It is no accident. As summers lengthen and temperatures rise (the recent European heat dome testament to this new reality), altitude has become one of the most valuable things a vineyard can own. Up here, where the finest sites sit hundreds of metres above the valley floor, warm days are followed by cold nights and that daily diurnal swing is what locks freshness, perfume and racy acidity into the fruit.

Built on quartz

With Alto Adige receiving nine Platinums, an unprecedented five went to Cantina Terlano, which enjoyed a clean sweep of styles from age-worthy Pinot Bianco to its flagship blends.

Its secret lies in the ground. 'It all starts with our unique quartz porphyry soils, which contain 60 to 65% silica,' explains Martina Tammerle of Terlano's sales and marketing team. 'These soils, being poor in nutrients, naturally keep yields low and give our wines minerality, freshness and outstanding ageing potential.' That same quartz lends its name to one of the year's Platinum whites, Cantina Terlano's Quarz Sauvignon, while the ageing potential is no idle boast: among the winning wines was Cantina Terlano's Rarity 2013, a Pinot Bianco released only after more than a decade in the cellar and judged 'so youthful despite its age.'

Tammerle credits the people as much as the place, noting that since 1999 winemaker Rudi Kofler has guided every wine with a clear focus on expressing its terroir. And she credits the wider South Tyrolean climate, where vineyards climb 'from the valley slopes to higher mountain sites' that 'enjoy warm days and cool nights, creating wines with freshness, elegance and complexity.' The result, she says, is recognition not only for Terlano but for South Tyrol as a whole, proof that the region 'can confidently compete with the great white wine regions of the world.'

Kerner, a regional identity

Perhaps the most singular result came from one of the region's smallest and highest corners. In the Valle Isarco, the narrow valley that climbs north-east towards the Austrian border, Cantina Valle Isarco won the first Platinum ever awarded to a varietal Kerner, for its Aristos Kerner 2024. Kerner is a grape few drinkers outside these valleys will have tasted, yet here it has become something of an emblem.

'Our Aristos Kerner comes from steep hillside vineyards at elevations between 850 and 950 metres above sea level,' says managing director Armin Gratl. In this small mountain valley, he adds, Kerner has become 'part of our identity', a variety that 'reflects our alpine environment better than almost any other grape: precise, vibrant, mineral and full of energy.' The judges found precisely that, praising the wine's 'arrow-like precision' and its 'breath of pure fresh mountain air.'

For Gratl, the medal is also a chance to show that Kerner deserves to be discovered beyond its aromatic profile.

A swish of freshness

At Cantina Tramin, in the village of Tramin – Termeno in Italian – the link between grape and place is written into the name itself: Gewürztraminer means, in effect, the spicy or aromatic Traminer, the grape of Tramin. Here, Platinum went to Tramin's Stoan 2024, a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc and Gewürztraminer first conceived 25 years ago to capture everything the area can do.

'It brings together the key grape varieties of our area and reflects the meeting of Mediterranean warmth and Alpine freshness that defines our unique microclimate,' says Günther Facchinelli of Cantina Tramin. That duality – warmth and cool, ripeness and tension – runs right through the region's success. The wine takes its name from the local word for stone, a nod to the gravelly, rocky soils its four varieties share and the judges caught the mountains in the glass, describing 'a swish of mountain breeze freshness' carrying the finish.

The same story played out across estates large and small. Prackfol, a boutique grower, earned Platinum for its Sandl 2020, a polished, mature Pinot Bianco that proves the mountains here reward the patient and the meticulous, whatever their size.

A reputation on the rise

If there is a feeling that Alto Adige is only now getting its due on the world stage, its producers sense it too. At Girlan, the Curlan Chardonnay Riserva 2022 took Platinum from vineyards at around 500 metres on volcanic porphyry, a combination sales director Marc Pfitscher says gives the wine 'a unique tension', marrying 'vibrant acidity with remarkable depth and concentration.'

He reads this year's results as a sign of something larger. 'I am convinced that Alto Adige has the potential to build an even stronger international reputation for precisely these kinds of distinctive wines,' he says. The challenge now, in his words, is consistency: 'By continuing to deliver wines of character and quality over time, we can strengthen our credibility and earn lasting recognition among international consumers.'

On the evidence of 2026, that recognition is already arriving. Nine Platinums, all of them white, all of them grown in Alto Adige. In a warming world, it seems the cool high ground is coming into its own.

DWWA 2026: Top-scoring Alto Adige wines

Cantina Terlano, Quarz Sauvignon 2024
Platinum, 97 points
An exceptional pedigree, displaying amazing energy and tension. Kiwi, passionfruit and fresh herbs sink into the silky oak structure, with sprinklings of lemon and lime over the vibrant acidity. Smoky, savoury notes persist at the end. Alcohol 14%

Cantina Terlano, Rarity 2013
Platinum, 97 points
A totally unique experience, so youthful despite its age. Acacia flowers, fennel fronds, red apples and smoked nuts tumble over the nose and honeyed, waxy palate. Captivating almond bitters add texture and leafy herbs add zest. Alc 14%

Cantina Terlano, Terlaner I Primo Grande Cuvée 2023
Platinum, 97 points
An overwhelming intensity of fresh flowers and herbs intertwined with yellow stone and tropical fruits; each component judiciously layered with sumptuous nurturing oak. Gloriously full with taut acidity and a fabulous lime peel finish. A masterpiece. Alc 14%

Cantina Tramin, Stoan 2024
Platinum, 97 points
Flamboyant florals and herbaceous aromatics lead the charge with an undercurrent of succulent peaches and Mirabelle plums. Generous and fleshy with precise acidity and a swish of mountain breeze freshness soaring towards the harmonious length. Alc 13.5%

Cantina Valle Isarco, Aristos Kerner 2024
Platinum, 97 points
Arrow-like precision, a breath of pure fresh mountain air with real chalky complexity. Subtle florals, walnuts and flaked almonds waft under the nose, with balsamic nuances bringing viscosity and depth. Long and charismatic with lemony length. Alc 14%

Girlan, Curlan Chardonnay Riserva 2022
Platinum, 97 points
A magisterial presence, oozing gloss and flair, pure world-class talent. Lustrous mango, papaya and white melon tropics glide across the praline and hazelnut cream, whipped into shape by the endless grapefruit acidity that swirls and endures. Alc 14.5%

Prackfol, Sandl 2020
Platinum, 97 points
Alluring Alpine herbs and dried fruits gather against a backdrop of sweet tobacco and smoky oak. Broad and leading with a caressing texture, bright acidity and flinty edge to the long, saline finish. Polished and mature. Alc 14%

St. Michael-Eppan, Appius 2021
Gold, 96 points
Assertive notes of honeyed peach, salted caramel and twists of lime and mango display simultaneous complexity and freshness. Creamy, yet tense with a strong mineral finish. Alc 14%

Andrian, Andrius Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Gold, 95 points
Terroir-driven magnificence, displaying passionfruit, lime and lemon peel aromas over an ample oak core. The lovely textural depth is encircled by redeeming acidity. Exciting and long. Alc 14%

Elena Walch, Beyond the Clouds 2023
Gold, 95 points
A marvel of sophistication and enigma, surrounding itself with honeyed nuts, peaches, lemon tart and fine florals that whisk over the rich texture and crunchy acidity.
Alc 13.5%

Giovanni Poli, Vino Santo 2010
Gold, 95 points
Incredible orange marmalade, walnut, toffee, popcorn and prune aromas imprint on the nose and palate, amplified by a balsamic poise that subsumes the acidity and length. Alc 13%

Gump Hof, Praesulis Weissburgunder 2024
Gold, 95 points
Beaming with personality and character, boasting yellow apples, pears and rapturous floral notes that burst onto the robust oak core. Oaty and creamy with zippy acidity. Alc 13.5%

Kornell, Aichberg 2023
Gold, 95 points
A riveting blend of peaches, melons, salted nuts and fresh herbs broods over the viscous palate, tethered by fervent acidity and a zingy citrus finish. Alc 13%

Kurtatsch, Sonntaler Vernatsch Alte Reben Schiava 2025
Gold, 95 points
Authentic notes of crushed red berries, redcurrants and rose petals with a lick of fresh herbs. Crunchy and mouth-watering with thriving tannins and saline length. Alc 12.5%

Nals Margreid, Nama 2022
Gold, 95 points
An open book, layered with ambrosial orchard fruits, herbs and citrus over a glistening oyster shell freshness. Melt-in-the-mouth oaky richness is countered by bright acidity. Textbook. Alc 14.5%

Seeperle, Arthur Rainer Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Gold, 95 points
Hugely intense with Alpine herbs and flowers, grass and confit citrus leading the way. Fleshy and persistent with a touch of white pepper at the end. Alc 14%

Untermoser Florian Ramoser, Hub & Leith 2024
Gold, 95 points
A frisson of hibiscus, violets and roses dances across the nose and seeps into the zingy red plum and berry succulence. Wonderfully generous and vibrant. Alc 13.5%

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But the real thrill of the world's largest wine competition lies in its margins: the grape you can't pronounce, the region you couldn't place on a map, the style nobody expected to triumph.

Every wine is judged blind within its own flight, grouped by country, region, colour, variety, style, vintage and price point, then measured against the very best examples of its type from around the world. It is within that rigorous structure that a handful of wines from unexpected places manage, every year, to seize the moment. Here are five of the most exciting discoveries from the 2026 results.

1. Hungary's hue of red

Hungary is a country that many oenophiles file under sweet wine, and with reason: the honeyed Tokaji Aszú remains one of the world's great dessert wines and it duly delivered the country a Best in Show this year. But the more surprising story was a red.

For the first time, Hungary earned a Platinum for a red wine: Heumann's La Trinità, Villány 2019, a 100% Cabernet Franc, part of a banner haul of eight Platinums, up from three last year. It was a wine that turned heads in the judging room.

Dr Caroline Gilby, a Master of Wine who has followed Central and Eastern Europe for decades and was the Regional Chair for the Balkans, Central & Eastern Europe, and Croatia & Slovenia this year, picked out 'a superb Hungarian Cabernet Franc' among her personal highlights of the competition. A grape most drinkers associate with the Loire and Bordeaux is finding a second home on the Pannonian plain.

2. Brazil's breakthrough

Brazil had the best year in its DWWA history, with record numbers of both Gold and Silver medals. More striking than the count, though, was the spectrum.

A first-ever Gold went to a sparkling Moscato, Vinícola Salton's Ouro Moscatel NV, a gently sweet aromatic style that plays directly to Brazil's strengths, while another broke new ground for a red, Casa Geraldo's Signature Cabernet Franc, Serra da Mantiqueira 2023.

The country's reds caught the judges' attention too. Paz Levinson, the acclaimed Argentine sommelier and Regional Chair for Argentina and the Rest of South America (except Chile), was struck by the leap in quality:

One Brazilian Tannat, she added, was an outright 'wow moment'. A wine industry long overshadowed by its neighbours is finding its own voice and coming up roses.

3. Žilavka, and the rise of the Balkans

Some of the most thrilling discoveries at DWWA come from grapes you have never heard of.

Bosnia and Herzegovina turned in its best-ever Gold performance this year, led by its indigenous white Žilavka. Vino Milas's Žilavka, Mostarsko Vinogorje 2024 earned a 96-point Gold, a remarkable score for a variety almost unknown outside the western Balkans.

It is part of a wider regional surge. 'Bosnia & Herzegovina had a couple of really exciting flights, far more top medals than I recall previously,' noted Dr Caroline Gilby MW, who also pointed to neighbouring Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia as 'real hotspots of exciting wines'.

Her advice to drinkers doubles neatly as the spirit of this whole list: 'Be brave and go off the beaten track.' These are not always the cheapest bottles on the shelf, but they offer true character for the price and the chance to taste something nobody else at the table will recognise.

4. The orange wave

Skin-contact white wines, left to ferment on their skins to take on colour, texture and grip, have travelled from natural-wine curiosity to a category in their own right and the 2026 results confirm it.

Georgia, the spiritual home of the style, where wine has been made this way in buried clay qvevri for millennia, led the way with 28 orange wines awarded, including two Golds.

But the more telling story was how far the style has spread. Oregon earned a first-ever orange-wine Gold for bhn's amphora-matured Riesling 2023 and Argentina took its first for a skin-contact Torrontés.

From the Caucasus to the Pacific Northwest to the foothills of the Andes, orange wine is no longer a novelty act. It is a global movement, and one well worth exploring.

5. Pico: A wine from the volcano

For a final discovery, few places are more improbable than Pico. On this tiny volcanic island in the middle of the Atlantic, part of Portugal's Azores, vines are grown in thousands of small enclosures of black basalt, hand-built over centuries to shelter the fruit from salt wind and ocean storms. The landscape is so unique that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This year, Pico earned its first-ever DWWA Gold for Tarelo's Monumental 2018, a wine made from 100% Arinto, a salty, mineral, sea-sprayed white that could come from nowhere else on earth.

It is the perfect note to end on, a reminder that some of the world's most distinctive wines come from its most unlikely corners, and that the map of fine wine is still being redrawn, one surprise at a time.

The unexpected stars of DWWA 2026

Hungary

Heumann, La Trinità, Villány, Dél-Pannónia 2019
Platinum, 97 points
Distinctive red cherries and raspberries sit alongside attractive herbal notes, adding layers of complexity. Judicious oak gives structure and depth, with shapely tannins and juicy acidity bringing vibrance. Ageing beautifully, with more to come. Alcohol 14.5%

Kővilla, Syrah, Villány, Dél-Pannónia 2024
Top Value Gold, 95 points
Spicy blackcurrant, smoky blueberry and damson are lent extra complexity with violet florals and a minty zing. Fulsome and firm, concentrated and impressively long. Alc 15.5%

Brazil

Casa Geraldo, Signature Cabernet Franc, Serra da Mantiqueira 2023
Gold, 95 points
Black cherry, blueberry, plum and fresh herb aromas sit within a mineral structure, with gravelly tannins, plump acidity and intriguing balsamic complexity. Alc 14.3%

São Patricio, Udu De Coroa Azul Grande Reserva Cabernet Franc, Vale do São Patrício 2023
Gold, 95 points
Fresh menthol leaf and violet florality seeps into sage and thyme perfume, conjoining with the crunchy bramble fruit base, bolstered by nervy acidity and graphite tannins. Alc 14.2%

Vinícola Salton, Ouro Moscatel, Serra Gaúcha NV
Gold, 95 points
Gloriously fresh lychee, grape and jasmine florals introduce an appealing sweetness, balanced by sustaining acidity that adds dimension and calibre. Very well-defined, articulate and lengthy. Alc 7.5%

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Vino Milas, Žilavka, Mostarsko Vinogorje 2024
Gold, 96 points
Bursting with honeyed peaches, nectarines and yellow plums, layered over a waxy texture and lime pith acidity. Striking mineral energy carries through the long finish. Alc 13.5%

Vinogradi Nuić, Žilavka, Mostarsko Vinogorje 2025
Value Gold, 95 points
Impeccable aromas of apple blossom, white peach and melon with a rush of saline and citrus freshness on the palate. Vibrant and precise with a stony finish. Alc 13.5%

Orange Wines

bhn, Riesling, Oregon 2023
Gold, 95 pointsA compelling style, layered with oolong tea, saffron, ginger and floral nuance over subtle oxidative depth. The result is an evolving aromatic spectrum with savoury poise. Alc 15.5%

Susana Balbo, Blanco De Raiz Skin Contact, Paraje Altamira, Mendoza, Argentina 2024
Gold, 95 points
Sensational stone fruit, lychee and turmeric nose with hints of bitter citrus bringing complexity to the palate. Unique and focused with a textured saffron length. Alc 13.5%

Portugal

Tarelo, Monumental, Pico 2018
Gold, 95 points
A deep dive into dried mango, honeyed ginger and layers of nuts. Bold and smoky, with garrigue freshness to the acidity and a smooth finish. Alc 12%

Tarelo, Arinto-Verdelho, Pico 2019
Silver, 91 points
Orange, seaweed and white flower bring savoury complexity, followed by salty peach, grilled nuts and a long, saline finish. Alc 12%

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Beyond the prodigious authority of his insights, he was so much more than a critic. And aside from the prolific wealth of his output, he was so much more than a writer.

Far more significant than the extent of his body of work was the quality of this work – a fact that marked him as a colossus of the British wine trade.

Most striking – and tragic – of all was the now extinguished promise of so much more to come.

Early days and formative years

Born in Hampshire in 1967, the young Jukes spent part of his childhood in Belgium, where his father worked in Brussels, and wine was a vivid part of his household.

In his teens he attended The Oratory School in Oxfordshire, before moving into the wine industry aged 19, serving customers in the Barnes Wine Shop in south-west London.

By the age of 23 he was wine buyer for the era-defining Bibendum Restaurant in South Kensington, a position he held until 2016, winning multiple awards for the quality of the list along the way.

In between times, he co-owned The Crescent wine bar, a popular spot with the Chelsea set in the mid-1990s.

It was arguably this rounded introduction into wine that gave him a broader perspective than many of his wine-writing peers. An appreciation of the consumer viewpoint and commercial reality never left him.

He once described a ‘favourite coup’ as buying the entire UK allocation of the 1996 vintage of Torbreck’s cult Barossa Shiraz RunRig.

‘I sold it for £32.50 per bottle on the [Bibendum] list and left it at this price after [Robert] Parker awarded it 100 points and the retail price in New York hit $1,000 a bottle.’

A love for Down Under

Jukes was drawn to Australian wine early in his career, feeling the Cabernets from the likes of Cape Mentelle or Wynns were ‘more attractive, accurate and delicious’ than similarly priced Bordeaux.

Coming to the same conclusion regarding Barossa Shiraz vs those of the Rhône, he became increasingly convinced that Australia was hugely undervalued both in terms of price and quality.

The country’s real appeal to him, though, came through its people.

Speaking to trade title The Buyer in 2018, he recalled how much more forthcoming Australian winemakers were than their European counterparts when sharing insights into their wines.

It was a trait he exploited early in his broadcast career when welcoming Australian winemakers into his radio studio, often straight from landing at Heathrow, for his show on the BBC London station GLR.

Jukes became convinced that Australia was chronically underappreciated, particularly at the fine-wine level, and hence worth championing.

With the ebullience of Aussie winemakers and his unwavering focus on the consumer, it made for the perfect marriage – and a lifetime’s mission.

His third book, The Wine List 2003, inspired what was to become his defining project.

The book detailed his top 250 wines, 50 of which were Australian – including, even then, Tasmanian Pinot, Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, and cool-climate Shiraz – ‘already a thing!’ as he later observed.

Determined to champion such fare, he resolved to produce an annual report solely dedicated to Australia.

His 100 Best Australian Wines was more than simply a list, however.

The notes on each wine were detailed, insightful and entertaining, and the initiative gained further traction when he grew it from a smart tasting event at Australia House to a roadshow, touring the country via tastings, masterclasses, music and dinners.

In time he would take the festival overseas, with events in China, New York and, naturally, Down Under.

His championing of Australia never ceased.

In a 2024 retrospective for Decanter, he bemoaned the fact that, while the country had been producing delicate, balanced, cool-climate wines long before the rest of the world caught up with the trend, it went largely unnoticed.

‘It drives me up the wall when people think Australia only makes big, blocky, clumsy wines when 20 years ago, delicacy and balance were already living and breathing mantras.’

A diverse and long-standing media presence

He was far from a one-trick pony, however.

The radio show in the late-90s led to a stint hosting Channel 4’s Wine Hunt, while, not long afterwards, The Wine Book was serialised by the Daily Mail, leading to a 22-year weekly column for its Weekend magazine, during which time the newspaper was the most read in the UK.

He also wrote a weekly piece for MoneyWeek magazine for two decades, as well as a monthly column for UK trade magazine Vineyard.

While the latter was unusual, in that its audience was the trade rather than the consumer, it was typical of the man.

He didn’t do it for prestige or money, but to support the English wine industry – another sector he felt had huge potential.

Back in 2016 he accompanied the Wine & Spirit Trade Association to Paris to host an English wine vs Champagne blind tasting, just as English wine was starting to make waves.

He would go on to volunteer his services to the WSTA’s lobbying campaign for fairer alcohol duty across a number of years.

Myriad causes, adventures and goodwill

Given his support of the industry, what was arguably atypical was his move to embrace the non-alcoholic sector, apparently inspired by a trend he saw coming across the Atlantic on a trip to New York in 2017.

Even then, he did it with full commitment, developing his own brand of drinks via the testing of 200 different ingredients in the kitchen of his family home in Clapham.

After two years spent perfecting three blends, he moved to a purpose-built facility under a railway arch in nearby Battersea for production.

By 2024, Jukes Cordialities had grown to a range of 10 products being sold in over a dozen countries.

When, earlier this year, he finally teamed up with an outside investor to grow the business further, it was none other than Sacha Lichine, founder of the Provence rosé phenomenon Whispering Angel, who called Jukes ‘a beacon of excellence’ in the world of alcohol-free drinks.

Throughout his career, Jukes delivered countless lectures, talks and seminars at trade conferences and consumer tastings, while judging wine across the world.

In 2006 he introduced the intensive, indulgent One Day Wine School; in 2009 he co-founded Quintessentially Wine.

He went on to publish 14 wine books, and evolved his focus on Australia into three other comprehensive annual reports, published on his website, on his other favourite regions – Bordeaux, Burgundy and Piedmont. Each of them ran to 35,000 words a piece.

All of it was done under his own steam.

If you will allow me a personal reflection, in the late Noughties, when editing Decanter, and at a time when I thought of him as Mr Australia, I learned of his love for Burgundy.

Seeking a new voice on the region, I commissioned him to write a Burgundy vintage report.

What followed was a tour de force of the region, bowling me (and readers) over with his knowledge, insight and access.

