wines are emerging from regions that would once have sat outside the classic fine wine conversation.

Examples include Spain’s Castilla-La Mancha receiving its first-ever Platinum medals and Valdejalón’s first Gold, Savoie, France's first-ever Platinum, Pico in the Azores, Portugal securing its first Gold and Texas in the US making its debut on the Gold list with four medals while Virginia's also showed its strongest performance.

Together, these milestones show how the map of fine wine continues to expand beyond its traditional heartlands.

2. Indigenous varieties are driving some of the most exciting wines in the world

DWWA 2026 was rich in wines produced from local and historic grape varieties, many of which delivered some of the competition's most exciting results.

Plavac Mali from Croatia was awarded a Best in Show, Callet from Mallorca won Gold, Altesse from Savoie a Platinum, Robola from Greece secured a landmark Gold, Kisi from Georgia returned to the Platinum category as did Petite Arvine from Switzerland, Prieto Picudo (Castilla y León) and Albillo Mayor (Ribera del Duero) appeared among Spain's top-scoring wines and Kerner received a first-ever Platinum for the variety in Alto-Adige, Italy.

For wine lovers seeking discovery beyond the international mainstream, the message is encouraging: local varieties are not only surviving, they are thriving.

3. Value has never looked stronger

Another major theme of the 2026 results is the strength of value-focused wines.

Alongside the expansion of the Top Value Gold list, one Value Platinum was awarded to Domaine De La Clartière, Terres De Paillé, Anjou, Loire, France 2024 – an award which the judges unanimously agreed upon due to unprecedented quality, irrespective of the price under £15 a bottle.

Strong value performances came from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Argentina and Australia, with several supermarket collaborations also appearing among Gold medal winners. Highlights include:

• Asda, Exceptional Noble Riesling, Canterbury, New Zealand 2017
• Boas Quintas, Gandarada, Dão, Portugal 2024
• Cellier Des Dauphins, Réserve, Côtes du Rhône, Rhône, France 2025
• Melini, Tesco finest*, Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, Italy 2021
• Sophenia, Altosur Malbec, Gualtallary, Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina 2025
• Spier, Villa Blue Albariño, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2025
• Wirra Wirra, Church Block Grenache-Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia 2024

As competition intensifies globally, the relationship between quality and price is becoming increasingly favourable for wine drinkers.

4. Sparkling wine's continued evolution

Champagne remains a benchmark, but DWWA 2026 showed how far sparkling wine excellence now extends beyond the region.

Italy’s Franciacorta earned its first-ever Best in Show for Freccianera, Satèn Brut 2022, English sparkling wine secured another Best in Show in magnum format (last year marking a landmark win) while the county of Berkshire received a historic Platinum. Tasmania, Australia collected multiple sparkling Platinums, Brazil won a first-ever Gold for sparkling Moscato, Canada received a Platinum for sparkling Icewine, a third of Slovenia's Golds went to sparkling expressions and Cava delivered a strong set of Gold medals.

The category is becoming increasingly international, with high-quality sparkling wine now emerging from a wider range of regions, climates and production traditions.

5. Orange wines are making their way into the mainstream

Alternative wine styles are now firmly established within the medal-winning landscape.

Argentina received its first-ever Gold medal for an orange wine, Georgia delivered a strong performance in orange wines with two Golds and 15 Silvers, Italy added another Gold-winning orange wine, France's orange category continued to grow and Oxfordshire in England appeared among the medal winners with an orange wine.

The results indicate that styles once considered niche are being recognised for quality, consistency and craftsmanship at an international level.

What this means for wine drinkers

Taken together, these trends point to a wine world that is broader, more diverse and more accessible than ever before.

Traditional fine wine regions remain crucial benchmarks, but DWWA 2026 shows that outstanding bottles are emerging from new places, new varieties and new styles.

For consumers, that means more opportunities to discover exceptional wines across a wider range of regions, grapes and price points than at any previous point in the competition's history.

What follows is a closer look at some of the countries, regions and producers that defined DWWA 2026.

DWWA 2026 regional highlights

France: Benchmark quality and value

France once again led the competition for top-tier results with 254 medals, including 16 Best in Show, 42 Platinum and 196 Golds.

Burgundy delivered one of the defining performances of DWWA 2026, receiving five Best in Show medals – more than any other wine region in the competition. The results represent Burgundy's strongest-ever Best in Show performance, alongside a record 23 Gold medals, reaffirming its position as one of the world's benchmark fine wine regions.