Most striking of all, it was all done entirely independently, without any demands for logistical help or practical assistance on the ground.

He didn’t have a PA or an agent, and dealt with all projects personally.

Enquiries and entreaties would receive an immediate response, business-like but courteous, grateful for the commission and excited by the possibilities.

Even the logistics of the mammoth 100 Best tastings, which he grew to become a two-month festival attended by trade envoys, ambassadors and politicians, were all arranged under his own steam.

He was the same away from the spittoon.

Proudly but quietly, he made it his personal mission to raise an annual sum greater than his own income for various charities, from the NSPCC to stroke rehabilitation, homeless initiatives and The Roundhouse youth arts community, of which he was a patron. He achieved this feat every year for over two decades.

With his rigour, integrity and energy, they simply don’t make them like Matthew anymore.

Two of the few fellow writers who bear comparison – Jancis Robinson MW and Victoria Moore – paid tribute, the former labelling him ‘exceptional in so many ways’, the latter recalling his ‘rapier-sharp intellect and almost superhuman energy’ (for more tributes, see below).

That booming voice remained authoritative to the end. But he was also a warm, collaborative, welcoming presence, encouraging to and engaged with wine lovers and professionals at all levels and of all experience.

He was, come to think of it, a bit too soft to be a drill sergeant – luckily for all of us…

There are many answers, but the simplest one is because the DWWA has become a wine-world showcase. Our thoroughness in judging (based always on discussion and never on the simple calculation of scores) is well known; that’s why those global wine experts find working with us rewarding.

Our audience, too, is unrivalled (annual data show that Decanter’s content, through all its various channels, is seen by more than two million wine lovers monthly around the world). If you have something to prove with your wine, this is the most trustworthy and effective place to come to do it.

But in 2026, there’s more. With the foundations of wine culture rattled by tariff barriers, inflation, decontextualised health messages, transport chokepoints, changing consumer tastes and oversupply, our competition has never been more useful to both producers and consumers.

The consequences were remarkable. We saw an uplift in the quality of entries overall (the Rhône team, for example, never before had a full flight of Côte-Rôtie wines to judge, nor has the Co-Chairs’ Best in Show selection simultaneously featured Clos de Vougeot, Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Pomerol, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Carmignano, Margaret River, the Dundee Hills, Stags Leap District and a 98-point 2005 vinsanto from Santorini).

That uplift was evident throughout: we’ve never had so many outstanding Gold medal wines competing in our Value category (including wines from prestige locations such as Argentina’s Gualtallary and Australia’s McLaren Vale, and from the Chianti Classico Riserva category), giving us a Top 35 rather than (as last year) a Top 30.

Most significantly of all, the proportion of wines finishing in our three top medal categories rose significantly compared to 2025, though the wines were judged with no less rigour. There were 59 additional Platinum medals this year (the total of 196 representing 1.2% of our 16,631 entry cohort), 191 extra Gold medals (total 924, 5.6%) and 578 extra Silver medals (total 6,193, 37.2%).

Climatic influence

The results, as always, bulge with stories and surprises. As we all know, the global climate is warming – one reason, perhaps, why this year’s top Germany medal, a Platinum, went not to a Riesling but to a Weisser Burgunder (Pinot Blanc) from the Pfalz region.

It might explain why in the UK the county of Oxfordshire receives its first Gold, and why Shropshire and Rutland were among the medals for the first time; why France’s alpine Savoie region took a Platinum as well as two Value Golds; or why Australia’s cool Frankland River made its debut in Best in Show, with wines from Orange and Mornington Peninsula among our Platinum medals.

Similarly, fresh New Zealand unhooked two Best in Show positions and no fewer than eight Platinum medals (including two from Canterbury); Spain’s winners included a Best in Show from moist Rías Baixas in Galicia and a Platinum from breezy Bierzo, neighbours in the northwest.

Don’t, however, assume that wines from warmer climates struggled: producers everywhere are thinking intelligently about the craftsmanship of ripeness – and our judges appreciate rich wines, as they do all wine styles. The fact that Spain, including Sherries, increased its top-medal tally of Best in Show, Platinum and Gold medals by an astonishing 52.4% compared to 2025 surprised us all (the 160-strong tally included Platinum medals for Jumilla, Castilla-La Mancha and Priorat).

Texas burst through our saloon doors with four Golds, while Virginia and Washington state took five apiece; Gascony’s always- statuesque Madiran featured among the Platinums for the first time; while Roussillon’s Maury Sec and the Croatian island of Hvar both achieved debut Best in Show places with splendidly bone-warming reds that nonetheless contrive to be perfumed and complex, too.

Changing for the better

Some team news to finish. Our 245 judges included 106 women this year, a new record but one we hope to keep beating; the overall total included 24 Master Sommeliers, 63 Masters of Wine and 36 new judges.

We instituted a Resident Co-Chair position in 2026, giving a different Regional Chair the chance to guest in the Co-Chair team every year and refresh its approach. This year Caro Maurer MW gave the four permanent Co-Chairs the benefit of her wide experience and insights – and her unrivalled sense of fun.

Finally, our sustainability efforts continue. We still package up and recycle all damaged cardboard; crush and recycle all glass; and send all leftover wine to Biffa’s anaerobic digestion plant at Cannock, north of Birmingham, to create biogas for the electricity grid and biofertiliser for agriculture.

From this year, though, we are breaking down then reusing undamaged cardboard for boxing up our tasting flights, as well as switching from plastic bags for blind-wine service to reusable cotton bags. More innovations will follow next year.

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It’s the latest high-profile vineyard property deal in sought-after Provence, where vineyards mingle with lavender fields and olive groves close to the Mediterranean sea.

Vignelaure is one of the region’s pearls, said Adam Dakin, founder of independent property specialist Wine Objectives that helped facilitate the recent deal.

Once home to ancient Roman winegrowers, Vignelaure's modern era began in the 1960s under Georges Brunet, ex-owner of Bordeaux’s Château La Lagune.

While the estate makes rosé – now a Provençal calling card – it has a particularly strong reputation for high-quality reds, which are sourced from vineyards at relatively high altitudes (around 400m) for the area.

New owner Neil Utley said, ‘Having considered a number of vineyards in and around the region we were drawn to Vignelaure as it wasn't a blank canvas – our vision was to elevate something extraordinary. This is one of the few estates in Provence with a genuine red wine pedigree.'

Estate director and winemaker Philippe Bru will remain at the property, having been appointed by the previous owners, Swedish couple Mette and Bengt Sundstrøm.

Immediate plans include replanting some of the vineyard, as well as planting new vines on pre-prepared land. Vignelaure spans around 276 hectares in total, including woodland, with around 56ha under vine.

Utley added, ‘Our role now is to become stewards of an estate that already has so much to offer, and to support Philippe Bru and his team in taking Vignelaure to the next level through focus, patience and long-term investment.’

There are also plans to launch a cosmetics business, Maison Minu, to be based at the estate.

Olive trees will be planted and bee hives installed to both support biodiversity and the new cosmetics operations, the owners said, adding they plan to build an on-site spa in the coming years, too.

Provence and Loire vineyards in-demand

Provence’s vineyard market has ‘taken off again’ recently, said Wine Objectives’ Dakin. ‘There's quite a lot of movement. We've got another transaction down towards St-Tropez underway just now.’

Its appeal comes at a price, though. 'It's an area where land and buildings are relatively expensive', said Dakin.

As a comparison, he said that wine lovers dreaming of buying a vineyard on a tighter budget might find a winery with 10 to 15 hectares of vines for around €500,000 in Corbières in the Languedoc to the west, but it's a different picture in Provence.

‘That said, we’ve got a small vineyard in the process of selling just now at €900,000. It's a modern villa with I think eight hectares of vines around it and another building on the side which could be developed into a winery.

'It's odd, admittedly, to find stuff under the €1m mark in Provence, and reasonably rare to find vineyards under the €2m mark, but they do exist.'

Still, he said the heart of the market is in the €5m to €10m bracket.

Loire Valley is another fashionable area to watch, said Dakin. Wine Objectives recently expanded north in addition to its longstanding focus on Provence, the Rhône and Languedoc in southern France.

‘There are a lot of people visiting, a lot of professional clients looking to buy there,’ said Dakin of the Loire.

Climate change and consumer interest in white wines are among motivating factors for prospective buyers, he said.

In terms of vineyard land prices, Sancerre can reach €250,000 to €350,000 per hectare (p/ha), said Dakin. But he said prices elsewhere, such as Savennières, are much lower and the Loire overall remains relatively inexpensive.

Interest in both regions comes amid a tough market situation facing some of France’s major red wine regions, such as generic Bordeaux and the Southern Rhône outside top appellations.

A recent report by French rural land agency Safer showed Burgundy vineyard prices continued to defy gravity in 2025, yet also found declining values in Bordeaux.

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DWWA 2026: The wine-world showcase

Leader by Simon Wright, Head of Awards

We are thrilled to share the results of the 23rd Decanter World Wine Awards.

Holding the world’s largest wine competition gives us – and all our judges and Chairs – an incredible wide-angle snapshot of the current wine landscape. It helps us to pinpoint – and share with you – the exceptional producers and exciting regions redefining the wines we’re able to drink today.

After 10 years overseeing the logistics side of the competition, this was my first year as Head of Awards. My new role gives me the opportunity to take a step back and gain a unique perspective on how Decanter’s various teams – from Events & Awards to Marketing, Sales and Editorial – collaborate on such a monumental operation.

From opening for entries in November right through to printing the bumper results issue that you hold in your hands now, immense care and craft are poured into what we all do.

On that theme of care and craft, the rigour and strength of the DWWA competition truly rests with our judges. We’re incredibly happy with the steps we took this year to reduce the average number of wines tasted daily (now no more than 75) by each panel. Giving our experts more time to focus on every tasting flight ensures you can have absolute confidence in the calibre of the wines featured in the pages that follow.

Indeed, in his introduction to this year’s results, Co-Chair Andrew Jefford emphasises the ‘uplift in the quality of entries overall’ seen by the judges, and highlights the final figures that reveal a notable increase in the proportion of Silver, Gold and Platinum awards achieved at DWWA 2026.

I hope you enjoy getting to know the diverse, exceptionally talented individuals who make up our judging panels, just as much as you enjoy exploring the delicious and deservedly awarded wines. Cheers!

Contents list: Inside Decanter magazine's August 2026 issue

DWWA: Setting the scene

• Andrew Jefford The DWWA Co-Chair reflects on highlights and surprises of the competition in 2026
• This year in numbers A breakdown of medal winners in 2026, plus intel on this year’s 245 expert judges
• The judging process Discover how we conduct the tastings and choose the medal-winning wines, with an at-a-glance guide to the key stages of the competition
• Behind the scenes When not hard at work, our DWWA judges had a chance to taste other Golds (blind), to attend a special Coravin masterclass and to kick back and relax at the midweek party
• Meet the experts Introducing the talent behind the world’s biggest wine competition: our four Co-Chairs (plus Resident Co-Chair) and 37 Regional Chairs. We also list the judges and Senior Judges for each region

DWWA: The results

• Best in Show: wine profiles Full tasting notes, by Andrew Jefford, for the 50 wines from around the world that took top honours in 2026
• The Platinum medal-winners We present the 196 wines judged to be the best in their respective regions
• The Gold medal-winners The 924 Golds, listed alphabetically by region (Silver and Bronze winners can be found on Decanter.com)
• 35 Top Value Golds We highlight the Gold medal winners judged to offer the very best value, all priced at under £15 at the time of judging in May 2026
• Best in Show, again! We celebrate the six producers who’ve won Best in Show this year – for the second time in five years, for the same wine

DWWA: Shopping list

• UK shopper’s guide Your handy list of medal winners available on UK shelves

Collecting & investing

• Marketwatch Auction news and new releases
• Marketwatch The rise of white Burgundy

Regulars

• News The latest from the wine world
• The brief Ideas and inspiration
• Subscribe to Decanter
• On the rack: Ronan Sayburn MS The sommelier and DWWA Co-Chair talks to Amy Wislocki

DWWA 2026 Gold medals by region

• Alsace 100
• Argentina 101
• Asia 105
• Australia 106
• Austria 112
• Balkans 113
• Beaujolais 114
• Belgium 112
• Bordeaux 115
• Bosnia and Herzegovina 113
• Brazil 104
• Bulgaria 120
• Burgundy 116
• Canada 118
• Caucasus Regions 119
• Central & Eastern Europe 120
• Central Italy 123
• Champagne 124
• Chile 127
• China 105
• Croatia 128
• Czech Republic 120
• Georgia 119
• Germany 131
• Greece & Cyprus 132
• Hungary 120
• Israel 152
• Japan 106
• Languedoc-Roussillon 134
• Loire 136
• Moldova 122
• Montenegro 113
• New Zealand 137
• Northern Italy 139
• North Macedonia 113
• Piedmont 141
• Port & Madeira 142
• Portugal 144
• Provence 146
• Romania 122
• Rhône 148
• Serbia 113
• Sherry 149
• Slovenia 129
• South Africa 150
• Southern & Eastern Mediterranean 152
• Southern Italy 153
• Southwest & rest of France 154
• Spain 155
• Switzerland 162
• Turkey 152
• Tuscany 163
• United Kingdom 165
• Uruguay 104
• USA & Mexico 166
• Veneto 169

How to read the DWWA results

Wines are grouped into colour and/or type, in the order one might drink them with a meal: Sparkling, White, Rosé, Orange, Red, Sweet & Fortified.

Wines are identified by these colours: green (white wines), pink (rosés), orange (orange/amber wines), red (reds), golden (all sweet & fortified).

Within the Sparkling sections of each region, wines appear in colour order: white, rosé then red if applicable.

Profiles and tasting notes for all 50 Best in Show winners (the best of this year’s Platinum award winners) are listed from p37, with tasting notes for the Platinum winners (best of the Golds) from p61.

Within these categories, wines are listed by score, then alphabetically by producer name. From p99, we list the Gold medal winners by region. The Value and Top Value Gold wines are denoted by a V or G symbol within the listings; Top 35 Value Golds are also listed in one place, from p170.

Stockist and pricing details for Best in Show, Platinum and Gold medal-winning wines have been supplied by the producer, UK importer or submitter responsible for entering the wine.

We check these as carefully as possible, but cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information provided. If no GBP price is shown, then there were no UK stockist listings found at the time of writing.

All tasting notes and price and stockist details for wines winning a Silver or Bronze medal can be found at decanter.com/decanter-awards. Wines that failed to win a DWWA medal have not been listed.

DWWA sponsors

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The Awards helped solidify the reputations of two established Pacific Northwest appellations in particular, as their wines showed ‘a strong level of consistency’, according to Oregon-based DWWA Panel Judge Bree Stock MW. ‘Oregon’s best Pinot Noirs were very compelling, particularly from established Willamette Valley sub-AVAs such as Dundee Hills, where the wines showed aromatic definition, layered spice and the capacity to age’.

The Washington wine submissions showed ‘real strength and perform well, with Walla Walla Valley standing out for Cabernet Franc and Syrah that has depth, savoury complexity and a clear regional voice’, Stock added. ‘Royal Slope Riesling was another bright point’.

Oregon excellence: Pinot Noir, Cabernet and white wines

Domaine Serene, one of Oregon’s top producers, took home Best in Show – given to just 0.3% of the nearly 17,000 wines tasted in 2026 – for its 2023 Aspect Pinot Noir. The wine is sourced from the winery’s highest-elevation estate vineyards in the Dundee Hills, one of Willamette Valley’s prime winegrowing appellations. In fact, every one of the previous three Best in Show winners from Oregon (in the 2016, 2020 and 2023 competitions) has been a Pinot Noir from Dundee Hills.

The judges gave Aspect a score of 97 points, noting its ‘impressive craftsmanship’, ‘outstanding fruit’, supple palate and ‘textbook Dundee Hills aromatics of cherry cola and sassafras’. Domaine Serene also earned a Gold medal and 96 points for its ‘seductive’ 2023 Grace Vineyard Pinot Noir, a single-vineyard bottling from its Evenstad Estate, as well as Silver medals for three other Pinot Noirs and two sparkling wines.

To be recognised with a collection of medals ‘is deeply meaningful to our entire vineyard and winemaking team’, said Michael Fay, Domaine Serene’s vice president of winemaking and viticulture. ‘These awards reflect our commitment to wines expressing the character of the Dundee Hills and Willamette Valley while representing the world-class quality Oregon brings to Pinot Noir and sparkling wine. This recognition gives us an important opportunity to introduce more consumers to our wines and the remarkable region we are proud to call home’.

Another 2023 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, an ‘elegant’ and ‘stylish’ selection from Alexana’s sustainably farmed estate vineyard, won a Platinum medal, scoring 97 points. ‘I see it as a high water mark for us,’ said general manager Jeff Lewis.

‘It’s the coalescence of so many things’ – including the work of new head winemaker Tresider Burns, new director of viticulture Drew Herman, the estate’s conversion to organic farming and a shift in winemaking approach.

Being recognised as ‘one of the great wines of the world’, Lewis added, ‘is a validation of the direction in which our team – in terms of farming and winemaking – had been evolving after 20 years, continuing to push ourselves in a really meaningful way to make wines of unique personalities that express what we feel is so special about Alexana and the Dundee Hills’.

Oregon wineries also collected three other Gold medals, for a total of four, including for Amaterra’s excitingly complex 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (96 points) and Watermill’s rich, supple 2021 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (95) from The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater in Walla Walla Valley, where Bordeaux varieties and Syrah thrive. And bhn’s compelling, layered, off-dry Oregon Riesling 2023 (95) became the first orange wine from the state to receive Gold at DWWA.

In all, the state racked up 72 medals, a new high.

Washington wine winners: Walla Walla and Wahluke Slope reds

Washington winery Echolands earned a Platinum for its ‘lush,’ ‘harmonious’ 2023 Blue Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Franc (97), from one of the coolest sites on the Washington side of Walla Walla Valley. This follows the same wine’s Platinum success last year for the 2022 vintage – quite an achievement for a winery that was founded in 2018 and released its first wines in 2020.

‘The Walla Walla AVA is an incredible place in the world to grow winegrapes’, said Echolands winemaker and general manager Brian Rudin. ‘There is a great diversity of options for winemakers: the higher-elevation, cooler and silt-laden slopes are a sweet spot for Bordeaux varieties, especially when aromatics and elegant textures are the goal’.

The state also saw its strongest-ever Gold medal performance in 2026, with five diverse wines achieving that honour. ‘Washington State continued to have a strong showing with their characteristic powerful styles of wine,’ said James Tidwell MS, DWWA Regional Chair for the USA and Central America. Its medal total for the year came to 46.

While most of the Washington winners were red wines, Echolands’ harmonious 2024 Frenchman Hills Vineyard Block 1 Riesling (96) became the first Gold medal winner from the Royal Slope AVA. ‘We’ve always revered these two vineyards [Blue Mountain and Frenchman Hills] as the best-suited sites in Washington for their respective varieties’, commented Rudin.

UpWest’s 2023 Syrah (95) secured another first: Gold for Washington’s Wahluke Slope appellation.

Two Washington icons also took home Gold. L’Ecole No. 41 demonstrated the benefit of working with a suite of mature vineyards with its 2022 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (95), from vines averaging more than 20 years old. That was just one of its four medals. Like Echolands, Spring Valley Vineyards put Cabernet Franc in the foreground in its 2023 Uriah (96), a blend with 40% Merlot, also from Walla Walla Valley.

Walla Walla’s parallel strength with red Rhône varieties was on display in the robust, meaty Francisca’s Vineyard Syrah 2023 (95) from Hoquetus Wine Co., a tiny producer with a wide range of wines, from Riesling to Roussanne and Nouveau-style Syrah to amphora-fermented Mencía.

Decanter’s annual awards: a guide to global wine standouts

Launched in 2004, DWWA is widely regarded as the global benchmark for wine quality based on its rigorous tasting process, its international reach and the expertise of its judges (245 of them in 2026, more than one-third of them Masters of Wine or Master Sommeliers). ‘With so many choices available, consumers often look for reassurance when selecting a bottle, and the DWWA medals help simplify the decision’, commented DWWA Co-Chair Ronan Sayburn MS.

Twenty-three years on, DWWA has become the world’s largest wine competition, awarding medals in five tiers: the 50 Best in Show, then Platinum and Gold (all scoring 95+ points), followed by Silver and Bronze.

In 2026, US wines won a total of 466 DWWA medals – nearly double the country’s previous highest tally. With two Best in Show wines, five Platinum and 32 Gold (one in the Top 35 Value Golds list), this is the biggest haul of top-tier medals the country has brought in at the competition.

Although California, Oregon and Washington continue to dominate, Texas took home its first Gold medals, while Virginia and Pennsylvania both achieved their third consecutive years with Gold medals. Wineries in Massachusetts, Missouri, Colorado and North Carolina claimed Silver medals.

The full list of 2026 winners from around the world can be found at awards.decanter.com.

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Texas wines garnered 122 total medals, the second-most of any U.S. state behind California. Of those, 62 wines scored 90 or more points. These results led to Texas being named one of five 'Regions on the Rise' by Decanter Awards. This year’s Decanter World Wine Awards results were a triumph on the international stage for a wine industry that is both centuries old and yet quite new.

The history of Texas wine

The history of Texas wine dates to the 1600’s when the area was under Spanish rule. However, United States prohibition in the early 1900s decimated the Texas wine industry, which did not recover for decades. From the end of Prohibition in 1933 until the late 1960s, many people laid the groundwork for the modern Texas wine industry.

By the mid-1970s, pioneering wineries were established throughout the state. However, Texas alcohol laws impeded growth. In 2005, Texas had only 85 wineries. A combination of new laws and an emerging generation of winemakers caused the Texas wine industry to explode. While exact figures are hard to determine, the best estimate is that Texas now has over 600 wineries.

The grapes planted in the early 1970s were often marketable varieties for the time, such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Those grapes are still grown, but even then, winegrowers were looking to the Mediterranean and southern Europe.

The grape varieties receiving the most attention today originate in three main warmer-climate growing areas.

Iberian varieties include Albariño, Garnacha/Grenache, Souzão, Touriga Nacional and Tempranillo, which has become a star of Texas red wine.

French varieties include Clairette, Roussanne, Viognier, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Syrah and Tannat.

Italian varieties include Trebbiano, Vermentino, Aglianico, Montepulciano, Sagrantino, Sangiovese and Teroldego.

Each of these grapes is finding a home in Texas as winegrowers hone their ability to match varieties to specific winegrowing regions.

While grapes are grown in most areas of the state, there are eight American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in Texas. If a wine label mentions an AVA, a Texas county, or a single vineyard, then at least 85% of the grapes used must be grown in the designated area. The remainder must come from other areas within Texas. Of the AVAs, two appear most often on labels and are most important for wine drinkers to know.

Texas High Plains AVA

The Texas High Plains AVA in the northwest of the state is a flat, semi-arid mesa benefiting from high elevation and temperature swings. The flat land and rich soils here were known for producing row crops including cotton and peanuts. A more recent trend is grapevines.

Summer temperatures can swing from above 37 degrees C in the day to below 15 degrees C at night. The shift retains the grape’s freshness and acidity. Due to the favourable growing conditions, 75-85% of Texas grapes are grown in the Texas High Plains AVA.

Key grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Roussanne, Tempranillo, and Viognier.

Texas Hill Country AVA

Texas Hill Country AVA is located 400 miles south of the High Plains. The elevation is lower, the rainfall is higher, and the temperature swing is less dramatic here. Proximity to both Austin and San Antonio makes the region popular for winery visits. Rolling hills and limestone canyons provide a dramatic backdrop.

The town of Fredericksburg is the centre of tourism in the region and one of the most-visited wine tourism destinations in the United States. Many Texas wineries are located here for this reason.

Key grape varieties are Aglianico, Syrah, Tannat and Tempranillo.

Stylistic differences have emerged as regions and grape varieties have become better understood. Ron Yates of Spicewood Vineyard and Ron Yates Wines characterises Texas High Plains wines as having 'round and soft texture, fruit-driven, with freshness'.

Texas has a long wine history and a dynamic modern industry. As Sue Schulse of Turtle Creek Vineyards notes, 'This is an exciting time for Texas wine with so many producers making great wine.'

Then, why have more people not tasted Texas wines? Tasting the wines often requires a trip to the state. Approximately 95% of Texas wines are sold within the state. This is changing.

Watch for more wines to become available outside the state as a 'Region on the Rise' shares its wines with the world. If the Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 results are any indication, then Texas has much to share.

DWWA 2026: Top-scoring wines from Texas

AB Astris, Souzao, Texas Hill Country 2022

Gold, 96 points
Intoxicating blackberry and plum fruit with hints of lavender on the nose. Densely packed with oak tannins, mouth-coating texture and fascinating length. A beautiful, complete wine. Alcohol 13.9%

Turtle Creek, Tannat, Texas Hill Country 2023

Gold, 96 points
Impressive notes of plum, prune, blackberry and liquorice with a savoury whack of black peppercorns. Grippy with well-knit tannins, precise saline acidity and silky length. Alc 14.5%

Adega Vinho, Estate Tempranillo, Texas Hill Country 2021

Gold, 95 points
An absolute banger of a wine with a good presence of black plum compote and wild herbs. Nicely articulated with a sublime savoury cured meat length. Alc 14%

Spicewood Vineyards, Las Montanas 2022

Gold, 95 points
A feverish intensity of inky black cherry, graphite and verdant green herbs lavishes the deeply concentrated palate, adorning polished tannins and lively acidity. Full and inspiring. Alc 14.2%

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Part of the misunderstanding comes down to how little most drinkers know about how rosé is made. Most still rosé is not, as some may assume, red and white wine blended together. In the EU, the practice is generally restricted in still-wine production, although it is permitted for certain sparkling wines – most famously rosé Champagne. Instead, most rosé takes its colour from brief contact between clear juice and dark grape skins, and it is the length of that contact that decides the style.

A quick pressing, with the juice drawn off after only a few hours, gives the pale, delicate wines Provence is known for. Leave the skins in longer, sometimes a day or more of maceration, and the result deepens into something fuller and more fruit-driven. Other rosés come from the saignée method, where juice is bled off a fermenting red to concentrate it, and the pink run-off becomes a wine in its own right. Each route lends a different colour, weight and character, which is why no two rosés are quite alike.

Scroll down to see five top-scoring rosé wines from DWWA 2026

Geography widens the category even further. Provence remains the spiritual home, and rightly so: its pale, dry, herb-scented style set the template the world now follows. But rosé is made almost everywhere wine is, and the results are gloriously diverse. The southern Rhône turns out darker, sturdier pinks built from the heat and for the table. Spain and Italy age some rosés in oak, giving them structure and the ability to improve for years. Cool-climate corners of England and northern Italy make sparkling and delicately aromatic styles. And a growing number of producers are reaching for indigenous grapes that give their rosés a genuine sense of place.

That range is exactly what this year's Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) brought to light. In France alone, 359 rosés were awarded medals across eight regions, from Bordeaux and the Loire to Corsica, Beaujolais and the southwest, and that was before the tasting travelled beyond France altogether.

The five wines below were chosen to show the category at its most surprising: a sparkling English pink, a barrel-aged Rioja with the gravity of a serious red, a rosé from a Croatian grape few will have tasted, and two Mediterranean wines that prove there is life well beyond the Provençal template.

Consider it an invitation to look at rosé afresh. There is a great deal more here than first meets the eye, and a great deal more to enjoy. Rosé, it turns out, is a technique, not a place, and never just one shade of pink.

DWWA 2026: Top-scoring rosé wines to explore

Lunae, Mea Rosa, Liguria di Levante, Liguria, Italy 2025

Platinum, 97 points
A summer dream! An incredible vibrancy of rose petals, red cherries, raspberries and strawberries dives into the plush, juicy palate speckled with fresh herbs and spices adding complexity and verve. Joyous and full of life. Alcohol 12.5%

Winding Wood, Rosé Brut, Berkshire, England 2022

Platinum, 97 points
Ethereal rose garden and subtle strawberry and red apple aromatics weave into the plush toasted brioche core. Beautifully fresh with a gentle yet persuasive mousse and a long, allusive finish. An allegory of national intent. Alc 12%

Ante Sladić, Opol Lasina, Dalmatinska Zagora, Coastal, Croatia 2025

Gold, 96 points
Burgeoning ripe strawberries pervade the nose and palate gathering freshness in their wake. Fabulous cleansing acidity pierces the peppy fruit texture and teases out the length. Alc 12.5%

Domaine La Cendrillon, Minuit, Corbières, France 2025

Gold, 96 points
Meticulously crafted with peach, red apple, raspberry and cherry fruit lined with a spicy, savoury elegance. Fleshy and impactful with citrus acidity and energising length. Alc 13.5%

Hacienda López De Haro, Classica, Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain, 2016

Gold, 96 points
Showstopping, classic and well-aged, yet with plenty of time ahead. A complex structure infused with dried cranberries and damp earth over bracing acidity and lingering length. Alc 12.3%

Discover all winners at awards.decanter.com

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What to look for in a summer wine

When it’s hot, your instinct may be to reach for something cold straight out of the ice bucket, and there is wisdom in that. A good chill flatters almost any wine built on acidity, and freshness is the quality that matters most as the temperature climbs. It cuts through rich, smoky and salty food, resets the palate between bites and keeps a wine feeling alive as the afternoon warms it in the glass. Summer tends to reward wines with moderate alcohol, restrained oak and enough natural lift to stay lively when chilled. They feel lighter and suit the food of the season, from salads and seafood to whatever comes off the grill. A few styles do this especially well:

• Sparkling wine: Champagne, English sparkling, Cap Classique or Cava. Bubbles and bright acidity make these refreshing and ideal before a meal. Serve at 6–8°C.
• Crisp whites: Think citrus, herbs, stone fruit and a saline snap rather than heavy richness. Serve at 8–10°C.
• Dry rosé: One of summer's most versatile options. Pale styles are light and delicate for sipping, while deeper, fruitier ones have the texture to handle grilled food. Serve at 8–11°C.
• Light reds, lightly chilled: Softer tannins and bright red fruit make these refreshing at 12–14°C, and a natural match for chicken, pork or charcuterie.
• Off-dry Riesling: Especially good with spice. A touch of sweetness softens chilli heat, while the acidity keeps the wine feeling light.

Judge (and poolside) approved

All our picks were tasted at Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2026. Nearly 17,000 wines from 58 countries were assessed blind by panels of experts, among them Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers, and judged purely on what was in the glass.

The best earned medals rising from Bronze through Silver, Gold and Platinum, with a small Best in Show selection reserved for the very finest. A medal is, in short, a reliable shortcut: a wine the world's most experienced tasters thought worth seeking out. Here are six to see you through the season:

For gatherings

Hambledon's Classic Cuvée Brut, an English sparkler in generous magnum, is built for a crowd. Pour it as guests arrive on the rooftop or the lawn and there is plenty to keep the glasses full.

Hambledon Wine Estate, Classic Cuvée Brut, Hampshire, England NV

Gold, 95 points
Splendid golden apple, pear and zingy lemon fragrance softly drapes over a backdrop of baked caramel biscuits. Poised and stirring with silky bubbles and mineral length. Alcohol 12%

For the barbecue

When the coals are ready, a deeper rosé earns its keep. A La Mano's Tavel, all black cherry and savoury spice, has the flesh and grip to match charred meat and smoke where a paler pink would disappear.

A La Mano, Tavel, Rhône, France 2024

Gold, 95 points
A deep style of rosé with lashings of black cherries bumbling alongside spicy herbal nuances. Textured and fleshy with a long savoury finish. Very food-friendly. Alc 13.5%

For the seaside

Rapaura Springs' ROHE Sauvignon Blanc, one of only a handful of Marlborough Sauvignons ever named Best in Show, brings the region's trademark zip with unusual depth and length beside just-grilled fish.

Rapaura Springs, ROHE Sauvignon Blanc, Blind River, Marlborough, New Zealand 2025

Best in Show, 97 points
This is the sixth Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to feature in our Best In Show selection – and of those six, half have carried an Awatere Valley origin, suggesting that this may prove to be one of the finest of Marlborough's sub-regions. This is a hugely impressive wine. Silver in colour, it has arresting vitality and energy on the nose, but unusual complexity, too: melon, mango, pear, Japanese citrus, resin, thyme and rue were among the notes our judges detected, woven together with great skill and discernment, and with no note dominating or lacking refinement. On the palate it's excitingly flavoury in all of the ways the aromas sketched out – yet it's also soft, complex, textured and hauntingly savoury as well as floral and fruity. 2026 was an outstanding DWWA year for New Zealand Sauvignon, and this layered, high-finesse yet at the same time amply drinkable wine had to see off many competitors to win its place in the Top 50. Alc 13%

For something unexpected

Albariño is Spain's great coastal white, but Spier grows a strikingly good one on South Africa's Atlantic-cooled coast. Broad, saline and made for the shore, this Top Value Gold proves the grape travels well.

Spier, Villa Blue Albariño, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2025

Top Value Gold, 95 points
Ripe red apple and mango with flecks of citrus zest. Broad, creamy and concentrated, offset by vibrant acidity and a lingering saline finish. Alc 13.5%

For a chilled red

For those who won't give up red until the last possible moment, Kurtatsch's old-vine Schiava from high in Alto Adige is light, fragrant and low in tannin. Twenty minutes in the fridge makes it the ideal summer-evening red.

Kurtatsch, Sonntaler Vernatsch Alte Reben Schiava, Alto Adige, Italy 2025

Gold, 95 points
Authentic notes of crushed red berries, redcurrants and rose petals with a lick of fresh herbs. Crunchy and mouth-watering with thriving tannins and saline length. Alc 12.5%

For the curious

And for the adventurous, bhn's amber-hued Oregon Riesling, made on its skins in the manner of an orange wine, offers the freshness of a white with the grip of a red. One to spark conversation as the sun goes down.

bhn, Riesling, Oregon, United States 2023

Gold, 95 points
A compelling style, layered with oolong tea, saffron, ginger and floral nuance over the subtle oxidative depth, creating an evolving aromatic spectrum with savoury poise. Alc 15.5%

Discover all winners at awards.decanter.com

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It was not always this way. Like the country itself, South African Chenin Blanc has been through quite a revolution over the past three decades. Known locally for years as Steen, the grape was treated as a dependable workhorse: high-yielding, hardy and destined mostly for brandy, bulk wine, semi-sweet blends and inexpensive dry whites. South Africa, it turned out, had become the grape's adopted superpower, growing more Chenin Blanc than anywhere else on earth.

There is an irony in that. Chenin Blanc's ancestral home is France's Loire Valley, where it makes some of the world's most ageworthy and revered white wines, from the honeyed sweet wines of Vouvray to the steely dry whites of Savennières. Yet in South Africa, the grape was long valued for what it could produce in volume rather than for what it could express.

That began to change as a new generation of producers looked again at what they had, recognising that these low-yielding old vines, many over 35 years old, were capable of remarkable things. By farming them for quality rather than quantity and working site by site, winemakers began to reveal a grape of real depth and character.

Among those who drove the change is Johan Jordaan, cellar master at Spier, who in February was named Chenin Blanc Master Winemaker for the second consecutive year at the Master Winemaker 100 awards in Paris. For him, the transformation has been a collective effort, grounded in better farming.

Safe to say, Chenin is now entering its heyday. The country enjoyed a banner year at the world's largest wine competition, earning 27 more medals overall than last year. At the top tier, South Africa claimed one Best in Show, eight Platinums and 36 Golds. While red wine led the way at Platinum level, it was Chenin that was crowned with South Africa's sole Best in Show: Stellenbosch Reserve, Hangbrug Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch 2025.

A regional fingerprint

The judges praised Stellenbosch Reserve's varietal character delivered 'with spotless precision', its 'brightness and freshness', and a restrained use of oak that filled out the palate 'without obscuring that primary charm'. One judge found 'a little salty intrigue' that spoke of site and authenticity.

For the team behind it, that sense of place is the whole point. 'With Stellenbosch Reserve we are looking to make a wine that is true to the varietal and the profile one would expect from a Stellenbosch Chenin,' says commercial director Warren Granat-Mulder.

The aim, he explains, is 'texture and elegance, hence the short stint in the barrel', while keeping the wine 'fruit forward, yet fresh and zesty'. Stellenbosch whites, he adds, tend to sit 'more on the yellow fruit spectrum than perhaps the riper tropical fruit one often gets out of an area like the Swartland'.

That regional fingerprint, the idea that a single grape can taste notably different from one district to the next, was something the judges noticed too, remarking on the 'impressive differentiation of Chenin Blanc wines according to their regional origin' across the South African flight.

The memory bank of Old Vines

Nowhere is that difference clearer than in the Swartland, the warm, dry region north of Cape Town that has become synonymous with old-vine Chenin. The area earned its first Platinums since 2022 this year, one of them for Nederburg, Heritage Heroes The Anchor Man Old Vine Chenin Blanc, Swartland 2024, a wine the judges called 'a classic style, segueing power and freshness seamlessly'.

The secret lies underground. 'Swartland is unique in producing outstanding old-vine Chenin Blanc because of its terroir,' says white wines winemaker Jamie Williams. 'It is dryland farming, so no irrigation occurs. These old vines can root deeply within the decomposed granite and shale soils to search for water, concentrating the fruit in the small berries, which gives lovely mid-palate depth and complexity.' Decades of survival, she believes, are written into the wine:

An all-weather grape

Part of Chenin's appeal in South Africa is its sheer adaptability, a trait that has made it a favourite from everyday quaffers to the country's most ambitious whites. Van Loveren's Survivor Reserve Chenin Blanc, Swartland 2023 took a Gold, and for cellar master Pierre Wahl the variety's resilience is precisely what makes it so valuable in a warming climate.

'I have always regarded Chenin Blanc as the most versatile variety I work with,' he says. 'Its naturally high acidity makes it particularly resilient in the face of climate change, allowing it to retain freshness and balance even at higher levels of ripeness and alcohol.'

That versatility extends to the table, too. Wahl calls Chenin 'one of the world's greatest gastronomic white wines', perfectly suited to the melting-pot of French, Indian, German and Cape Malay influences in South African cooking. Best of all, he offers an image hard to better: 'For me, South African Chenin Blanc is sunshine in a bottle. It captures the generosity of our climate while maintaining a vibrant energy and freshness.'

Championing Chenin

What unites these wines is not just a grape but a change in standing. 'Chenin in South Africa has become a flagbearer for the country and the wines we make can comfortably compete on the international stage,' says Granat-Mulder. He sees the variety's rise continuing, noting that it now commands a respect far more readily given than even a decade ago.

Just as South African wine as a whole has spent the past three decades remaking its place in the world, shedding an old reputation for volume and earning a new one for quality, Chenin has come to embody that journey. It is a grape, and a country, increasingly defined by what it can achieve at the very top.

DWWA 2026: Top-scoring South African Chenin Blancs

Stellenbosch Reserve, Hangbrug Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch 2025

Best in Show, 97 points
A number of our judges commented on the impressive differentiation of Chenin Blanc wines according to their regional origin in the 2026 DWWA South Africa cohort: the best of all reasons for making the choice of a particular Best In Show wine difficult. This was the bottle that eventually emerged triumphant, admired on multiple fronts. One was the delivery of varietal character with spotless precision, together with splendid brightness and freshness. Its Stellenbosch classicism brought an assured poise as well as charm, with just enough inner austerity to keep the drinker coming back to the glass. The oaking, finally, was much admired here for not obscuring that primary charm, but filling out the mid-palate, adding texture, and providing a faint flavoury undertow of extra richness. There even seemed to be a little salty intrigue to the palate for some judges, enhancing the sense of authenticity and site. Assured work and an encouraging introduction to the exciting South African white-wine scene. Alcohol 13.5%

Nederburg, Heritage Heroes The Anchor Man Old Vine Chenin Blanc, Swartland 2024

Platinum, 97 points
A classic style, segueing power and freshness seamlessly. Ambient riches of orchard fruit, guava and kaffir lime dance over the mineral backbone and enmesh in the lanolin texture and citrus acidity. Very long and herbaceous.
Alc 13.7%

Van Loveren, Survivor Reserve Chenin Blanc, Swartland 2023

Gold, 95 points
Astounding beeswax nose with flinty, fynbos herbs and hints of bitter lemon. Vivacious and breezy, giving lanolin texture and a focused gunpowder tension towards the finish. Alc 14%

Alvi's Drift, Albertus Viljoen Chenin Blanc, Scherpenheuvel, Worcester 2024

Gold, 95 points
Impasto style layers of baked apple, lemon and stone fruit glaze the lanolin complexity, freshened by a zippy tangerine acidity and ginger twist at the end. Alc 13.5%

Perdeberg, The Dry Land Collection Longevity Natural Sweet Chenin Blanc, Paarl 2025

Gold, 95 points
Abundant ramblings of dried pineapple, mango, apricot and honeyed ginger sink into the rich, sumptuous palate, deftly countered by bright, cleansing acidity that lifts the finish. Alc 9.5%

Discover all winners at awards.decanter.com

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A bottle of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon 'SLV' 1973 sold for $22,500 (£16,724), including buyer's premium, far outpacing a pre-sale high estimate of $6,000.

Christie's said that's a record price for the 1973 vintage of this Napa Valley wine, famous for outshining top red Bordeaux in the 1976 tasting organised by Steven Spurrier and Patricia Gallagher.

Results helped to put California on the world wine map after a first report by George Taber in Time magazine, under the Judgement of Paris headline.

'We were delighted with today’s world record price for one of America’s truly historic wines,' said Chris Munro, Christie's head of wine, Americas, after the auction finished on 15 July.

Among other lots in the auction, 12 bottles of the Cabernet Sauvignon SLV 1974 sold for $13,750 (high estimate: $5,000). A nine-litre 'Salmanazar' bottle of the 2023 vintage, along with a private tasting, tour and dinner, fetched $4,000 (e: $4,000 – $5,000).

Objects that 'made America'

Following this year’s anniversary celebrations, there will be 19 bottles of the Cabernet Sauvignon SLV 1973 left at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, said a Christie’s spokesperson.

One bottle is preserved in the Smithsonian collection of American historical artefacts – donated by the late winemaker Warren Winiarski, alongside another of California's famous Judgement wines: Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay.

In 2013, Smithsonian named this duo among the ‘101 objects that made America’.

Juan Muñoz-Oca, estates director at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, said the recent Christie's auction result is 'a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of the 1973 SLV Cabernet Sauvignon and the vision of our founder, Warren Winiarski'.

Judgement wines surface for 50th anniversary

This year's 50th anniversary of the Judgement tasting has put a new spotlight on the wines involved.

A joint-lot offered by Montelena and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars at this year’s Auction Napa Valley charity event on 6 June featured one bottle each of the wineries' 1973 'Judgement' vintage.

The lot, which also included other wines, estate visits, a bespoke winemaking experience and one-year winery club memberships, sold for $110,000, said charity auction cohost Sotheby’s.

Looking further back, in March 2022, Heritage Auctions sold a bottle of the Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon SLV 1973 for $12,300 – a record auction price for the wine at the time.

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Winning the Sustainable Wine Buyer category was 'a real surprise and a huge honour', Di Camillo told Decanter.

'As a small, independent shop with just one full-time employee (me), it’s easy to assume these awards are out of reach. But sustainable wine has shaped Wine & Such from the very beginning, so to have that recognised by our peers means a great deal. It’s a lovely reminder that small local shops can still play a part in pushing the conversation forward,' she said.