Languedoc-Roussillon also enjoyed a landmark year, achieving its strongest-ever Best in Show performance with two red blends, including a first for Maury Sec. The region added three Platinum and 31 Gold medals – more than double last year’s results and a regional best – highlighting the remarkable breadth of quality emerging from southern France.

Ever a top performer, Champagne was awarded two spots in the Top 50, both Blanc de Blancs from the 2012 vintage, and in the Platinum category, nine wines are worth a look for a variety of styles, price points and formats, including a magnum for Saint Réol, Brut Grand Cru Ambonnay 2008 and supermarket find for Marks & Spencer, Delacourt Blanc de Blancs Brut 2017.

Elsewhere, Savoie celebrated a historic first Platinum medal for Domaine Carrel & Senger’s non-vintage L'eternel De Marestel Essentia 194, Roussette de Savoie Cru Marestel, while Corsica returned to the Platinum category after last year’s first appearance. In the Rhône Valley, producer Delas Frères received both of the region's Best in Show medals for its Cote Rotie and Hermitage reds, underlining the continued strength of France's classic appellations alongside rising regional stars.

Spain: A breakthrough year

Spain delivered one of the most impressive performances of DWWA 2026, collecting 160 top medals — a 52% increase on last year's total and enough to overtake Italy among Europe's traditional wine powerhouses.

The breakthrough year was led by an extraordinary performance from Jerez, responsible for three of Spain's five Best in Show wines and one of only two 98-point wines awarded in the competition. The accolade went to Bodegas Tradición, VORS 30 Years, Amontillado, Sherry NV, highlighting the extraordinary quality and longevity of Spain's fortified wines.

Ribera del Duero continued its ascent with one Best in Show and five Platinum medals, including an aged white wine made from Albillo Mayor. Rioja reinforced its reputation for consistency with eight Platinum and 24 Gold medals, while Castilla-La Mancha entered the Platinum category for the first time with two wines receiving 97 points for Dehesa Del Carrizal, Petit Verdot 2023 and Pago Finca Élez, Las Teselas De Élez 2023.

Several smaller regions also recorded significant milestones. Valdejalón secured its first-ever Gold medal, Mallorca impressed with Gold-winning wines from the indigenous Callet grape and alongside a Platinum, Castilla y León showcased the potential of Prieto Picudo with two Gold medal winners.

Italy: Diversity rewarded

Italy's results once again demonstrated why it remains one of the world's most diverse wine-producing nations. The country was awarded 144 top medals, comprising six Best in Show, 29 Platinum and 109 Golds, 17 of these Value wines.

Among the most significant achievements was Piedmont's first-ever Best in Show for a Barbera from Nizza to Coppo, Pomorosso 2022, a milestone that reflects the growing recognition of styles beyond the region's Nebbiolo stronghold. Tuscany received two Best in Show and six Platinum medals for traditional styles, while Sicily continued its rise with the first-ever Best in Show for a Cerasuolo di Vittoria – only the second Sicilian red wine to receive the accolade.

Lombardy also celebrated a breakthrough year as Franciacorta earned its first Best in Show medal, bringing the region back into the competition's Top 50 list for the first time in eight years.

The standout regional story came from Trentino-Alto Adige, which received nine Platinum medals – more than any other Italian region. Four were awarded to renowned cooperative Cantina Terlano, while the small, alpine sub-region Valle Isarco secured a first-ever Platinum for Cantina Valle Isarco, Aristos Kerner 2024. The results underline the region's growing reputation as one of Europe's leading sources of distinctive, high-quality mountain wines.

Elsewhere, Molise achieved its first Platinum medal, and by style, Liguria and Abruzzo also joined the category with firsts for a Ligurian rosé and Abruzzo Pecorino Superiore. Many more producers across Veneto, Campania, Emilia-Romagna and Puglia demonstrated the remarkable stylistic diversity that continues to define modern Italian wine.

Portugal and England continue to rise

Portugal continued to strengthen its reputation as one of the world's most exciting wine-producing nations, combining regional identity, indigenous varieties and exceptional value.

Alongside strong performances from established regions including Douro, Dão, Bairrada and Alentejo, Transmontano in the far northeast and Pico, an island in the Azores, secured first-ever Gold medals. With three Best in Show, six Platinum and 57 Gold medals, the country also features prominently among the Top Value Gold selection, reinforcing its reputation for delivering outstanding quality-to-price ratios.

‘What stood out most this year was the growing precision and restraint across many Portuguese regions. There seems to be an increasing confidence in freshness, texture and site expression rather than extraction or weight’ commented Beatriz Machado, Regional Chair for Portugal.