The judging panel – made up of sustainability consultant Anne Jones, writer and competition director Chris Losh, and myself, Natalie Earl, Decanter’s sustainability editor – found that Di Camillo’s entry was informed, honest and backed up pertinent facts and examples. It was evident that sustainability was not only at the core of the sourcing model, but also integral to how the shop runs day-to-day.

‘Di Camillo's submission was especially compelling because sustainability was threaded through her whole ethos as a buyer,’ said Jones, ‘Rather than focusing on a single initiative, she demonstrated a consistent approach that influenced the way she selected wines, worked with producers and developed her range.’

Losh said that overall the best entries showed how sustainability 'was something that ran through every element of the decision making, like the wording in a stick of rock,’ and not simply ‘recycling a few corks’.

A second award is also given to the Sustainable Drinks Buying Team of the Year, which was picked up by Majestic this year.

Although it was clear during the judging process that many buyers do see sustainability as a core part of their role, Losh said that there was 'a sizable proportion of entrants' to the competition who didn’t fill in the section on sustainability at all.

'Presumably either because they don’t see it as important, or because they recognise that their business isn’t doing much in this area. That’s both surprising and disappointing,’ he said.

The Wine Buyers Awards was launched in 2020, and the Sustainable Wine Buyer category was introduced in 2025.

The awards aim to acknowledge the influence that wine buyers have on creating trends, offering value, quality and innovation across their ranges.

It recognises those that are embedding sustainability into the heart of their business, but it has also highlighted that the industry still has some way to go in this respect.

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As the results from this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) show, these wines have stories to tell that reach back centuries and pull you up to the minute. Some of them may surprise you.

Colheita port: Time in a bottle

It may sound like a riddle, but can you think of a wine that was vinified in the last century but that was only bottled earlier this year? That’s exactly what the venerable Port house Kopke did with its 1957 Colheita, capturing a Best in Show in the process. (Consider: 1957 was the year that the Soviets launched Sputnik.)

Wines are tasted blind, so judges couldn’t have known its history, but the truth was on the palate, exhibiting ‘unrivalled finesse, subtlety and soft-fruited grace’.

Kopke, registered in 1638, is the oldest port house, with a history that spans nearly four centuries. It specialises in aged tawnies and colheitas.

Master blender Carlos Alves says: ‘Kopke’s Tawny colheitas come from single harvests and are aged in wood for periods of no less than ten years, and after which they are bottled according to market requests. These represent unique wines and cannot be reproduced.’ Indeed, drinking them is akin to tasting time itself. These wines are, says Alves, ‘genuine symbols of their time’.

Very old sherry: Oenological treasure

Sherry is a drink with odd nooks and crannies – which is what its admirers revere most about ‘their’ drink. The styles evolve and overlap, and some have a mind of their own, changing from one phase to another without the permission or interfering hand of a winemaker. But even by sherry standards, VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) is a curious and much-sought-after style – and the Best in Show-winning Bodegas Tradición VORS 30 Years Amontillado is a thriller.

The way it comes about is complex. Technical director and winemaker Miguel Villa explains: ‘The ageing process begins with a biological phase under a veil of flor yeast, which we extend for ten years. The wine then loses the protection of the flor and continues through a long oxidative ageing phase lasting more than 20 years.’ The result, he says, ‘defines the character of Amontillado, preserving the finesse and saline nuances of biological ageing while developing the complexity and depth associated with prolonged oxidative maturation’.

Bodegas Tradición was founded relatively recently by Joaquín Rivero and specialises in mature, traditionally made sherries. ‘Since our foundation in 1998, our mission has been to preserve and promote historic soleras – true oenological treasures.’

Vinsanto: ‘The soul of Santorini’

The island of Santorini may be tiny, but it holds a commanding place in the world of wine – and not just for its lauded dry Assyrtiko wines. Winemaking has been part of this Aegean island’s heritage for centuries, and no wine is more emblematic than its namesake, Vinsanto.

This sweetly complex, wood-aged and age-worthy wine is the forerunner of madeira and northern Italy’s Vin Santo. ‘Vinsanto is one of the most historic wines of Santorini and an essential part of the island’s identity,’ says Matthew Argyros, winemaker and managing director of Estate Argyros, who produced Best in Show-winning Argyros Vinsanto Late Release 2005.

It speaks clearly of its provenance. ‘The wine is made from a traditional blend of Santorini varieties. After harvest, the grapes are laid out under the Aegean sun for 12-14 days, concentrating sugars, flavours and acidity before it is fermented. The wine is then transferred to old oak casks, where it undergoes a long period of maturation. In the case of our Vinsanto Late Release 2005, the wine remained in barrel for 16 years before bottling,’ Argyros explains.

The extended ageing contributes far more than oxidative character. ‘It gradually builds complexity, texture and depth, while allowing the wine to retain remarkable freshness,’ he says.

Oremus: A tale of old and new

Careful selection of botrytised grapes, slow fermentation, lengthy ageing in small Hungarian-oak barrels in a 13th-century cellar… These are just some of the attributes that make Oremus Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2016 a standout.

Making Tokaji is a process that’s centuries old, but Oremus itself was established in 1993 by Spain’s Álvarez family, of Vega Sicilia fame, in a project aimed at revivifying this historic wine from the renowned Tokaj region after the fall of communism. It has grown into a 100-hectare estate, vinifying traditional grape varieties grown on volcanic soils.

‘This is a really special wine’, says winemaker András Bacsó. ‘We are harvesting both berries and bunches at the same time. The botrytised berries are picked one by one, manually. The bunches, which are almost botrytis-free, are pressed to give us a base juice, which starts its fermentation. In the middle of this transformation the berries are mixed with the fermenting juice in a 6 puttonyos ratio, which means we add 6 buckets (‘puttony’) of Aszú berries to one ‘gönci’ (136-litre barrel) of fermenting juice.’ Hence the name ‘6 puttonyos’.

After pressing, the wine continues fermenting for a couple of weeks. It is then aged for two years in small Hungarian oak barrels. After bottling, the wines are cellared for 4-6 years. It’s a ‘quite traditional’ winemaking style, says Bacsó. ‘But in the background, we are following and guiding every process with modern equipment to make sure that the wine evolves in the right direction.’

A wine like this can only be made when the conditions are right. But when they are, the results reward the patience required.

DWWA 2026: Sweet & fortified Best in Show winners

Greece

Estate Argyros, Vinsanto Late Release, Santorini, Aegean Islands 2005

Best in Show, 98 points
In our 2023 edition of DWWA we were lucky enough to try a younger version (the 2015 vintage) of the historic ‘vino santo’ of Santorini; this year we got the chance to scrutinise a much older version, dating from 2005. It is shockingly good: a magnificent tribute to the wine which, during the C13 to C15 heyday of the Venetian empire, became the prototype of seaborne, oxidative and hugely concentrated sweet wines and thus the forerunners not only of Italy’s modern-day ‘vinsanto’ wines, but also (in later fortified guise) of Madeira. It’s a dark walnut in colour, with powerful but impressively harmonious aromas of fig, date, dried apple, tobacco, walnut and honeyed baklava. The palate is deep and once again packed with dried fruits, but the celebrated acidity of Santorini’s Assyrtico sends its electricity through the wine, and it also has a significant tannic presence (perhaps the result of the wine’s very long ageing), which brings further balance too. There is, finally, an island or volcanic saltiness apparent in the wine to set the seal on its sense of place. Alcohol 13%

Hungary

Oremus, Aszú 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj 2016

Best in Show, 97 points
Our judges always enjoy discriminating between each year's clutch of Tokaji wines, and this year's cohort was better than ever. Little surprise, then, that it resulted in a third appearance for Tokaji in our Best In Show collection, and the first-ever entry for a 6 puttonyos Aszu (the two previous laureates had been an Edes Szamorodni and a 5 putts Aszu). A major point of Tokaji differentiation is between the creamy, silky seductive-reductive styles and those where some oxidative ageing has brought drama and tang. This wine belongs to the latter group, and our judges relished its notes of cooked lemon and baked apple, of linden tea, of autumn leaves, tobacco and honeyed walnuts. The bright acidity, as always, brings an alertness and vim to the wine, and note how flavoury that acidity is: it's the key to the wine's fruited allusions, very hard to pin down – but endlessly refreshing and enjoyable to drink. Alc 10.5%

Portugal

Cockburn's, Quinta Dos Canais, Single Quinta Vintage, Port 2018

Best in Show, 97 points
The 2018 Douro growing season was not an easy one: it was preceded by almost two years of drought, interrupted by a very wet spring (over 120 mm of rain in March alone), then followed by a fierce summer when temperatures regularly exceeded 35°C and in places hit 45°C. It also followed two widely declared Vintages (2016 and 2017), so many producers chose not to declare 2018 as a full Vintage but produced Quinta Vintage wines instead. Its nascent grandeur, however, is apparent in the fact that a Quinta wine from 2018 has won a place in our Best In Show selection for the second year running. This is a broodingly dark wine, opaque black-purple to the rim, with powerful aromas of blackcurrants, kirsch, violets and rosemary. It's very sweet but fruit-packed over a ground base of cocoa and cherry coulis; the port has prolific fine tannins, very low acidity and some cleansing pure-cocoa bitterness for balance. Serious stuff. Alc 20%

Henriques & Henriques, Boal, 30 Year Old, Madeira NV

Best in Show, 97 points
This is the ninth outstanding Madeira to appear in our Best In Show selection, but only the second Bual and the first wine to appear from the ‘Aged 30 Years’ category. It's a commanding wine, with levels of concentration normally only found in Vintage or Frasqueira wines: our judges were hugely impressed with that concentration and verve, with the complexity brought by its rancio notes, by its beautiful dried-fruit and marmalade flavours, and of course by its sweeping and majestic acidity. Pouring the wine into the glass alone will perfume a room. Once in the glass, you'll find a deep walnut wine with perfumes of fruitcake, caramel, prune and thyme. The palate, which seems barely off-dry thanks to the scouring acidity, triggers a cascade of apple, citrus peel, hessian, lavender, root spice and raisin; the finish lasts at least 30 seconds. This is classical Madeira of grand purity. Alc 20%

Kopke, Colheita, Port 1957

Best in Show, 97 points
We’ve welcomed two Colheita wines to our Best In Show selection before, but never one quite as old as what one of our judges called this ‘swoon-worthy’ 1957 (bottled earlier this year). The Colheita style of vintage-dated tawnies usually delivers more individual and characterful profiles than blended tawnies with an indication of age, though the latter have unrivalled finesse, subtlety and soft-fruited grace. This wine is no exception to the characterful rule, with its aromas of ‘treacle, pickled walnuts, soy sauce and dried mushrooms’ and its palate of ‘immense concentration’, packed with raisin, lemon, lime, cinnamon and dried-herb flavours. Whether you buy it to commemorate a seventieth birthday next year or simply to put the colheita style through its paces, there's a huge amount to enjoy in this near-septuagenarian. Alc 20%

Spain

Bodegas Tradicion, VORS 30 Years, Amontillado, Sherry NV

Best in Show, 98 points
This is the sixth VORS sherry to win a place in our Best In Show selection – though in truth VORS wines are so striking, so complex and so powerfully evocative that, once such a wine is entered, opened, smelled and tasted, it's almost impossible to stop it going straight to the top of our quality pyramid. The term signifies Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum – or, as a plainer English alternative, Very Old Rare Sherry; the youngest wine in the solera must have an average age of 30 years, and many of the component elements will be much older than that. It is as much an apothecary essence as it is wine, with its scents of citrus perfume, wax, gentian and orris root, coriander and fenugreek; a tiny sip will detonate orange and lemon zest, coffee, more root spice, bitter almonds and dried sage (and no doubt much else: everyone will find different allusions) to the four corners of your mouth and on out into the universe beyond. After you've swallowed, those phosphorus bursts of flavour continue to glitter like illuminated jewels in the dark. Remarkable wine. Alc 21%

Lustau, Almacenista Antonio Caballero y Sobrinos, Amontillado, Sherry NV

Best in Show, 97 points
Every judge who tasted this arresting and ultra-pure Amontillado commented on its energy and intensity, its silky purity, its spotless and refreshing cleanliness and its astonishing length and persistence. After that, though, the notes and allusions each judge picked out differed significantly, underlining the resource and wealth which lies waiting inside this bottle. Prunes, chocolate and Darjeeling tea for one; seaweed, savoury notes and umami for another; orange peel and salted caramel for a third. The wine's ‘downy texture’ attracted attention – though so too did its ‘firm grip’. An ‘ever-unfolding journey’ concluded one of our panel judges, summarising the appeal of this long-aged, long-treasured and ceaselessly allusive sherry. Alc 21.5%

Valdespino, Ynocente, Fino, Sherry NV

Best in Show, 97 points
This, only the second Fino to win its way through to our Best In Show selection, is (like the first laureate back in 2017) an older or Pasado style of Fino. You'll see this instantly in its deep golden colour, and smell it, too, in the broad, complex, savoury-coastal tang of its aromas. Yes, there is yeasty flor present, but there is much else too: seaweed and marsh plants, balsam, dried lemon peel, coffee and (according to one judge) ship's varnish. ‘The palate is big, bold and earthy,’ wrote that same judge, ‘with layers of beeswax, yogurt, galangal and nuts. Very very long and very satisfying.’ Don't look to this wine for the chilled crispness and freshness of classic young Fino with ample bready flor; instead prepare for a journey into the warm heartland of the style with this statuesque, resonant and gratifyingly challenging aged example. Alc 15%

Hosted by provincial wine body Terra Skåne, it was the culmination of awards ceremonies held throughout the year in 14 territories spanning three continents, plus an online contest incorporating the rest of the world.

From these regional competitions, 195 restaurants and wine bars won Gold Stars in various international categories, and were now eligible to win a global Gold Star at this year’s final in Skåne.

And on 15 June, some 130 representatives from 66 of those 195 venues attended, from as far away as New Zealand, Seychelles, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Mauritius and the Maldives.

Before the ceremony at barbecue eatery Holy Smoke, just outside the village of Arild, the finalists visited Kullabergs Vingård for wine tastings from Terra Skåne estates followed by a traditional Midsummer celebration at Arilds Vingård.

Scroll down for Star Wine List’s 2026 Global Final winners

'A wine list that has soul'

Judging the wine lists, for who would take home global Gold Stars in 10 international categories, were Master Sommelier Stefan Neumann, the Regional Chair for Austria and Switzerland at the Decanter World Wine Awards, along with fellow Master Sommeliers Jonathan Gouveia and Piotr Pietras, plus Doug Frost MS MW, one of only five people to have ever held both the Master Sommelier and Master of Wine qualifications.

‘Judging the world’s best wine lists is very similar to being a food critic at the world’s best restaurant,’ Gouveia said. ‘It’s both extremely humbling and terrifying at the same time.’

Bangkok’s Inddee, a Michelin two-star restaurant that only opened in 2023, won a second global Gold Star in a row for Best Medium-Sized List, after taking the same award at the final in Vienna, Austria last year.

In his acceptance speech, head sommelier Thanakorn ‘Jay’ Bottorff said: ‘I genuinely believe it’s a wine list that actually has soul, and I’m really, really, really happy about it!’

Ferran Centelles, the joint Regional Chair for Spain at the Decanter World Wine Awards, who was one of the judges of the Southeast Asia wine lists, said Bottorff’s list was ‘as beautifully presented as it is well-stocked’.

In the global judging, Neumann compared it to ‘falling down the rabbit hole, but instead of just the Mad Hatter, you’re greeted by Jay and his incredible team, ready to guide you through the world of wine in all its facets and delights’.

Inddee saw off strong competition from 24 other restaurants including The Four Horsemen and Peasant in New York City and Trivet in London. They (and all runners up in this final) won global Silver Stars.

'We take you on a journey with the list'

Besides Trivet, seven other London restaurants were in contention for global Gold Stars, including Trivet’s sister restaurant Labombe, in the Best Newcomer category.

The other six were: Doppo (Long List and Best Italian List), Row on 5 (By-the-Glass List and Sparkling List), Daka Daka (Short List), Newcomer Wines (Best Austrian List), Restaurant St Barts (Sustainability Prize) and Oma (Special Jury Prize).

And the UK capital didn’t come home empty handed. It was Greek-inspired Michelin one-star restaurant Oma, which won a Silver Star as a finalist in the global Best Newcomer last year, that triumphed with a Gold Star this year in the Special Jury Prize for ‘a wine lovers’ place that does something out of the ordinary’.

Oma’s head of wine, Alessandra Tasca, who collected the prize with assistant wine manager Samuel Worsfold, was elated with the win. ‘This is unreal, thank you! We’re very, very happy. We didn’t expect it – we’re here for the vibes!

‘Ours is a list inspired by the Mediterranean sea,’ Tasca explained. ‘We wanted to give a different approach to how we perceive geography in wine.

‘The list is organised in a unique way. We have three sections: one is ‘influence of the sea’, and then we have ‘surrounded by the sea’ and then the ‘further inland’ section.

'So we take you on a journey with the list – it’s like going on a holiday in the Mediterranean.’

Neumann remarked of Oma’s list: ‘When you see great art you just stop and stare. You do the same here, but with the biggest smile on your face and most certainly a good glass of wine in front of you.’

Local yet global

Star Wine List founder Krister Bengtsson said the expertise of top international sommeliers, as well as insight from regional judges and ambassadors, ensured that the awards were both local yet global.

Each independently assess the submitted wine lists in each regional competition and then meet to collectively determine the winners.

Judges sought out unique wine lists that were notable for their theme, selection, style, structure, presentation or price, said Bengtsson, not simply because they had a cellar full of blue-chip Bordeaux or Burgundy.

He said this ensured under-the-radar venues or those with specialised or quirky lists had the same chance to shine as more prominent restaurants in larger cities.

Bengtsson launched Star Wine List in Stockholm in 2017 as an international guide for wine lovers to find great wine bars and restaurants, wherever they happened to be in the world.

More than 3,500 wine lists from 45 countries are represented in the guide – available as an app and at starwinelist.com. Venues cannot pay to be featured; all bars and restaurants are selected purely on the quality of their wine programmes by the Star Wine List team as well as sommeliers and regional ambassadors (local wine professionals).

The Star Wine List of the Year Awards and its global tour started in 2018.

Gold Stars – Star Wine List’s 2026 Global Final winners

• Best Long List (more than 600 references): Le Coureur des Bois, Beloeil, Québec, Canada
• Best Medium-sized List (200-600 references): Inddee, Bangkok, Thailand
• Best Short List (fewer than 200 listings): Vintage, Kontich, Belgium
• Best By-the-Glass List: Sticks & Stones Wine Bar, Munich, Germany
• Best Sparkling Wine List: Minne Champagne & Wine, Helsinki, Finland
• Best Newcomer List: Café Vivant, Menlo Park, California, USA
• Sustainability Prize (for sustainable commitment of both the wine list and broader venue): Restaurant Ark, Copenhagen, Denmark
• Best Austrian Wine List: Hotel Jagdhof, Röhrnbach, Germany
• Best Italian Wine List: Acquerello, San Francisco, California, USA
• Special Jury Prize (a wine lovers’ place that does something out of the ordinary): Oma, London, UK

To read more about the Gold Star winners and all the Silver Star runners up in each category, click here.

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From the Andes and the Alps to an island in the Adriatic, and with classic estates and DOCGs on the rise, the list included wines made from well known grape varieties and newcomers to note. All are ripe for discovery. Here is a taste.

Frankland River: Western Australia, but not as you know it

Located in Western Australia’s Great Southern region, Frankland River can’t be called ‘new’. Its potential for winemaking greatness was spotted a full decade before that of its better-known neighbour Margaret River, and the first contemporary vineyard here was planted in 1967.

The red-wine focus is on Shiraz, and Ferngrove The Orchid Collection, Dragon Shiraz 2023 shows what the variety is capable of here: it’s the first Western Australian wine from outside Margaret River to win a Best in Show.

Like Margaret River, Frankland is a cool-climate region. ‘We have warm days and very cool nights’, explains Ferngrove winemaker Craig Grafton. ‘This allows our grapes to ripen slowly and develop complex full flavours while retaining a fresh natural acidity.’

Something that sets Frankland River apart is its focus on single-vineyard wines – like this one, sourced what Grafton describes as ‘our best Shiraz block, Block 11’ – part of the original planting when the vineyard was established in 1998.

‘Frankland River is quietly establishing itself among the world’s most compelling cool-climate landscapes’, Grafton believes. Here’s why: ‘While climate, elevation and the influence of the Southern and Indian Oceans shape our vineyards, it is the ancient, low-fertility soils that define our wines. These soils naturally limit yields and produce smaller berries with concentrated flavour. The result is wines of purity, balance and structure that express the character of Frankland River.’

Move over, Margaret. Frankland has arrived.

An Adriatic star on the rise

One of the most exciting wines to be awarded a Best in Show this year was from Croatia. Marijan Plaža Plavac 2021 is made from vineyards perched high on a steep slope on the rocky island of Hvar in the Adriatic, off Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. The wine is a personal passion, a family pursuit and a massive success story, all rolled into one.

Owner and winemaker Tonči Marijan is from Hvar. After a long career in the wine and spirits business, he returned home in his forties with a plan. ‘I came back to Pitve, a small village of about 70 people where I was born 58 years ago. My goal was to create a boutique winery that would produce the absolute best that this island can offer, especially from Plavac Mali,’ he says. Four years ago, his younger daughter Franka joined the business, which he describes as ‘one of the happiest moments of my career’.

The vineyards’ slopes can reach inclines of 60 degrees (Marijan describes them as the island’s ‘grand cru’ positions) and the grape variety has a story of its own. ‘Plavac Mali is closely related to Zinfandel, brought to the USA from Dalmatia during the great crisis when phylloxera devastated European and Dalmatian vineyards,’ he says. ‘This crisis forced many people to seek their fortune in the New World – including my own great-grandfather, who was driven by hunger to send three of his daughters to Argentina.’

Marijan believes Plavac Mali has ‘enormous potential for producing world-class wines’. Judges noted the enormous strides that Croatian wine culture has made. It’s a sentiment that Marijan echoes.

Switzerland: Europe’s ‘secret’ fine-wine nation

Valais. If you’re Swiss, you’ll know it. But if the name of Switzerland’s largest wine region doesn’t ring a bell, you’re not alone. Only about 2 per cent of the country’s wine is exported, making Swiss wine one of the world’s best-kept secrets.

This year’s single Swiss Best in Show, Domaines Rouvinet, Coeur de Domaines 2023, is from Valais. Véronique Besson-Rouvinet is CEO responsible for oenology, quality and sustainability for this family enterprise established in 1945.

Enumerating the region’s attributes, she says: ‘Valais is the sunniest, driest region in Switzerland. Sheltered by the Alps, we benefit from the Föhn effect, a warm wind that blows from the end of summer onwards.’ Then there’s the terrain. ‘It is very steep and the slopes face due south. The soils are poor and stony, and [proximity to] the Rhône regulates the temperature.’

Add to that grape varieties little known outside the region. The winning wine is a blend of 40 per cent each Syrah and Cornalin, the remainder Humagne Rouge – the latter two indigenous Swiss grapes, from vines that are 20-35 years old. ‘By studying the terroir, we have identified the variety and cultivation methods best suited to each site,’ Besson-Rouvinet explains. ‘The grapes are set aside for the single-varietal cuvée of each planted variety, but a small proportion is selected for the Coeur de Domaines. These are the finest grapes from the heart of our estates.’

If quality – as well as individuality and rarity value – rate highly on your list, put Swiss wines right at the top.

Barbera takes a bow

In Italy’s Piedmont, Barolo and Barbaresco (both made from the Nebbiolo grape) have long captured all the limelight. Now another ‘B’-grape – Barbera – is having its moment: for the first time this year, a Barbera has been awarded a Best in Show.

Coppo, Pomorosso, Nizza, Piedmont 2022 comes from the relatively young Nizza ‘super-Barbera’ DOCG, a restricted area of Monferrato around the town of Nizza in Asti. Previously a subzone of Barbera d’Asti, it was established with the 2014 vintage and denotes a 100% varietal.

Pomorosso, named after an apple tree that grows near the vineyards, was first made in 1984 and is Coppo’s flagship Barbera. CEO Rossano Savoia says: ‘Our winery was founded in 1892, and we’ve always produced Barbera wines. This variety is part of our DNA. But the ideas and intuitions that led to premium Barbera wines like Pomorosso date back to the 1980s.’ The region-wide project led by producers here to elevate the quality and reputation of the Barbera grape has been decades in the making, and is now bearing fruit.

Savoia believes that the creation of the Nizza DOCG has given producers ‘the opportunity to develop a vision – a project to create an appellation capable of positioning itself at the pinnacle of the Barbera variety. The most important part of this project is having identified and defined the area with the greatest quality potential.’ Of its future Savoia believes, ‘It is true that in the Langhe the future will see Nebbiolo as the protagonist; in Monferrato it will undoubtedly be Barbera’.

Nizza Barbera. If it’s not a designation you already know, make note.

Best in Show: The red wines of 2026

Bergerie Du Capucin, Dame Jeanne, Pic Saint Loup, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
This is the third time Pic St Loup has featured in our Best in Show selection out of a total of six Languedoc appearances, underscoring the potential of the pure limestones and ever-changing orientations of this eastern Languedoc zone. ‘The Pic’ is also a little cooler and a little moister than other Languedoc appellations, meaning that it is one of the spots in this vast region where Syrah still feels comfortable and at ease. All of this was evident to our judges as they tasted this “supremely classy wine” with its 70% Syrah component, entirely aged (for an unhurried two years) in concrete. Everyone fell in love with its herbal, floral nose, and applauded the fact that there was no oak to get in the way; the “resolutely pure and unadulterated fruit” on the palate brought great pleasure too – “totally open and pure-hearted” – and the “silky but persistent tannins” were much admired. It’s not a wine you need to wait for, and anyone who might doubt the refreshment potential of a great Languedoc red should take a look at this Pic performance. Alcohol 14%

Capezzana, Trefiano, Carmignano Rosso Riserva, Tuscany, Italy 2021
Best in Show, 97 points
Our second Tuscan Best in Show wine this year is, like the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a debutant in dry red-wine form within the Top 50 selection. It’s a wine from the small but deeply historical DOCG of Carmignano, a zone first acclaimed by Cosimo III de’ Medici in the early C18, and revived in 1975 as the first DOC to sanction use of Cabernet Sauvignon in its blend (though Cabernet is limited to just 10 per cent in this wine, with a further 10 per cent of the softening Canaiolo; Sangiovese accounts for the wine’s core). This Riserva from 2021 is dark black-red in colour, with splendidly ripe aromas of dimpled black plums, sage leaf and woodland undergrowth. It’s full and expansive in the mouth with a rich, succulent tannic frame, sweeping yet fruit-saturated acidity and a long and reverberatively savoury finish: one of the most generous of this year’s Top 50 reds, yet without sacrificing the nerve and nuance that seems to be a birthright of fine Tuscan red wines. Alc 14.5%

Château de Marsannay, En Orveaux, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru, Burgundy, France 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
This is the second Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru we’ve found for our Best in Show selection. The previous wine (a Malconsorts `19, featured in DWWA 2021) came from the Nuits-St Georges end of this lustrous village, whereas this wine -- En Orveaux -- hails from the combe of the same name, up above the Château du Clos du Vougeot at the village’s northern end. Despite lying at the village boundary edge, it’s endowed with all of the plush fruit brushed out with velvety tannins you hope for from this part of the Côte de Nuits. Those fruits are pure, sweet-toned and inviting: black cherry and raspberry, freshened by a little redcurrant. The wine’s tannins are sweetly gratifying and work well with curranty acidity to build structure, profile and allure. It’s accessible and unforbidding now, but our judges felt it would reward extended cellaring too. Alc 13.7%

Château L'Enclos, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
There’s just one Bordeaux in our Best in Show selection this year, but it’s a cracker. It’s actually the fourth Pomerol to feature at this level, and comes from the 2023 vintage – when those prepared to work hard keeping mildew at bay over the summer made beautiful wines in soft and comely style for mid-term drinking. Our judges felt this was a “high class” wine whose style combined the innate generosity of this appellation (the world benchmark for Merlot) with considerable finesse and restraint, perhaps due to its relatively elevated percentage of Cabernet Franc -- and there’s even a dash of Malbec in here, too. It’s an opaque black-red in colour at this stage with cherry and blueberry fruits, shimmering with a classical cedary sheen. The tannins are prominent, tender and savoury, and there is ample fruit-bonded acidity to give the wine lift and grace; the finish is dry and appetising rather than sweet and cloying. Needless to say, it’ll age beautifully over the medium term. Alc 13.5%

Clos du Val, Yettalil, Stags Leap District, California, United States 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
This is the fourth time a Stag’s Leap District wine has been elevated to Best in Show, and the second time that we’ve seen a Bordeaux blend rather than a wine that would qualify as a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc from this remarkable nested AVA within Napa. Our judges loved it: ‘powerful and persuasive’ said one; others found it ‘long, poised and eloquent’ and a wine of ‘notable finesse’. It’s a saturated and opaque black-red in colour and aromatically articulate as well as intricate: behind the cascade of blackcurrant and blackberry you might find lavender, herbs, black pepper and eucalyptus, while the palate is packed out, beyond its powerful fruits, with graphite, earth, soft leather and liquorice root. The wine is a masterclass in tannin handling: fine suede on the tongue. Its acidity is a quiet undertow, giving the palate ample flow and swirl. This concentrated and authoritative Napa blend perfectly illustrates the virtues of a milder-than-usual vintage for the valley; it will age effortlessly for a decade or two. Alc 14.6%

Condado De Haza, Reserva, Ribera del Duero, Spain 2021
Best in Show, 97 points
Ribera del Duero makes it into our Best in Show selection for the third time in a row this year, and the second time as a red wine. This is, in colour terms, the deepest of all our Top 50 reds: midnight black and opaque almost to the rim. Aromatically, it’s an arrow bound for the bullseye, without any exaggeration of oak or flamboyant overripeness of fruit: pure, sumptuous, inviting, sweetly refined and packed with brooding fruits. On the palate, too, it is soft and sensual, tender and teasing, ample yet harmonious – and almost a meal in itself in terms of its breadth and dimensions. There’s plenty of sustaining high-altitude acidity to keep the wine brisk, while the tannins have an energy and an edge to them too – which is just what those ample black fruits need. It lingers on the tongue, and the finish hints at savoury developments to come. If, that is, you can keep your hands off it for now... Alc 14.5%

Coppo, Pomorosso, Nizza, Piedmont, Italy 2022
Best in Show, 97 points
We’ve never welcomed a Barbera to our Best in Show selection before – and pow! Here it is. Fittingly it’s a Nizza wine, this DOCG having come into being in 2014 to showcase a Barbera-only subzone formerly included in DOCG Barbera d’Asti Superiore and centred around the town of Nizza Monferrato. It’s not a shy wine, and it left our judges excited: powerful black fruits with orange and blueberry scents layered into spicy, creamy oak. On the palate it’s rich, deep and heady, with more orange and black fruit partnered with voluptuous tannins from both skins and oak. It has all the athleticism of the variety -- but if you’re one of those who have found Barbera’s acidity to be almost too aggressive and attacking in the past, this wine may reassure; it’s balanced and vivacious here, thanks to the overall richness and wealth of the whole. Alc 15.5%

Dalrymple Vineyards, Single Site Pinot Noir​, Pipers River, Tasmania, Australia 2024
Best in Show, 97 points
Tasmania’s fifth appearance in our Best in Show selection is also its third Pinot Noir in as many years; two additional whites (a Riesling and a Chardonnay) were featured back in the 2017 and 2019 DWWA editions respectively. This wine is relatively deep in colour, with ample soft red fruit aromatic sweetness (cherries and strawberries); there are rose-petal floral notes, too, as well as cedar and graphite notes from fine-coopered oak. The 2024 vintage was mild and settled, with a generous ripening window, and the harmony and limpidity of flavour that comes from a season of that sort are much in evidence here. The Tasmanian difference, perhaps, is evident in a tightening towards the end of the palate as some sour cherry acidity creeps in to bring the flavour sweep towards a focused finish. A Pinot of style and verve. Alc 13.5%

Deep Woods, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
No Australian region has been more successful than Margaret River in our Best in Show selection since its inception in 2015: this is the eleventh wine from this coastal region of Western Australia to fight its way into the Top 50, and the fifth Cabernet. All the Margaret River hallmarks of poise, complexity, refinement and balance are evident in what one judge called this “fluid and seamless wine”; drinkers can look forward to “loads of development to come” here. It’s dark black-red in colour, with blackcurrant and blackberry fruits lent fragrance by dried herb complexities. The palate is concentrated, with significant fruit intensity in ‘essence-of-Cabernet’ style. You’ll find the fruit teasing, poised and mouthwatering, yet the wine is gratifyingly reserved and restrained in terms of its expressive articulation. The light drape of tannins adds gastronomic force and aids drinkability and digestibility, while the acids are attractively subdued rather than edgy and sharp. All the classicism of a great Cabernet site is evident in this aesthetically well-judged wine. Alc 14%

Delas Frères, Seigneur De Maugiron, Côte Rotie, Rhône, France 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
Eleven Best in Show appearances for the Rhône Valley but never a Côte Rôtie… until this year. It’s a wine from the 2023 vintage – a very good one in Côte Rôtie, since the deluge of rain that affected other parts of the Northern Rhône in mid-September spared this northernmost appellation almost entirely, and the slow start to the summer accelerated gratifyingly during an August when the terraces genuinely roasted. We don’t, as we taste, know the precise vineyard sources for this wine, but in style it seems more Brune than Blonde: dark in colour, with splendidly smoky, tapenade-like aromas (some found undergrowth and stone) rather than pronounced floral lift, while the palate is poised, lively and vivacious but underscored by ample backbone and tension, too. Look out for the salty finish behind the fruits and the attractively forthright tannins. It’s both classic and generous and would make a good prospect for ageing – though there’s nothing overly forbidding for those who would like to start sooner. Alc 13%

Delas Frères, Les Bessards, Hermitage, Rhône, France 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
This grand wine, like its Côte Rôtie peer, marks a welcome debut for Hermitage in our Best in Show collection, and it, too, comes from the attractive though accessible 2023 vintage. No one was in any doubt, from the moment it was tasted, that it was anything other than outstanding; it expresses the essence of what drinkers love about Northern Rhône Syrah from this magnificent and rangy hillside site. It’s an opaque black-red at present and profoundly aromatic, with a charge of lifted smoky-fresh Syrah currants as well as beguiling peony floral freshness, a black-olive tang and some exotic incense spice from fine quality oak (perfectly judged and unobtrusive). On the palate, the wine is quick on its feet and nimbly energetic; the fruits are almost explosive, dripping with curranty freshness as well as alive and alluring with notes of ham stock, smoked bacon and the treasures of the kitchen hearth. It’s complete and almost mesmerising, with poised but relatively restrained tannic support; acidity and fruit, indeed, are the main structural drivers here, but the ripeness and aromatic wealth buried in both ensure that there is both balance and resonance in the glass. Grand wine indeed. Alc 14%

Domaine Evenstad, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Burgundy, France 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
It’s been a great year for Bourgogne in this year’s DWWA, with five wines in the Best in Show selection; this, the first ever Clos de Vougeot in the Top 50, crowned the region’s achievement. The fact that the 50.6 ha of this vineyard is shared by over 80 proprietors swings a spotlight onto the exact position of the holdings of each, from powerful and age-worthy wines coming from vines high up around the historic Château to gentler wines made from low-lying vineyards next to the D974. Our judges, of course, knew nothing about the exact locational origin of the contributory vines as they tasted – but all were impressed by the wine’s powerful and complex aromatics (the red and black fruits one might expect, but also brine, heather and rosemary). Its “tension and mineral richness” as well as its length, elegance and sappy finish, too, lived up to the expectations provoked by this historic name. It’s a Grand Cru of significant energy, yet its soft, giving tannins and juicy acidity will make it approachable very soon. Alc 14%

Domaine Serene, Aspect, Dundee Hills, Oregon, United States 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
Every one of our past three Oregon Best in Show entrants (in the 2016, 2020 and 2023 editions of DWWA) has been a Pinot Noir from the Dundee Hills. So too is the fourth, from our competition this year. Two of our judges spotted the “textbook Dundee Hills aromatics of cherry cola and sassafras” (in the words of one; the second judge also found diagnostic cherry cola) – though these aromas might also be described as alluring dark fruits which meld with intricate, fragrant oak in a nose of inviting fine-wine finesse. The palate is supple, pleated and finely gathered, and the strawberry and other berry fruits have a cured-tobacco softness and sandalwood allure. There’s impressive craftsmanship on show here – but outstanding fruit qualities, too; this is a concentrated wine that will continue to evolve and open with time. Alc 14.2%

Domaines Rouvinez, Coeur De Domaines, Valais, Switzerland 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
This is the fifth time that a Swiss wine has made our Best in Show selection – but (perhaps tellingly: the climate is on the move here too) the first time that wine has been red. All five wines have come from Valais. This is a blend of two typically obscure but significant Swiss specialities, the ancient Alpine varieties Cornalin and Humagne Rouge, blended with a little mountain-loving Syrah. There’s nothing in its dark, opaque black-purple colour that would suggest a cool climate or the struggle for ripeness, and the compelling aromas, too, are amply ripe though fresh, with notes of black fruit and incense spice (some judges found violets, cranberry and bramble). The palate is dense, vital and shimmering; it’s oaked, but the oak serves the fruits and not vice versa. This marks yet another missive from Europe’s ‘secret’ fine-wine nation, and if you’re one of the many non-Swiss yet to discover exactly what this nation can bring to the wine world, do try to track down a bottle. (Even if you have to save up first.) Alc 13.2%

Ferngrove, The Orchid Collection Dragon Shiraz, Frankland River, Western Australia, Australia 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
There’s a lot more to Western Australia than just Margaret River, as all those who love Australian wines will know – but, until this year, no other region in this vast state has managed to win its way through to Best in Show. Happily, this outstanding Shiraz from Frankland River, one of the star zones in the vast expanse of Great Southern, has come bustling through this year to stake its claim. Our judges applauded the refinement, delicacy, purity and limpidity of this poised Shiraz midweight: floral perfumes suffusing red-fruit charm dominate the aromas, while the palate is “classy, effortless and long”, and sees the fruits modulating towards something just a little bit more savoury, though the full development of these characters will need to wait a year or two longer. It has texture, and acidity is well-judged, balanced and unobtrusive. Poise and refreshment await you. Alc 14.5%

G.D. Vajra, Luigi Baudana Baudana, Barolo, Piedmont, Italy 2022
Best in Show, 97 points
This admirable wine (our fourteenth Best in Show Barolo or Barolo Riserva) offers a serene and commanding reading of the warm 2022 vintage, one without any sense of stress or excessive heat. It’s deep though translucent in colour, with soft, sweet aromas of burnished, autumn-warm red fruits infused with floral charm and lent extra complexity by forest and tea-leaf notes. You just know it’s going to be graceful and deft on the palate, and sure enough it is – but it’s also gathered, serious, taut and aromatically complex right until the final notes have faded. Its tannins are splendid: ample, soft but detaining, lending the wine gastronomic seriousness and finesse. Fine vineyard origins are surely in evidence here, as well as impeccable cellar work – and there’s no hurry to drink, though the wine is approachable already. Alc 15%

Georges Duboeuf, Château Des Capitans, Juliénas, Beaujolais, France 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
This darkly alluring Beaujolais is the fifth from among the region’s ten crus that we’ve welcomed to our Best in Show selection – and the first Juliénas; we’ve formerly applauded two Morgons, a Moulin-à-Vent and a Fleurie. It’s almost an opaque purple-red in colour, brimming with the perfumed ripeness which the magnificent 2023 vintage promised in this vintage. Among the notes our judges found on the nose were blackberry, blueberry and lavender, while the palate is fruit-saturated too (damsons and cherries join the party), with soft tannins, harmoniously juicy acidity and some ripely bitter notes on the finish to bring cleansing refreshment. Juliénas is considered one of the more muscular and powerful of the crus, and this wine lives up to that reputation -- though without ever toppling over into crassness or excess. Alc 14.5%

Icario, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy 2021
Best in Show, 97 points
Tuscany impressed in this year’s DWWA with two wines winning an outing in our Best In Show selection – and the pair includes this impressive wine, our first ever Top 50 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. It’s from the outstanding 2021 vintage, and unquestionably merits comparison with the best wines of Montalcino and of the Chianti Classico zone. A dark, dense black-red, the wine’s aromas are close-knit and brooding, with sour-cherry, wild herb and gentian-root notes. The palate is a surge of energy: iodine, clove, cranberry and more root spice, with svelte, fine-milled tannins and sustained tenor acidity. Just a little bitter-chocolate sweetness creeps in tentatively at the end. Brilliant freshness and style from Southern Tuscany, and this is one of the Top 50 wines this year, which really would be better with a year or two longer in the cellar, such is its density. Alc 14%

Les Coins Perdus Du Midi, Bong Ving, Putaing Cong Grenache-Carignan-Syrah, Maury Sec, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 2025
Best in Show, 97 points
The Maury Sec appellation came into being in 2011, covering the same magnificent Agly Valley sites that have long been used for the dark, sweet and chocolate-friendly fortified wines of the Maury appellation alone. The potential here to make dense and almost shockingly rich dry red wines lent profundity by their mineral charge is enormous, and this is the first wine of this sort that we've seen emerge into the bright sunlight of our Best in Show selection. Our judging panel was hugely impressed: ‘Authentic, traditional terroir-styled wine with great complexity and sense of place’ summarised one. Like our Croatian Plavac Mali, at 15.5% it's not a wine for the faint-hearted and would be best served in the depths of winter, when you need reminding of summer’s solar force. It's dark purple-red in colour, sending a billow of beautiful blackberry fruit up from the glass. The weight in the mouth is splendid, and the wine perfectly illustrates the way in which great tannins can be both flavoury as well as textured. Those blackberry fruits are everywhere, given lift by sappy acidity and without any oak noise to spoil the party; such oak as the wine has had is simply there to tame youthful exuberance, and the longer you spend with the fruit the more you realise that it is packed with herbal and stone complexities, too. A stunning debut for Maury Sec at the highest levels of our competition. Alc 15.5%

Marijan, Plaža Plavac, Hvar, Coastal, Croatia 2021
Best in Show, 97 points
This is only the second Croatian wine ever to make it into our Best in Show selection – and the first, a red-stemmed Refosco, came back in our 2016 competition. Since then, Croatian wine culture has made enormous strides, strides perhaps unmatched by any other European wine nation, so it was gratifying when our judges found this exciting Plavac Mali from the Dalmatian island of Hvar to champion this year. Wines such as this tend to come from heroic viticulture in extreme sites, often on steep slopes of karst limestone facing the glittering Adriatic – so if you’re after fresh, low-alcohol reds, look elsewhere. If you love the lavish, the warm and the exuberant in red wine, though, you’ll find this powerfully opulent wine a revelation: dense blackberry and black cherry fruit with overtones of fig, sage and thyme, lent balance by grandly soft tannins, peppery depths and sustaining though subdued acidity. Perfect to keep us all going through the winter. Alc 16%