‘There is an authenticity and diversity in the country’s wines that remains difficult to replicate elsewhere, especially when combined with the quality currently being achieved.’

England maintained its remarkable upward trajectory, adding another Best in Show for a sparkling magnum, after last year's landmark win, to Balfour, Blanc De Blancs, Kent 2018 alongside more large format Golds from Hampshire and Oxfordshire.

The nation also celebrated several firsts. Berkshire secured its first Platinum medal for Winding Wood, Rosé Brut 2022, while Sussex, recognised for top-quality sparkling, joined the Platinum category with a still wine for the first time to Tidebrook, Staddle Stone Chardonnay 2023.

Revealing the current state of wine quality in England and Wales, Regional Chair Simon Field MW noted, ‘It’s extremely exciting as it is on the up; the sparklers are every bit as good as most Champagnes and the still wines, once an after-thought, are genuinely interesting and thoughtfully made.'

More Europe highlights: Germany, Croatia, Greece and Georgia

Some of the most compelling stories of DWWA 2026 came from countries whose winemaking traditions stretch back centuries.

Germany enjoyed one of its strongest DWWA performances in recent years, almost doubling its tally of top medals from seven in 2025 to 13 in 2026, comprising one Platinum and 12 Golds. The Platinum award went to Pfalz for Kranz, Ilbesheim Kalmit Weisser Burgunder, Grosses Gewächs 2024, highlighting the growing international recognition of Germany's top Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) wines.

The results also showcased impressive regional diversity. Wines from Ahr, Mosel and Württemberg returned to the Gold list after at least half a decade, and notably, a third of Germany's Gold medals were awarded to red wines, underlining the increasing strength and breadth of the country's premium wine production beyond its traditional white wine reputation.

Austria is of note too, with two outstanding white wines to seek out of its Best in Show wins alongside quadrupling its Platinum count, which includes a sweet red wine from Zweigelt. In the Gold category, look out for these two exemplary Top Value wines: Kummer, Zweigelt, Neusiedlersee, Burgenland 2024 and Laurenz V., Friendly Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal, Niederösterreich 2024.

Croatia achieved one of the competition's standout moments, receiving its first Best in Show medal in a decade, alongside five Platinum and 34 Golds, up from one Platinum and 14 Golds last year. The results highlight a growing recognition of the country's indigenous grape varieties from Plavac Mali and Malvazija Istarska to Pošip, Traminac and Teran.

Greece continued its impressive recent momentum, with sweet wines having a moment in the spotlight, including the nation’s sole Platinum from Macedonia and one of its two Best in Show accolades to Estate Argyros, Vinsanto Late Release, Santorini, Aegean Islands 2005 – also one of the competition’s two 98-point wines. Robola from Kefalonia secured a landmark Gold medal alongside strong performances from the country's expanding range of indigenous varieties. Santo Wines, the largest cooperative on Santorini island, is a producer of particular note, winning a Best in Show and three Gold medals.

Georgia, widely regarded as the birthplace of wine, reinforced its reputation for authenticity and originality. Kisi returned to the Platinum category after a six year hiatus and a red wine produced from the indigenous and historic variety Alexsandrouli made a first appearance on the list, while Georgian orange wines delivered one of the strongest performances of any country in the style.

Together, the findings show the growing global appeal of wines rooted in local traditions, distinctive grape varieties and strong regional identities.

New World momentum

New World producers once again demonstrated both quality and innovation across a broad range of styles.

Australia delivered one of the competition's strongest performances, collecting five Best in Show, 19 Platinum and 61 Gold medals. The Best in Show winners alone showcased the country's remarkable breadth with New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia all represented.

Western Australia’s Frankland River achieved a landmark breakthrough with a first-ever Best in Show to Ferngrove, The Orchid Collection Dragon Shiraz 2023, while Orange in New South Wales entered the Platinum ranks with Printhie's Swift Blanc de Blancs Brut 2011. Victoria's Mornington Peninsula also celebrated a debut Platinum for Southern Light Vineyards' Ghostgum Vineyard Pinot Noir 2024.

Established names continued to reinforce Australia's reputation for consistency. Tasmania's House of Arras and Victoria's Morris once again featured among the top winners, the latter extending a run of Platinum medals dating back to 2020.

New Zealand recorded one of the year's most notable improvements, doubling its Best in Show medals and increasing its Platinum tally from one to eight. Canterbury entered the Platinum category for the first time with Greystone's Vineyard Ferment Syrah 2023 and Erin's Chardonnay 2023, and Waitaki Valley too for Clos Ostler's EOS Pinot Noir 2022.