Nicosia, Hýbla Biologico, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Sicily, Italy 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
As things stand (though wine evolution never ends) this is a wine from Sicily’s only existing DOCG zone: Cerasuolo di Vittoria, a zone sited in the southeast of the island, circling inland from the town of Vittoria. It’s a blend of Nero d’Avola with the indigenous Frappato, and is crafted in a light, thirst-slaking style, with a backbone of pretty cherry fruit. This wine sees eight months in larger oak, just to calm the Nero d’Avola a little but without losing the joy of the Frappato. It’s a translucent red in colour, and our judges loved its aromatic blend of strawberry and cherry fruits with herbs, pepper and something a little more savoury and salami-like. On the palate it is bright, fresh and dancing, with brisk acidity but not devoid of tannin either: the finishing grip partners well with the wine’s acidity, and brings a little closing seriousness. Unique and unforgettable. Alc 13.5%

Rutini, Single Vineyard Malbec, Gualtallary, Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
Our 19th Argentinian Best in Show wine is also the sixth to emerge from Gualltallary, making this high-altitude zone with its limestone soils close to Tupungato (in the vast Uco Valley) certainly the most successful geographical Top 50 performer at the highest levels of our competition. Our judges loved the way this wine “expressed the wild nature of Guallta" and was so fresh yet so complete, with its vibrant, intense blackcurrant and blackberry fruits offset by “an intense chalky and austere palate” which didn’t lean too heavily on its oak treatment. It’s dark purple in colour and, after air, becomes alluringly fresh with both flowers and crushed cocoa husks aromatically apparent. On the palate, the wine is concentrated without being stewy or effortful, packed with high-drama fresh fruits which seethe and cascade across the palate in best mountain style. There are relatively prolific, fine-grained tannins to provide ballast, and the acidity is soft and discreet. Alc 14%

San Pedro, 1865 Selected Vineyards Las Lagunas Carmenère, Colchagua, Chile 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
This is our fifteenth Best in Show from Chile, and the fourth Carmenère – giving this ancient variety far more appearances in varietal guise than any Chilean rival (surprisingly, we’re still waiting for the first pure Chilean Cabernet to make the Top 50). It comes from red-wine hotspot Colchagua, and is dark and lustrous in the glass. Our judges considered it a great example of contemporary Chilean Carmenère (this variety, remember, is also widely planted in China, so international comparisons are possible), with floral rose notes to match its fruit and, as one judge put it, “wonderful tension in the palate”. The tannins are discreet, ripe and soft and the wine has poised acidity to carry and freshen the fruit; there are cocoa notes on the long and surprisingly lively finish. Alc 14%

Villa Maria, Ngakirikiri, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand 2021
Best in Show, 97 points
Our fifth Best in Show wine from Hawkes Bay is also our second Gimblett Gravels Bordeaux-style blend to come through at this level, though in this case Cabernet dominates the blend to such an extent that it could legally be sold as a varietal wine. It’s also a fine testament to the quality of the magnificent 2021 vintage in this warm, North Island region. Expect a saturated black-red colour with diagnostic New Zealand pungency of aroma: “rose-buds and mocha” for one taster, and “dark berries, meat, tobacco and boot polish on leather” for another. There’s also a lively plant-sap note which brings added freshness. The palate is dark, dense and meaty yet oozing more sap, too. The tannins are ultra-fine yet taut (leather once again is a good analogy) and the acidity is buoyant; it’s a wine that will hold well, and keep all of its freshness as it does so. Alc 14.5%

From benchmark classics to exciting new discoveries, the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter brings together the people, places and wines shaping the world of fine wine today. It's a chance to taste across regions and styles, speak directly with leading producers and enjoy an unrivalled programme of tastings in one elegant setting.

The full line-up of producers and wines will be available on both Friday and Saturday, giving guests complete flexibility to attend either day.

For those wanting to immerse themselves in everything the Encounter has to offer, a two-day ticket provides the opportunity to taste at your own pace, revisit standout wines and spend more time with the winemakers behind them.

Book tickets to Decanter Fine Wine Encounter 2026 here

Where the world of fine wine comes together

At the heart of Decanter Fine Wine Encounter is the Grand Tasting – an unrivalled opportunity to explore the world's leading wine regions through the bottles and the people behind them.

More than 120 producers from 16 countries will pour a carefully curated selection of their wines, from benchmark classics to exciting new discoveries. Alongside renowned estates from France, Italy and Spain, visitors can explore wines from further afield, including Argentina, Australia, Chile, Hungary, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and beyond.

The 2026 producer line-up includes highlights such as Henri Giraud, Château Beychevelle, Carpineto, Muga, House of Arras, Clos Apalta and Royal Tokaji, with many more prestigious names set to welcome guests across both days.

Grand Tasting ticket holders will also enjoy access to the Decanter World Wine Awards Winners' Table, where a hand-picked selection of 95-point-and-above medal winners from the 2026 competition will be available to taste side by side, offering a chance to discover outstanding wines that are often difficult to find in one place.

The full Grand Tasting line-up will be available on both Friday (3pm-9pm) and Saturday (11am-5.30pm), with single-day and two-day tickets available.

Exclusive Cellar Collection access

For those seeking something truly special, the Cellar Collection returns with three sessions across the two days, offering a rare opportunity to explore flagship wines through multiple vintages.

Twenty-one leading producers will each present three vintages of their most celebrated wine, including mature library releases that are seldom poured outside the winery. It's a unique chance to experience how some of the world's greatest wines evolve over time, while tasting alongside the people who know them best.

With limited capacity for every session, Cellar Collection tickets are among the most sought-after experiences of the event.

Three extraordinary masterclasses

The 2026 masterclass programme brings together three of the world's most celebrated wine estates for expertly guided tastings led by the key figures behind each producer. Taking place on Saturday 7 November, these sessions offer a rare opportunity to taste landmark wines while hearing directly from the people shaping their future.

The day begins with Dom Pérignon, as Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon leads a remarkable tasting spanning five decades. Guests will explore 10 wines dating back to 1983, including several long-aged Plénitude releases that reveal the different stages in the evolution of one of Champagne's most iconic wines.

Next, Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, Head Winemaker at Baron Philippe de Rothschild, presents an in-depth exploration of the Pauillac estate's three celebrated properties: Château Mouton Rothschild, Château d'Armailhac and Château Clerc Milon. Featuring 10 wines across four decades, including mini-verticals of each estate and a rare magnum of Mouton Rothschild 1998.

The final masterclass celebrates Seña, the pioneering Chilean wine created through a partnership between Eduardo Chadwick and Robert Mondavi. Led by Alejandra Chadwick, guests will taste eight vintages across three decades, from the inaugural 1998 vintage to the anniversary 2024 release, which will be presented in a public tasting for the very first time.

A seat at the table

Among Decanter Fine Wine Encounter's most exclusive experiences, Winemakers' Lunches offer an unparalleled opportunity to spend an afternoon in the company of some of the wine world's most influential figures.

Held on Friday 6 November, each lunch is limited to just six guests, creating an intimate setting for conversation over a curated menu paired with outstanding wines from the host producer. Available to book independently of Grand Tasting tickets, these lunches offer a chance to hear personal stories, ask questions and gain unique insights that simply aren't possible in a larger tasting.

This year's hosts include:

• Adrianna Catena, Catena Zapata (Mendoza, Argentina)
• Christian Seely, Château Pichon Baron (Bordeaux, France)
• Michel Chapoutier, M. Chapoutier (Rhône, France)
• Lucy Margaux Hill-Smith, Yalumba (Barossa, Australia)
• Numanthia (Toro, Spain)
• Manfred Ing, Querciabella (Tuscany, Italy)

Places for the Winemakers' Lunches will be released soon. A waitlist is now open for those wishing to receive priority access when bookings are released.

Fuel your passion for extraordinary wine

Whether you're visiting for a single day, planning the full two-day experience with Cellar Collection access, or simply looking to join a masterclass or winemakers' lunch, Decanter Fine Wine Encounter offers an unrivalled opportunity to taste, learn and meet the people shaping the world of fine wine.

Related articles

Austria on the up

Two Best in Show medals came from Austrian producers, and both were notable for marking DWWA ‘firsts’.

This year marked the first time that an Austrian Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) from any region claimed a Best in Show award, with the excellent example from Domäne Roland Chan, Wösendorf Alte Reben Smaragd Weissburgunder, Wachau, Niederösterreich 2023.

The other ‘first’ came from Birgit Eichinger’s Ried Lamm 1ötw Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal, Niederösterreich 2024 – the first-ever Best in Show appearance by a wine from Austria’s Kamptal DAC. This outstanding wine is made by a mother-and daughter team, Birgit and Gloria Eichinger.

Gloria sums up their guiding winemaking principle in three short sentences: 'As little as necessary. As consciously as possible. Out of respect for what is there. We want our origin, the Kamptal, to be evident in every sip. Wines from the Kamptal region impress with their elegance and freshness. They are meant to bring joy and moments of pleasure without ever getting boring.'

This is not a wine that could ever be called boring. Judging the wine blind, tasters noted 'magnificently limpid winemaking with raw materials, which must surely come from a fine site or combination of sites'.

Single-vineyard wines

How right the judges were. The Eichingers have a laser focus on single-vineyards. As Gloria explains: 'We have many historic vineyards with a variety of soils, such as slate, gneiss, loess, sandstone… This results in wines that vary greatly in style, flavour and finesse. That’s what makes our wine-growing region so fascinating.'

The 23-hectare Ried Lamm is 'one of the most important vineyards in the Kamptal', she says, with a long history of winemaking, and planted almost exclusively to Grüner Veltliner. There is plenty of geological complexity and Gloria believes that it’s the interplay of calcareous soils resting on loess and sandstone that give this wine its minerality and body.

The significant role of single vineyards was also evident in an Assyrtiko from Greece – Santo Wines, Kontarades, Santorini, Aegean Islands 2024. It’s a wine that is produced exclusively a single vineyard in the Kontarades area of Megalochori on Santorini, which is home to some of the world’s oldest ungrafted vineyards.

Nikos Vargarios, who, along with Konstantina Argyrou, made this outstanding example, says, 'The vineyard is planted on the island’s distinctive volcanic soils, composed primarily of pumice stone and basaltic rocks. The single-vineyard origin allows the authentic expression of this site and its unique characteristics.' The result, he says, 'a clear reflection of Santorini’s exceptional volcanic terroir'.

Terra cotta

Maturing wine in clay vessels is as old as winemaking itself, but its reemergence in contemporary viticulture continues to make headlines, with qvevri, tinajas and amphorae being put to use in cellars around the world, from the Caucasus to California.

Just one amphora-matured wine was among the 50 Best in Show wines this year – this Greek example from Santorini. 'Clay amphorae are far more than archaeological artefacts,' says Vargarios. 'They represent one of the oldest winemaking vessels in history. We chose amphora ageing because it allows us to express both the vineyard and the grape variety without the flavour influence of oak, while still benefiting from some of the advantages associated with barrel maturation.'

The porous nature of these vessels, says Vargarios, 'enables gentle micro-oxygenation, contributing to complexity and texture while preserving the purity of fruit, the pronounced minerality and the freshness that define Santorini Assyrtiko.'

Chenin Blanc: the chameleon grape

Chenin Blanc is known for its ability to express a range of traits depending on where and how it’s grown, and this chameleon character was borne out by the two contrasting styles: the ‘classic’ from the Loire, Château D’Epiré, Clos De Rochepin, Savennières-Roche aux Moines 2022, and its South African counterpart, Stellenbosch Reserve, Hangbrug Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch 2025.

Stellenbosch Reserve was started by Jean Engelbrecht (owner of Rust en Vrede Wine Estate) in 2005, explains commercial director Warren Granat-Mulder. 'It was initially a small batch of a single wine made for friends and the odd restaurant. Over the years, the brand has evolved into what you see today – a winery next door to Rust en Vrede, with its own cellar, vineyards, winemaker and tasting room/restaurant.'

Of this wine, he says: 'We are looking to make a wine that is true to the varietal and the profile one would expect from a Stellenbosch Chenin. It should have texture and elegance, hence the short stint in the barrel, however there is a focus of keeping the wine fruit forward, yet fresh and zesty.' Granat-Mulder believes that, in South Africa, Chenin is 'definitely more respected today than it was even ten years ago', and that 'the trend of Chenin’s premiumisation and consumer appeal will continue in the coming years'.

Rosé: the future is bright for Provence

As was the case in 2025, there was just a single rosé Best in Show this year – Château De L'Aumérade, Marie-Christine, Côtes de Provence Cru Classé, Provence, France 2025. And, as last year, it came from Provence.

'We’re always looking out for new rosé stars, including from sources other than Provence,' the judging panel said before concluding, 'Year after year, though, it’s Provence that most impresses'.

Marie-Christine is the signature cuvée of this 300-hectare estate north of Pierrefeu-du-Var, and part of the family-owned Fabre Domains. A rosé specialist, about 90% of the production is dedicated to this style. Part of what sets this wine apart is its terroir: the grapes come from plots designated cru classé by the INAO in 1955 – a relative rarity (just 18 estates in Provence hold this title).

Classics never become classics without good reason, and the team at Aumérade have a few ideas about Provencal rosé’s continued popularity.

'The reason Provence rosés are so popular may well be down to the region’s heritage, which has historically been dedicated to rosé wines. For a long time, Provence was the only region in France to produce dry rosés. The local climate was ideal for the consumption of wines that are light on the palate. The people of Provence were therefore naturally inclined to drink this type of wine.'

It isn’t just people in Provence who are inclined to drink well-made dry rosé, of course, as this award proves, and Provence’s future continues to look rosé.

Find all winners at awards.decanter.com

DWWA 2026: Best in Show whites & rosé winners

Australia

Brokenwood, ILR Reserve Semillon, Hunter Valley, New South Wales 2019

Best in Show, 97 points
Our eighth Best In Show Hunter Valley Semillon is every bit as classical as its predecessors. Lovers of the style will know that this isn’t a wine to broach early; indeed in most vintages the more time you can give the wine, the more you’ll be rewarded. The DWWA judges once daringly rewarded a two-year-old with Best In Show, but mostly this accolade has been reserved for wines between six and 13 years old; this year’s nine-year post-harvest storage means that it’s just beginning to sing. Look out for a bright silver-green colour, followed by oily scents of tropical and citrus (lemon and lime) fruits and vegetal notes, too – broad beans, parsley and courgette. On the palate, you’ll find a darting and quicksilver wine with the same aromatic repertoire and a light-textured, acid-freshened palate. Its delicacy and flavour purity keep it moving swiftly and cleanly through the mouth. If you’d like a little more improbable toasty richness to be magicked up out of nowhere … just wait. Alcohol 11.5%

Pewsey Vale, Estate Riesling, Eden Valley, South Australia 2025

Best in Show, 97 points
This wine marks another debut appearance in our Best In Show selection – for Eden Valley Riesling, though we’ve featured Eden Valley Shiraz/Syrah here in the past. It’s a young wine and light on its feet (just 11.5%). Riesling here manages, remarkably enough, to deliver full-season fruit complexities at this strength since phenolic ripeness continues, in the High Eden’s skeletal soils, even after sugar ripeness has slowed, including in very warm vintages like that of 2025. It’s an enticingly aromatic wine with a tumble of blossom blowing about an aromatic core of zesty lemon, lime, fresh dessert apple and early season nectarine. On the palate, the wine is bright and tangy with racy apple and rhubarb acidity; it has ample mid-palate wealth and poised texture, then the blossoms come blowing back to lift its brisk, mouth-freshening finish. Its Eden Valley pedigree suggests that this beautifully vinified wine will age well, too. Alc 11.5%

Austria

Birgit Eichinger, Ried Lamm 1ötw Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal, Niederösterreich 2024

Best in Show, 97 points
This is the first-ever Best In Show appearance by a wine from Austria’s Kamptal, and the judges who had a chance to assess this wine were impressed by its texture, layering, complexity and what one judge called its “strength of fruit”. Gruner Veltliner is never a forceful or focused aromatic variety, but the soft melding of apple, yellow plum, wild meadow flowers and gentle crème anglaise notes (all hints, nothing spelt out) makes for a winning aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is richly textured and powerful, tumbling and unfolding over the tongue; it retains an orchard fruit profile while at the same time hinting at something a little more exotic and high-summery. The acidity is soft, tender and drips with fruit intensity. Magnificently limpid winemaking with raw materials which must surely come from a fine site or combination of sites. Alc 13%

Domäne Roland Chan, Wösendorf Alte Reben Smaragd Weissburgunder, Wachau, Niederösterreich 2023

Best in Show, 97 points
This is the second appearance of a Wachau wine in our Best In Show selection, and the first for an Austrian Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) wine from any region. It’s bright gold in colour, with rich, warm aromas in which the fruit notes (apple, pear, melon and peach) are sketched out with the discretion and restraint typical for this variety. On the palate, though, the wine is more Wachau than Weissburgunder, and crafted in ripe, Smaragd style. This word literally means ‘emerald’ and refers to the green lizards which frequent the Wachau terrace walls in high summer; it’s used of wines made from the ripest musts, generally given some bottle age. You’ll find all of that in the plush palate profile with its soft, ample textures and long, clean, well-rounded and comforting finish. For all that, it’s a Smaragd of some delicacy, and very amenable to a wide range of food partnerships. Alc 14%

France

Albert Bichot, Hospices De Beaune Cuvée Docteur Peste, Corton Grand Cru, Burgundy 2024

Best in Show, 97 points
The daunting difficulties of the 2024 vintage in Bourgogne have been described in the notes for our Chablis Grand Cru Best In Show wine, and growers in the Côte de Beaune had no easier time of it than did their Chablis confrères. Here, though, is another example of just how successful careful white-wine makers were in picking their way through all the hazards and bringing healthy, balanced fruit back to the wineries. Corton (the first wine we’ve had in Best In Show with this particular iteration of the name, though Charlemagne variants came through in 2018 and 2024) is always one of the most restrained of all Bourgogne’s white Grands Crus, and in some vintages can remain tight-lipped and mute for years. Not here: this wine is already murmuring its stony-savoury charms on the nose, while the palate is mouthfilling and structured, delicately spicy from its barrel-fermentation, vivid with refined grapefruit citrus yet ultimately light on its feet. As with the Chablis Grand Cru, no need to wait … though cellar years will bring further softening. Alc 12.9%

Château De L'Aumérade, Marie-Christine, Côtes de Provence Cru Classé, Provence 2025

Best in Show, 97 points
The battle for rosé supremacy is always closely fought in both DWWA judging week and gold week; we’re always looking out for new rosé stars, including from sources other than Provence. Year after year, though, it’s Provence that most impresses, whether from the low-lying sandy coastal vineyards or the acid-soiled uplands; indeed it often seems as if the natural vocation of varieties like Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah (the trio in play here) in Provence is truly for pink wine rather than red, for reasons that remain mysterious. This wine, from one of the estates classified as crus classés back in 1955, is exemplary: a pretty petal-pink colour, with a honeyed, peach-and-yellow-plum aroma, vivid freshness combined with creamy textures and admirable herbal restraint on the finish. Drinkability, delicacy and restraint are paramount for rosé, and much more important than concentration, impact or acid balance; this wine conveys its subtle fruits in exactly that way, yet there is still an extra dimension here of focus and delivery that marked the wine out from its peers. Alc 13%

Château D'Epiré, Clos De Rochepin, Savennières-Roche aux Moines, Loire 2022

Best in Show, 97 points
This is the second appearance of a Savennières in our Best In Show selection – and it’s a wine that, for one of our tasters, “could be nothing else”. This magnificent site on the north side of the river Loire, with its warmly exposed banks of schist and rhyolite soils, gives dry Loire whites of unique distinction, both aromatically and on the palate. The aromas evoke lanolin, apple, honeysuckle and meadow herbs, and the palate has (as the same taster put it) “weight without weight”: splendid complexities of interwoven fruit, fruit acidity, lees tenderness and subtle, carefully judged oak. It’s dry and long, yet a mist of honey seems to hover tantalisingly over the whole; once you’ve swallowed, the flavours metamorphose on your tongue into something more evocative of soil and stone than of fruit. It’s powerful yet gracious. You might think, in sipping, that its overall tenderness means that it’s best young – but it will last well, too. Alc 13.5%

Château Vitallis, Pouilly, Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru, Burgundy 2024

Best in Show, 97 points
Like Chablis and the Côte d’Or, the Mâconnais had a tough (and sodden) time of it over the course of the 2024 vintage, but it did have an ace up its sleeve: August here was warmer and sunnier than elsewhere in Burgundy (328 hours of sunshine was significantly above its long-term average), and that put the wines of this sub-region on a firmer foundation than elsewhere. In any case, Pouilly-Fuissé usually delivers some of Bourgogne’s ripest white wines every year. This Premier Cru version (only the second Best In Show appearance for a Pouilly-Fuissé) has assurance and wealth to it, indeed even a little appealing baby fat. There are delicious hazels and peach fruits apparent on the aroma, and the flavours are rich, sapid, vinous and structured, with appetising melon and peach generosity. The vintage adds an undertow of vivacious acidity relatively rare in recent years in Pouilly-Fuissé, too, lending the wine additional poise and drinkability. Alc 13%

Domaine Pinson Frères, Les Clos, Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy 2024

Best in Show, 97 points
It’s a measure of the confusion and chaos brought by climate change that near-catastrophic vintages in weather terms can, in a region like Chablis, deliver wines which often seem more classical today than do those from ‘great’ (i.e. warmer and more generous) vintages. Here’s an example. Nothing was easy in Chablis in 2024, beginning with a colossally wet spring (the town of Chablis flooded twice), continuing with a cool May, June and July, and ending with a largely chilly September. Poor flowering and mildew ravaged yields, as did May hail. And yet, and yet … this Grand Cru Chablis (the fourth we have featured in our Best In Show selection) has an articulacy rare in young Grand Cru wines: look out for apple, blossom, white tea and herbal aromas. There’s more apple and citrus on the palate, and a sense of finesse and layered complexity; its freshness is very classical, yet it doesn’t come at the expense of Grand Cru breadth. Above all, it’s a Grand Cru you won’t have to wait for, though it will see out a decade easily enough. Alc 13%

Jean-Paul Balland, Grande Cuvée, Sancerre, Loire 2023

Best in Show, 97 points
Perhaps surprisingly, this is only the second appearance of a Sancerre wine in our Best In Show selection, and the first since 2017. Welcome back, Sancerre! The vineyards of the Centre Loire had a much more successful 2023 vintage than did their Anjou and Touraine counterparts; indeed August was so dry here that the early September rains were welcomed as a pre-harvest refresher. Our judges loved the smoky-flinty-herbal classicism of this wine’s aromatics: one sniff and you’re there among the Sauvignon vines on the airily exposed limestone vineyards that surround this unforgettable hill town. The wine is both tense and taut, yet at the same time ample and resonant. As with other Best In Show wines from classic white-wine zones this year, the oak has been skilfully employed, bringing complexity and a sense of light and shade to the haunting Loire Sauvignon fruit, qualifying its print of soft spring leaf. Alc 13.5%

Greece

Santo Wines, Kontarades, Santorini, Aegean Islands 2024

Best in Show, 97 points
Our judges love the white, Assyrtico-based wines of Santorini: this year’s brace brings the Cycladic island’s Best In Show total up to eight, while the Santorini mantelpiece boasted no fewer than 11 Regional Trophies under our old 2004-2015 system. This year’s wine comes from the hot, windy, drought-striken 2024 vintage, a year when the island’s total harvest was as low as 750 tonnes. The resilience of Santorini vines (and growers) under these circumstances is remarkable. This is a warmer-than-usual example, and you might find candied lemon skin and Mirabelle plum notes alongside the usual aromatic hints of earth and stone. It is -- of course! -- salty and full on the palate, amply structured, broad and rewarding, with more glycerol and slightly lower acidity than in other vintages. As always, though, the balance comes from deep-rooted vines searching the volcanic ash and tephra soils and seeming to convey their print in flavour, giving this singular wine unique authority and conviction. One sip shows you that this is a world original. Alc 14%

New Zealand

Rapaura Springs, ROHE Sauvignon Blanc, Blind River, Marlborough 2025

Best in Show, 97 points
This is the sixth Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to feature in our Best In Show selection – and of those six, half have carried an Awatere Valley origin, suggesting that this may prove to be one of the finest of Marlborough’s sub-regions. This is a hugely impressive wine. Silver in colour, it has arresting vitality and energy on the nose, but unusual complexity, too: melon, mango, pear, Japanese citrus, resin, thyme and rue were among the notes our judges detected, woven together with great skill and discernment, and with no note dominating or lacking refinement. On the palate it’s excitingly flavoury in all of the ways the aromas sketched out – yet it’s also soft, complex, textured and hauntingly savoury as well as floral and fruity. 2026 was an outstanding DWWA year for New Zealand Sauvignon, and this layered, high-finesse yet at the same time amply drinkable wine had to see off many competitors to win its place in the Top 50. Alc 13%

South Africa

Stellenbosch Reserve, Hangbrug Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch 2025

Best in Show, 97 points
A number of our judges commented on the impressive differentiation of Chenin Blanc wines according to their regional origin in the 2026 DWWA South Africa cohort: the best of all reasons for making the choice of a particular Best In Show wine difficult. This was the bottle that eventually emerged triumphant, admired on multiple fronts. One was the delivery of varietal character with spotless precision, together with splendid brightness and freshness. Its Stellenbosch classicism brought an assured poise as well as charm … with just enough inner austerity to keep the drinker coming back to the glass. The oaking, finally, was much admired here for not obscuring that primary charm - but filling out the mid-palate, adding texture, and providing a faint flavoury undertow of extra richness. There even seemed to be a little salty intrigue to the palate for some judges, enhancing the sense of authenticity and site. Assured work and an encouraging introduction to the exciting South African white-wine scene. Alc 13.5%

Spain

Pazo Señorans, Selección De Añada Albariño, Rías Baixas 2015

Best in Show, 97 points
This is the fifth appearance of a Rias Baixas Albariño in our Best in Show selection, and triumphantly endorses local traditions for long lees ageing followed by bottle age: the wine is now in its eleventh year since the fine 2015 harvest. Our previous winners had been aged for 9, 5, 2 and just 1 year; indeed the popularity of this ‘heroic viticulture’ category means that there is now intense commercial pressure to hurry the wines to market, so classical long-aged alternatives can be hard to find. Pour it into the glass, though, and you’ll be amazed: the colour is still pale gold, while the aromas are fresh though complex: expect notes of nectarine, apricot, honeysuckle and citrus zest. The only clue to the wine’s age is its mushroomy aromatic back-tones. On the palate, age has brought softness and amplitude but the cut-stone acidity has kept its buoyant freshness; the delicacy and charm remain uncompromised while the stony finesse almost seems to emerge more memorably with time. A masterclass in regional tradition. Alc 13%

An international contingent provided plenty of narrative interest. Italy’s Franciacorta is producing stellar examples and in the UK, there is noteworthy local talent too.

Champagne: setting the benchmark

A careful observer will notice similarities in the two Best in Show winners from Champagne.

Both De Saint-Gall, Orpale Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru and Charles Collin, Cuvée Charles Blanc be Blancs are pure Chardonnays, and both were from the 2012 vintage.

Should that come as a surprise? On the first point, Charles Curtis MW, Regional Chair for Champagne, says, 'De Saint-Gall is based in Avize [in the Côte des Blancs], so it’s no surprise they make good Chardonnay. Charles Collin is interesting since they are in the Côte des Bar, which is Pinot Noir country. However, the soils are largely Kimmeridgian; I have always suspected that there was a lot of potential to the Chardonnays from that part of France, particularly in a not-too-hot vintage such as 2012.'

On the second point, the 2012 vintage in Champagne was what many would call ‘challenging’, with a cold wet spring, April frosts and the odd unexpected hailstorm providing plot twists – although Nature eventually smiled on the region at harvest time. 'From the worst to the best' is how Charles Curtis has described it.

Seek out and savour Champagnes from the 2012 vintage while they last.

English sparkling strikes again

Following last year’s Best in Show from Sussex (Sugrue South Downs The Trouble With Dreams 2009), a wine from Kent waved the Union Jack this year: Balfour, Blanc De Blancs 2018.

Head winemaker and director of wine is Fergus Elias, who may just have winemaking in his blood – his father Owen was head winemaker at Chapel Down until 2010 and is considered one of the founding fathers of contemporary English wine. ‘I am extremely fortunate to be one of relatively few second-generation winemakers in the country’, Fergus says.

'I spent much of my youth working in vineyards, wineries and cellar doors, first at Chapel Down and then, after 2010, in various roles across vineyards and wineries in the South East. That said, it was never my plan to become a winemaker. I wanted to join the RAF as a pilot.' A torn ligament playing rugby put paid to his RAF aspirations, but he initially had no plans to follow in his father’s footsteps: 'My early view of winery work was mostly disgorging, labelling and cleaning drains.'

That changed soon after joining Balfour in 2014. 'Within a few weeks I knew I had found both my career and the place where I wanted to build it.' An MSc in Viticulture and Oenology at Plumpton College followed, and by 2019 he was head winemaker.

The Blanc des Blancs is made only in the best years, and so far just three vintages have been released: 2010, 2014 and 2018. It is made from 'the very best Chardonnay fruit and only in vintages where we think the wine genuinely deserves to stand on its own.

Balfour 2018 was bottled en magnum and is a brut nature – but, Fergus says, 'I do not think zero dosage or extra brut is automatically a badge of honour unless that is genuinely where the wine works best.'

He describes the Balfour style as 'fruit-driven, clean and pure', adding, 'One thing we are very keen to avoid at Balfour is simply aping Champagne. We are our own category and we should make wines in our own style'.

A first for Franciacorta

For those after a contemporary success story, look no further than Franciacorta from Lombardy. A relatively new star in the sparkling-wine firmament, its official consorzio was founded in 1990. In 1995, a separate DOCG for sparkling wines was created, making Franciacorta Italy’s first DOCG dedicated solely to metodo classico styles.

Franciacorta has claimed seven Platinum DWWA awards in past years, and 2026 marked its first Best in Show with the impressive Freccianera, Satèn Brut 2022.

The Freccianera range is from the family estate of Fratelli Berlucchi – pioneers of this region and style since the early 1960s, and no strangers to DWWA awards in past years. The zesty, textured palate of this 100 per cent Chardonnay is good enough reason to pop the cork; then there’s the texture, which, as the name ‘satèn’ suggests, has a satin-like mouthfeel, achieved through a lower-than-usual pressure of five bars. This slightly softer style makes satèn styles particularly suited to drinking with food (as opposed to having it as an aperitif), recommends Charles Curtis MW.

The majority of Franciacorta is drunk in Italy – just over 12 per cent is exported – although more bottles are finding their way to other European countries and to the UK. Tasting this wine blind, judges noted its wide appeal. For stylish, top-pedigree sparkling wines, Franciacorta is a name to look out for.

Find all winners at awards.decanter.com

DWWA 2026: Best in Show sparkling winners

Balfour, Blanc De Blancs, Kent, England, United Kingdom 2018 (magnum)

Best in Show, 97 points
For the second year in a row, the sparkling wine which most impressed our GB and Ireland panel was one bottled in magnum. In contrast to last year’s Sussex blend, though, the 2026 laureate was a Blanc de Blancs wine from Kent. It was a much younger wine, too – a 2018 rather than a 2009. A youthful style, then, with a seethe of fine-beaded bubbles and incision to the fore in its sensual profile? Absolutely. But remember what a generous summer the UK enjoyed in 2018. The aromas of this pale sparkler sing: poised lemon cream, sourdough and cut stone tease and linger in the glass. While the palate is bracing, mouth-watering and impactful, that splendid season is evident in its length and resonance. The extra-dry style throws the spotlight on the wine's fruit qualities (orchard fruits as well as lemony citrus) and the quality of its acidity (dominant, taut yet unquestionably ripe – as you can see in the wine's latent aromatics). This is an English wine magnum with a long future ahead if well stored. Alcohol 12%

Charles Collin, Cuvée Charles Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne, France 2012

Best in Show, 97 points
Three Champagnes featured in our Best In Show selection last year, one of which was a Blanc de Blancs. This year we have only two – but both are Blanc de Blancs. That in turn means that all four of our sparkling wines in this year's pantheon are Blanc de Blancs – a testament to the enduring appeal of this fine-boned style. (Lovers of blends, don't despair: you'll find much to enjoy in our Platinum selection. PLEASE CHECK.) Both of this year's Best In Show Champagnes, too, are based on the 2012 vintage, and for a little more on that challenge-to-triumph vintage, see the note for this wine's fellow Champagne laureate. Meanwhile, what's in the glass here? A Champagne that combines controlled generosity with remarkable refinement. It's gratifyingly aromatic: peach, quince, brioche, dried lemon and root botanicals all appeared in our judges' notes. On the palate, it's vibrant and multi-faceted, elegant and refreshing. There's a breadth and carriage to the wine which you won't always find in the Blanc de Blanc style, but it's nimble on its feet and stylistically restrained: an alluring and hugely enjoyable combination. Alc 12%

De Saint-Gall, Orpale Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru, Champagne, France 2012

Best in Show, 97 points
The second of this year's Best In Show Champagne laureates is, like the first, a 2012 wine, so it's worth spending a little time considering this vintage. If you'd arrived in Champagne in late July, it was a glum scene: a cold, wet spring had seen yields slashed by April frosts, wild-card hailstorms and chaotic flowering. June and July remained grumpy; disease pressure was intense. A magnificent August then stepped in to save the day, while September was sunny, bright and airy. Nothing could remedy the low yields, but these late-season conditions meant the fruit ripened fully, over the length of a sustained season (time on the vine is critical for Champagne). All of this plays out in this splendid Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs. Pale yellow in colour, with a fine-beaded mousse, the aromas are complex and plant-infused as well as richly fruited, with hints of mocha and toasted brioche. On the palate, the wine has authentic Grand Cru concentration and length with the balance and resonance that comes from perfect ripeness; there’s a hint of fruit-salt and stone on the finish. Enjoy 2012 while you can. Alc 12.5%

Freccianera, Satèn Brut, Franciacorta, Lombardy, Italy 2022

Best in Show, 97 points
One of modern Italy's most impressive success stories is the Franciacorta wines of Lombardy, produced (since 1961) by fastidiously following traditional-method principles from Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco grapes grown on gravels and glacial-moraine soils. Wines from Franciacorta have achieved seven Platinum medals in the past in our competition; this year's Best In Show appearance perhaps marks a new high point for these always-impressive wines. It's a Blanc de Blancs, pure-Chardonnay example from the fine, warm 2022 vintage. Silver-green in colour, the aromas are pristine, harmonious and gratifying with tenderly ripe orchard fruit and unobtrusive, subtle light-cream freshness. On the palate, the wine is poised, open-pored, tinglingly zesty yet at the same time impressively textured. The apples and quince apparent on the nose haunt the affable, glowing acidity, and there’s a washed-stone freshness to the finish. Wholly successful and with wide appeal, this makes a great introduction to (and benchmark for) the Franciacorta style. Alc 12.5%

Choose Chiroubles

Leader by Amy Wislocki, Decanter magazine editor

I haven’t yet made it to Beaujolais, though I remember a colleague telling me years ago how surprised she was by the beauty of the landscapes.

I have been captivated by the beauty of its wines though, and had great fun tasting through a lineup of them at the launch party for Natasha Hughes’ book on the region (see contents list below).

Coincidentally, my favourite wine at that party happens to be the top-scoring wine in Natasha’s recommendations at the end of her compelling read on Chiroubles. And at a little above £20 a bottle retail, it is a bargain at the price.

Natasha tells the story beautifully of a Beaujolais cru whose wines are delicious, but which is struggling to remain financially viable due to the cost and toil involved in working its vertiginous slopes, the harsh weather that periodically destroys large portions of the crop, and the fact that it’s easier to sell other, better-known Beaujolais crus, such as Fleurie.

I hope that after reading Natasha’s piece, you might be inspired to seek out some Chiroubles and help spread the word!

In my glass this month

I was impressed by the Robert Mondavi, Reserve Fumé Blanc 2023 (£80 Enotria, from September), which contains a dash of Semillon, and uses fruit from the famous To Kalon vineyard.

In tastings held simultaneously in 12 cities around the world – to mark the opening of Mondavi’s new winery – attendees voted the Fumé Blanc ‘Wine of the Day’, with the 60th Anniversary release Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 runner-up.

Inside Decanter magazine's July 2026 issue

In focus

• 20 wines for summer Five tips for summer drinking from Natalie Earl, and Decanter team picks to stock up on
• South American blends Get to know the new and exciting blends coming out of the region with Ines Salpico
• Vintage report: Barolo 2022 Michaela Morris reports on a tricky vintage in Piedmont
• The lure of Italy Lisa Cardelli meets five winemakers who left Australia and New Zealand for a life in Italy
• Chiroubles This top Beaujolais cru is struggling despite the high quality of its wines, says Natasha Hughes MW
• Material benefit Winemakers are increasingly turning to inert vessels such as glass. Joel Hart explores the attraction, and the impact on the wines
• Forgotten France: Côtes du Forez Chris Howard on a little-known corner of the Loire where Gamay rules
• My other passion: Freediving Haysley MacDonald of te Pā Wines takes Marianna Hunt seafood hunting

Spirits

• Distilled Spirits news & cocktails
• Strong minded Carissa Chesanek samples higher-proof tequila blancos

Food & travel

• What to pair with picky bits Neil Ridley preps you for picnic season
• Travel: Western Slovenia wine tour on two wheels Chris Boiling hits the saddle (of an e-bike – it’s hilly!)

Learning

• Books etc Sophie Thorpe recommends Thirst by John Robins
• Wine wisdom Expert advice to help you on your ongoing wine journey

Buying guide

• Introduction
• Editors’ picks Decanter staff share highlights from their recent tastings
• Panel tasting: North Italian Pinot Grigio Pinot Grigios with character, especially the ramato styles: 61 wines tasted, 3 rated Outstanding
• Panel tasting: Vintage Cap Classique South African traditional-method fizz with class, and often great value: 51 wines tasted, 2 rated Outstanding
• Expert’s choice: New Zealand aromatic whites Emma Jenkins MW picks out a varied selection of 18 great buys: Pinot Gris, Riesling and beyond
• Weekday wines Decanter’s tasting team brings you 25 top picks, ready to drink now and priced at £30 or less
• Weekend wines Priced £30-£60, seven standout buys to impress
• DWWA 2026 Success for English wine at DWWA 2026 reflects the upward trajectory of the category

Collecting & investing

• Marketwatch Auction news and new releases
• Bordeaux 2025 en primeur Market reaction

Regulars

• Writing this month Meet four of the authors who contributed to this issue
• News The latest from the wine world
• The brief Ideas and inspiration
• Andrew Jefford’s column
• Katherine Cole’s column
• Guest column Ned Goodwin MW on tasting the last remaining bottle of Romanée-Conti 1899 (lucky guy...)
• The ethical drinker Natalie Earl on how a former British Gas MD helped set up an off-grid winery in Spain
• Decanter Wine Photography Competition 2026 Enter your best wine pics to win some amazing prizes
• Subscribe to Decanter
• On the rack: Sam Neill Lucy Shaw interviews the New Zealand-based Hollywood actor turned winemaker

Rioja Guide 2026

Welcome to Rioja

Leader by Ines Salpico, regional editor for Spain

Here we are again, one year on! Forget about Botox, Ozempic, vitamin B, retinol or hyaluronic acid – if you need an infusion of life-affirming, rejuvenating optimism and grit, book yourself a trip to Rioja.

I wouldn’t blame you if you asked what the point is of tasting 500 or more wines every year – without even knowing what they are. Well, less than the duty of reporting on a year’s worth of new releases, the colossal exercise allows us to reset our focus and energy levels.

We might get tired but we never get bored; tasting for our Rioja report is always fun, interesting and eye-opening.

Every year our sense of wonder is renewed. Wow, these folks are making great wines, working hard, questioning their own assumptions.

The sense of wonder is amplified and coloured by the equally interesting and passionate people we meet. Like 93-year-old Eladio (pictured above), whose joy and mischievous charm certainly made me feel old!

The world is a complex place to be alive in at the moment. But life can be so simple. It just takes passion, companionship and work ethics – characteristics that seem notoriously to be lacking among our current political classes, but can be found in abundance in the people behind each of the wines we tasted for this year’s Rioja report – from producers to winery staff and field workers.

Spending time with them is both a privilege and an inspiration. I invite you to explore our report and the various other features in this guide with this in mind.

In the end, land and people are all that matter. And all that we really have. Salud!

PS: A huge shout-out to photographer Abel Valdenebro, who spent an intense week accompanying me and my co-taster Beth Willard (see p12) on very different, but equally demanding assignments. His sense of humour and endurance might just have surpassed ours. Meanwhile, his talent and sharp eye are on full display on this guide’s pages.

See what's inside our Rioja guide 2026

• Welcome Decanter’s Spain Editor Ines Salpico on the joy that is Rioja
• A talented team A spotlight on four of this year’s contributors
• Four seasons in Rioja There are activities on offer here year round, says Noah Chichester – whether it’s skiing the slopes or spraying red wine around
• Latest release tasting report More than 540 wines were tasted by Ines Salpico and Beth Willard for this year’s report. Read their expert analysis and recommendations across all styles
• On top form Ines picks five standout performers from this year’s tastings
• Busy bees: A day in the life of a bodeguero Ines Salpico tries to keep up with two of the region’s leading winery general managers
• Sweet memories Noah Chichester meets Miguel Martínez, who revived an almost forgotten sweet style of Rioja
• The changing face of classic Rioja Beth Willard shows that the region’s historic names aren’t stuck in the past
• Seven days of Rioja, matched with dishes by José Pizarro The top chef suggests food matches for a week’s worth of affordable Rioja wines
• Stepping up Amaya Cervera on VIR, an exciting collective of small estates, and the groups that inspired them
• Where to stay in Rioja Fintan Kerr has options for every type of traveller

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She will work closely with Decanter's network of correspondents and contributors to deliver authoritative reporting, expert analysis and trusted wine recommendations for Decanter's global audience.

'I am thrilled to be joining Decanter, a brand I have long admired for its rich legacy, trusted expertise and commitment to providing consumers with reliable, timely wine education and buying advice,' said Nigro.

'I look forward to working with Decanter's talented team of editors and correspondents to build on its strong presence across North America, showcasing the diversity of the wine scenes in the US, Canada and Mexico, while bringing the latest developments in the region to Decanter's global audience and introducing even more North American readers to the brand's award-winning content, events and experiences.'

Jonny Sullens, Managing Director of Decanter, added: 'Dana understands both the traditions that make wine journalism valuable and the evolving ways audiences discover and engage with content today.

'North America remains one of the most dynamic and influential wine regions in the world, and Dana's extensive network, reporting experience, and passion for the subject make her exceptionally well positioned to lead Decanter's coverage.'

Jonathan Cristaldi, who served in an ambassadorial role as Acting North America Regional Editor from April until Nigro’s appointment, remains as Decanter’s Napa Valley correspondent, a position he has held since 2021.

Riesling, sustainability… and scuba diving

Nigro spent more than 25 years with Wine Spectator in New York City, where she started as news editor, then became a senior editor for the magazine and the digital managing editor – responsible for the website, social media and apps.

She fell in love with wine while studying magazine journalism in New York’s Finger Lakes wine region, where she took advantage of the excellent wine program at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

As a result, one of her passions is Riesling. Another is sustainability in wine – from the vineyard soil to the winery buildings to the bottles (and boxes).