Recognising and embracing its greatest strengths, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah feature proudly.

South Africa built on its strong 2025 performance, adding 27 more top-tier medals across Gold, Platinum and Best in Show categories. Stellenbosch and Swartland remained key drivers of success, but the results also reflected the country's growing diversity, with varieties ranging from Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to Albariño, Riesling and Petit Verdot attracting top scores.

Taken together, the results underline the growing depth of quality across the Southern Hemisphere, where regional identity, innovation and consistency are increasingly combining to challenge traditional benchmarks.

The Americas broaden the conversation

As entries continue to grow from the United States, DWWA results are increasingly reflecting the country's diversity of styles and regions.

California and Oregon delivered at the highest level, with serial winners Clos du Val (Napa Valley) and Domaine Serene (Willamette Valley) securing Best in Show medals. Beyond these established benchmarks, the Platinum and Gold results reveal growing strength across a much broader wine landscape.

Among the standout performers, California earned a second-ever Platinum for sparkling wine for Avinodos' Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2022 from Los Carneros, while Washington State's Echolands repeated its 2025 Platinum success for the same wine, but new vintage, for its Blue Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2023 from Walla Walla Valley.

The most significant story, however, came from emerging US regions. Texas secured its first-ever Gold medals – four in total – spanning varieties including Sousão, Tannat and Tempranillo, while Virginia collected five Golds, with Cabernet Franc proving particularly successful. In Pennsylvania, Benigna’s Creek’s Chambourcin 2024 secured Gold for the third year running.

Canada reinforced its reputation for world-class sweet wines with two Platinum medals to Vidal-based Icewines from Ontario's Niagara Peninsula. Chardonnay features prominently in the Gold selection, while five of the nation’s 13 Golds exemplify growing diversity of reds with Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir included.

Elsewhere, Argentina combined premium and value success while securing the country's first-ever Gold medal for an orange wine.

Chile impressed with premium reds, including two of its four Platinum-winning wines from Baron Philippe de Rothschild, while Brazil recorded its strongest-ever performance in the Gold and Silver categories, including a historic first Gold medal for Vale do São Patrício.

Paz Levinson, Regional Chair for Argentina & Rest of South America (excluding Chile) noted, 'It was great to see many more wines from Brazil coming to compete. The quality was very good with a diversity of grapes and styles. For Argentina the wines showed beautifully! The quality of entry level Uco Valley Malbec impressed me so much! The purity of fruit, the concentration and the quality was great.'

Emerging wine regions to watch

Perhaps the clearest sign of DWWA 2026's increasingly global outlook came from a series of breakthrough performances beyond the traditional centres of fine wine.

China continued its rise through a landmark Platinum medal from Yunnan and first-ever Gold to wine from Inner Mongolia. Japan also received a first Gold for the region Hiroshima, Chugoku.

Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary and Romania all recorded noteworthy successes that reflect the growing depth of quality across Central and Eastern Europe.

In Serbia, three Platinums came through – an achievement last seen in 2020. Bosnia and Herzegovina had its best-ever Gold performance and Hungary received a Platinum for the first time to a red wine produced from Cabernet Franc, alongside a Gold-awarded sparkling magnum to Kreinbacher, Prestige Brut Magnum 2019.

Elsewhere, Czech Republic and Uruguay each received a Platinum, an accolade last awarded to the nations in 2020. Slovenia also joined the category with two wines – one to a 1993 sweet Welschriesling and the other a first-ever win for red Istrski Refošk (Refosco). Mexico won a first Gold for Baja California.

A more diverse wine world than ever before

The results of DWWA 2026 confirm a trend that has been building for many years: great wine is no longer defined solely by reputation, geography or tradition.

The world's classic regions continue to set global benchmarks, but they now share the stage with an increasingly diverse cast of producers from emerging regions, lesser-known appellations and indigenous grape varieties.

Summarising the year's judging, Regional Chair Wojciech Bońkowski MW put it simply: 'Best edition ever.'

For consumers, the implications are profound. Never before has there been such breadth of quality available across so many styles, varieties, regions and price points.

As DWWA completes its 23rd year, the 2026 results reveal a wine world that is broader, more competitive and more exciting than at any point in the competition's history. From benchmark regions to emerging territories, from iconic grape varieties to indigenous local favourites, excellence is no longer concentrated in a handful of places.

For wine lovers, that means one thing – there has never been a better time to explore.

Search all Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 results

With special thanks to DWWA official sponsor Riedel for supplying glassware for the 2026 competition.

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