While reporting on US wine, Nigro reported on major developments, such as the battle to legalize direct shipping up through the US Supreme Court decision in Granholm v Heald, the rise of women in California’s wine industry, and the evolution of West Coast winegrowing from its early sustainability certifications to its movement toward regenerative farming.

Before her wine career, she worked at a fine-dining restaurant, served as a reporter covering local news and the international travel industry, and taught scuba diving.

Nigro can be contacted at teamusa@decanter.com

France led the medal charts once again at the world's largest wine competition and its prestige regions delivered as expected, with Burgundy alone claiming five Best in Show wines from Premier and Grand Cru sites. But one of the most compelling French stories of the year came from much further south, where Languedoc-Roussillon recorded its best-ever Gold tally, 31 in all, alongside two Best in Show wines and three Platinums.

The signature of Pic Saint-Loup

Stand in a vineyard below Pic Saint-Loup, the jagged tooth of limestone that gives this corner of the Languedoc its name and take a moment to crush a sprig of wild thyme between your fingers. That scent, the resinous tangle of thyme, rosemary and sun-baked stone the French call garrigue, hangs in the air, settles in the soil and the region's winemakers will tell you, finds its way into the wine itself.

One of the Languedoc's top-scoring red wines is Bergerie du Capucin's Dame Jeanne, a Syrah-led 2023 from this very appellation, the cool, high ground tucked against the foothills of the Cévennes.

For owner Guilhem Viau, the secret is the weather. 'Our northern location, at the foothills of the Cévennes, creates a unique microclimate,' he says, one of cold winters, wide swings between day and night, and far more rain than the parched coast. The result, he explains, is closer to the Northern Rhône than to the Mediterranean: 'fine, elegant tannins and a touch of natural acidity', with the peppery, violet-scented lift that marks the appellation out. The judges agreed, calling it a 'supremely classy wine' of 'resolutely pure and unadulterated fruit'.

Pic Saint-Loup underlined its growing reputation with a Platinum for Château Lancyre's Grande Cuvée 2022. Here it is the surrounding scrubland that leaves its fingerprint, says the estate's owner Régis Valentin, lending the wine 'those characteristic notes of garrigue, thyme, rosemary, menthol, that are the signature of Pic Saint-Loup'.

Beyond a single appellation

What gives the region's year real weight is that the quality extends well beyond Pic Saint-Loup. The second Best in Show went to Les Coins Perdus Du Midi's playfully named Bong Ving Putaing Cong, a Grenache-Carignan-Syrah blend from Maury Sec, the young dry-red appellation created in 2011 on the dramatic Agly Valley sites long associated with Maury's dark, sweet fortified wines. It was a first for the appellation at this level and, at 15.5%, hardly a shy wine, but the judges found more than power, praising its 'great complexity and sense of place' and calling it 'a stunning debut for Maury Sec at the highest levels of our competition'.

Inland, Terrasses du Larzac, one of the Languedoc's most closely watched young appellations, took a Platinum for Mas de la Séranne's Antonin et Louis 2023. For winemaker Amandine Venture, the high, cool plateau does the work:

The third Platinum came from the broad IGP Pays d'Oc, for Domaine de Castelnau's L'Etendoir des Fées 2023, a pure Syrah the judges praised for its 'sensational tapenade, black pepper and herb aromas' and 'amazing typicity'. Between them, the three wines map the region's range, from a named cru against the Cévennes to a rising plateau appellation to a humble regional IGP, all reaching the same rarefied tier.

A dynamic region

For all its reputation as red-blend country, the region's 2026 results tell a broader story.

Down in the Roussillon, the southern half of the region, William Jonquères d'Oriola took a Top Value Gold for his Villa d'Oriola Chardonnay 2025, a white from a family that has made wine at the Château de Corneilla, by his account, 'from father to son since 1485', some 27 generations. He sees a region remaking itself. 'Today the Roussillon is becoming a very dynamic region for whites,' he says. 'For a long time, we were known for fortified wines and reds.' The key, he believes, is the sea: hot days tempered by a cooling Mediterranean wind that 'brings freshness and a beautiful balance'.

That appetite for the new runs right through the region's results. Among the Gold medallists were a steely Roussanne-Marsanne blend from Minervois and a bright, thyme-flecked Vermentino, proof that the south's whites are catching up fast with its reds. Add the region's leading showing in France's orange-wine medals and unexpected successes with Spanish grapes, including an Albariño and even a sparkling Verdejo, and you have the sound of a region with nothing left to prove on volume, and everything to gain by exploring.

Crush that sprig of thyme again. The garrigue has been here all along. What has changed is the wine being made among it, and a region once measured by the litre is now, finally, being measured by the glass.

DWWA 2026: Top-scoring Languedoc-Roussillon wines

Bergerie du Capucin, Dame Jeanne, Pic Saint-Loup 2023
Best in Show, 97 points
This is the third time Pic St Loup has featured in our Best In Show selection out of a total of six Languedoc appearances, underscoring the potential of the pure limestones and ever-changing orientations of this eastern Languedoc zone. 'The Pic' is also a little cooler and a little moister than other Languedoc appellations, meaning that it is one of the spots in this vast region where Syrah still feels comfortable and at ease. All of this was evident to our judges as they tasted this 'supremely classy wine' with its 70% Syrah component, entirely aged (for an unhurried two years) in concrete. Everyone fell in love with its herbal, floral nose, and applauded the fact that there was no oak to get in the way; the 'resolutely pure and unadulterated fruit' on the palate brought great pleasure too, 'totally open and pure-hearted', and the 'silky but persistent tannins' were much admired. It's not a wine you need to wait for, and anyone who might doubt the refreshment potential of a great Languedoc red should take a look at this Pic performance. Alcohol 14%

Les Coins Perdus Du Midi, Bong Ving Putaing Cong Grenache-Carignan-Syrah, Maury Sec 2025
Best in Show, 97 points
The Maury Sec appellation came into being in 2011, covering the same magnificent Agly Valley sites that have long been used for the dark, sweet and chocolate-friendly fortified wines of the Maury appellation alone. The potential here to make dense and almost shockingly rich dry red wines lent profundity by their mineral charge is enormous, and this is the first wine of this sort that we've seen emerge into the bright sunlight of our Best In Show selection. Our judging panel was hugely impressed: 'Authentic, traditional terroir-styled wine with great complexity and sense of place' summarised one. Like our Croatian Plavac Mali, at 15.5% it's not a wine for the faint-hearted and would be best served in the depths of winter, when you need reminding of summer's solar force. It's dark purple-red in colour, sending a billow of beautiful blackberry fruit up from the glass. The weight in the mouth is splendid, and the wine perfectly illustrates the way in which great tannins can be both flavoury as well as textured. Those blackberry fruits are everywhere, given lift by sappy acidity and without any oak noise to spoil the party; such oak as the wine has had is simply there to tame youthful exuberance, and the longer you spend with the fruit the more you realise that it is packed with herbal and stone complexities, too. A stunning debut for Maury Sec at the highest levels of our competition. Alc 15.5%

Domaine de Castelnau, L'Etendoir des Fées, IGP Pays d'Oc 2023
Platinum, 97 points
Sensational tapenade, black pepper and herb aromas lead the charge, colliding diligently with the blackberry juice intensity that flows liberally through to the finish line. Such amazing typicity, the sort of wine to dive right into. Alc 14.5%

Château Lancyre, Grande Cuvée, Pic Saint-Loup 2022
Platinum, 97 points
Lashings of black forest fruit and aromatic Mediterranean herbs brim under the nose, empowered by a robust structure, complete with pencil-shaving tannins and vibrant acidity. Very long with savoury persistence, carrying a calming persona in tow. Alc 14%

Mas de la Seranne, Antonin et Louis, Terrasses du Larzac 2023
Platinum, 97 points
An enticing tapestry of blackberry, plum, thyme and lavender is sewn effortlessly into the flattering oak structure, sustained by plush texture, velvet tannins and melting acidity. Elegant and composed with a phenomenal garrigue-scented finish. Fabulous. Alc 14.5%

Château Estanilles, Clos du Fou, Faugères 2023
Gold, 96 points
Darkly demure, exhibiting black cherries, violets and wild herbs that gather over the glossy texture and swirl through the pristine acidity. Sweet liquorice varnishes the length. Alc 14.5%

Maison Castel, Séries Limitées chap.vii L'équilibriste, Terrasses du Larzac 2022
Gold, 95 points
Evocative terroir-driven notes of thyme, garrigue, bay leaf and black cherry funnel through the lively mineral vein, clothing the silky tannins and pure acidity. Remarkable. Alc 14.5%

Mas Nicolas, Coingtessence, Faugères 2023
Gold, 95 points
Vivid blueberries, blackcurrants and wild herbs define the nose, whilst woody spice and cured meats furnish the palate. Silky and structured with a delicious length. Alc 14.5%

Domaine de L'Ostal, Grand Vin Blanc, Minervois 2023
Gold, 95 points
Fetching aromas of hazelnut, baked almond and honeyed pear with a soupçon of white flower ardour. Steely and sapid with a savoury Marmite tang to end. Alc 13.5%

Château La Villatade, V, Minervois 2025
Gold, 95 points. Vibrations of fruit salad: peach, nectarine, pear and pineapple with flickers of dried thyme and yellow flowers. Perky and bright with a long, cooling finish. Alc 12.5%

Discover all winners at awards.decanter.com

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The change has been astonishingly quick. In 2005, the UK had fewer than 800 hectares of vines. By 2024, it had more than 4,800 - a rise of over 500% in under two decades. Warmer, longer summers explain part of it. Average temperatures across the main wine regions have risen by roughly 1°C in recent decades, helping grapes ripen where they once struggled.

But the climate is only half the story. Investment has flowed into land and wineries, cellar doors have become weekend destinations, and a new generation of growers has decided England is worth the gamble.

That bet is paying off. At the 23rd edition of the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), the world's largest wine competition, the UK's 2026 results show that a new era has dawned for local winemakers.

While bubbles still lead the way, still wines, new counties and even Welsh vineyards are stepping up onto the podium.

Bubbles still set the pace

For the second year running, the UK's sole Best in Show, the rarest accolade the competition awards, went to a sparkling wine in magnum: Balfour's Blanc de Blancs, Kent 2018, a pure Chardonnay that spent years on its lees before release.

For Balfour's Fergus Elias, the secret is the big bottle itself. A magnum ages more slowly, he explains, which 'helps preserve freshness while allowing the wine to build texture, depth and complexity over time'. The reward is a wine that keeps 'the purity and drive of the fruit, but with more breadth, softness and savoury character'. He puts it more plainly, too: 'I bloody love magnums!’

Still wine stirring

Still wine is stirring too. Tidebrook's Staddle Stone Chardonnay, Sussex 2023, became the first English still Chardonnay ever to achieve a Platinum, scoring a remarkable 97 points.

Behind it is an unusual story. Winemaker Christy Jordan's family spent almost four decades running Jordan Wine Estate in South Africa before turning their attention to Sussex.

Reds are joining the conversation, too. A still Pinot Noir from Higham Vineyard earned Suffolk its first red medal DWWA 2026, a small but telling sign that English ambitions now stretch well beyond fizz.

The map is still being drawn

One of the most exciting headlines from this year’s awards is that England's wine country is spilling well past the traditional areas of Kent, Sussex and Hampshire.

Berkshire, a historic county situated west of London, landed its first-ever Platinum for Winding Wood's Rosé Brut 2022. 'What an accolade for West Berkshire,' says owner Christopher Cooke, who farms a boutique plot where, by his own account, he is 'on first-name terms with my vines'. His point is simple, and increasingly true across the country: 'Small can be beautiful.'

Oxfordshire broke new ground as well, claiming its first Gold for Hundred Hills' Hillside No. 3 2019, another magnum. Winemaker Stephen Duckett credits the land itself, those 'thin, nutrient-deficient chalk soils and cool, dry, maritime microclimate', worked by hand with near-obsessive care. Elsewhere, counties from Rutland to Shropshire appeared on the medal roster for the very first time.

Then there is Wales. Burgeoning and built on a handful of passionate micro-producers, but definitely making its mark. White Castle Vineyard in Monmouthshire took a Silver for its Pinot Noir Précoce 2023. 'Wales, so often overlooked, is emerging as a gem in the UK wine industry,' says owner Robb Merchant MBE, 'proving that something truly special can flourish in areas thought to be challenging.'

Sparkling may have built the UK wine reputation. Now, still wine is broadening it. And from the chalk of Berkshire to the hills of Monmouthshire, the message is the same: do not underestimate what can grow here.

DWWA 2026: Top-scoring UK wines

Balfour, Blanc de Blancs, Kent, England 2018 (in magnum)
Best in Show, 97 points
For the second year in a row, the sparkling wine which most impressed our GB and Ireland panel was one bottled in magnum. In contrast to last year’s Sussex blend, though, the 2026 laureate was a Blanc de Blancs wine from Kent. It was a much younger wine, too – a 2018 rather than a 2009. A youthful style, then, with a seethe of fine-beaded bubbles and incision to the fore in its sensual profile? Absolutely. But remember what a generous summer the UK enjoyed in 2018. The aromas of this pale sparkler sing: poised lemon cream, sourdough and cut stone tease and linger in the glass. While the palate is bracing, mouth-watering and impactful, that splendid season is evident in its length and resonance. The extra-dry style throws the spotlight on the wine’s fruit qualities (orchard fruits as well as lemony citrus) and the quality of its acidity (dominant, taut yet unquestionably ripe -- as you can see in the wine’s latent aromatics). This is an English wine magnum with a long future ahead if well stored. Alcohol 12%

Tidebrook, Staddle Stone Chardonnay, Sussex, England 2023
Platinum, 97 points
An exquisite synchronicity of lush lemon curd and succulent stone fruit underscored by the cool climate tension of chalky minerals. Racy acidity ripples through the sheen of creamy oak complexity and garnishes the long finish. Alc 12.5%

Winding Wood, Rosé Brut, Berkshire, England 2022
Platinum,97 points
Ethereal rose garden and subtle strawberry and red apple aromatics weave into the plush toasted brioche core. Beautifully fresh with a gentle yet persuasive mousse and a long, allusive finish. An allegory of national intent. Alc 12%

Chapel Down, Kit's Coty Coeur de Cuvée Extra Brut, Kent, England 2016
Gold, 96 points
Deliciously evolving aromas of ripe apple, quince, caramel and bread fill out the plump structure and settled mousse, quenched by the tapering lemon tonic acidity. Alc 12%

Hundred Hills, Hillside No. 3, Oxfordshire, England 2019 (in magnum)
Gold, 96 points
Sizzling with energy; comprising vivid citrus, biscuit and chalky mineral elegance that harmonises with the ample texture and plush creamy mousse. Very complete and long. Alc 12%

Wiston, Blanc de Blancs Brut, West Sussex, England 2018
Gold, 96 points
Ebullient tropical fruit and floral aromas thrive over the frothy, mouth-filling bubbles with a subtle acidity finely tuning. Savoury, creamy notes gather at the end. Alc 12%

Bluestone, Premier Reserve Brut, England 2018
Gold, 95 points
Smouldering smoky matchstick characters pair admirably with a fine veneer of lemon tart, brioche and apricot jam. A plush opulence cushions the pervading acidity. Exceptional. Alc 12%

Coolhurst Vineyards, Lady Elizabeth, Sussex, England 2018
Gold, 95 points
An attractive composure of fresh strawberries, raspberries, cherries and red apples allied with sumptuous brioche and savoury saline charm. Weighty and structured with supple mousse. Alc 12%

Gusbourne, Boot Hill Vineyard Chardonnay, Kent, England 2022
Gold, 95 points
Assonant aromas of baked apple, pear and creamy oak sit regally over the luxuriant structure and ease gently towards the deceptively long finish. Perfectly expressed Chardonnay. Alc 13%

Hambledon, Blanc de Blancs Brut, Hampshire, England NV
Gold, 95 points
A paradigm of English character: floral, green cow-parsley and vanilla cream aromas fold into the exuberant lemon-pith mousse and racy acidity. Very long and compelling. Alc 12%

Discover all winners at awards.decanter.com

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Putting the winning photo in context, Martinez explained, ‘During the cleaning of the underground tanks, Pedro (pictured) goes down and cleans the walls and floor of the remains of the previous wine with pressurised water.

‘Once clean, his partner lowers a small bucket with a sponge inside to collect the remains that are left in the lower corner.’

It was the overall winner in the competition, which is part of the World Food Photography Awards (sponsored by Bimi), but two other images also won their respective sub-categories.

Scroll down to find out about Decanter's new photography competition for wine lovers

Australian photographer Chris Elfes won the ‘Places’ sub-category of this year’s Louis Jadot photographer prize.

His image shows a ‘hidden vineyard’ and was taken as harvest teams picked Semillon grapes at historic producer Mount Pleasant Wines, based in Hunter Valley, in the Australian state of New South Wales.

British photographer Luke Carver won the ‘produce’ sub-category this year.

Carver's ‘monochromatic, point-of-view shot’ looks up from inside a traditional kvevri vessel during the 2025 grape harvest in Georgia.

Decanter art editor Patrick Grabham was on the judging panel for the Louis Jadot Wine Photographer of the Year 2026 awards, alongside Louis Jadot MD Thibault Gagey and others.

Upmarket food retailer Fortnum & Mason said it was displaying a selection of images at its flagship Piccadilly shop.

All 2026 finalists can also be viewed online via the World Food Photography Awards website.

Decanter launches photography competition for wine lovers

Wine lovers can also take part in Decanter’s own wine photography competition, which debuted this year. Anyone can take part and the competition is open for entries.

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Twenty-four countries featured among 196 mouthwatering Platinum medals at Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2026, showed full results announced this week.

They represent just 1.18% of all wines tasted, but the proportion of Platinum winners has never been higher – reflecting extraordinary quality at DWWA’s 23rd edition.

As the world’s biggest wine competition with a finely-tuned, rigorous judging process underpinned by leading experts, consumers and producers can take huge confidence in DWWA results.

To reach Platinum, all Gold medal winners must be retasted and discussed by senior experts, including DWWA Co-Chairs and Regional Chairs, during an intense second stage of judging.

High quality in 2026 is matched by a golden age of diversity. This year’s Platinum roster runs from benchmark Bordeaux and Oregon Pinot Noir to Ligurian rosé and Chilean País.

Scroll down to see the full list of Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 Platinum medal winners

Topping the leaderboard: The big four

France

France topped the leaderboard with 42 Platinums, nine more than last year, ahead of Italy with 29, Spain with 27 and Australia with 19.

Bordeaux’s 2022 and 2023 vintages featured strongly, as did white Burgundy and Syrah stronghold Côte-Rôtie. Yet, Languedoc scooped three Platinums, including for a Syrah-Grenache-Mourvèdre blend in rising-star appellation Pic-St-Loup.

Corsica matched its debut in this tier last year and there was a first Platinum for Savoie in eastern France, via a 100% Altesse white wine. ‘A truly exceptional embodiment of the region,’ said DWWA judges.

Loire Valley enjoyed a standout year, including the only ‘Value Platinum’ at DWWA 2026 (under £15-a-bottle) for Anjou Chenin Blanc: Domaine de la Clartière, Terres de Paillé 2024.

Provence showed it isn't just about rosé, winning four Platinums across reds and whites.

Italy

Italy’s 29 Platinums did feature pink wine, in the shape of Lunae, Mea Rosa 2025 from Liguria with 50% Vermentino Nero and 25% each of Ciliegiolo and Merlot.

Several Platinum-winning, signature Italian reds were from the celebrated 2021 vintage, such as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione and UK supermarket Marks & Spencer’s Collection Peironte Barolo.

Northern Italian white wines shone particularly brightly. Eleven Platinums went to either Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (9) or Friuli-Venezia Giulia (2).

Cantina Terlano won several in the former. ‘An inviting almond chiselled palate, furnished with a spritzy lemon zest acidity and a saline bite,’ said judges of the producer’s Vorberg Pinot Bianco, Alto Adige Riserva 2023.

Spain

Spain’s glittering array of top medals at DWWA 2026 included 27 Platinums.

Deliciously well-crafted red Rioja and Ribera del Duero featured alongside ‘gorgeous’, Mencia-fuelled Bierzo and ‘elegant’ Cariñena-Garnacha from Priorat.

Two cellar-worthy reds represented a Platinum debut for Castilla-La-Mancha, including a 100% Petit Verdot with ‘bracing acidity’ and ‘smoky bacon savoury notes’.

Meanwhile, scintillating dry whites ranged from Albariño in coastal Rías Baixas to Bodega Diez Siglos’ ‘1985 Verdejo’, described by judges as a ‘unique and exciting style…reminiscent of a rich Fino’.

Australia

Australia is another perennial top performer at DWWA. Its 19 Platinums in 2026 neatly demonstrate the country’s dynamic, modern winemaking scene.

Coonawarra and Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon sat alongside old-vine Shiraz in McLaren Vale, plus cooler-climate Chardonnays from Adelaide Hills and Victoria; the latter region also saw a debut Platinum for Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir via a ‘unique and world class’ Southern Light Vineyards, Ghostgum Vineyard Pinot Noir 2024.

Huon Hooke, joint Regional Chair for Australia at DWWA 2026, said, ‘Australia is often thought of as a hot country but the quality of 'cool climate' varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wine continues to defy the clichés.’

Super sparkling: From Champagne to Tasmania

Champagne reminded the field of its prowess, taking nine of 16 Platinum medals awarded to sparkling wines.

Winners ranged from from Drappier, Brut Nature Non-Vintage (100% Pinot Noir) to UK supermarket Marks & Spencer’s Delacourt Blanc de Blancs Brut 2017, and Saint-Réol, Brut, Grand Cru Ambonnay 2008 in magnum (1.5l) – from a lauded vintage.

They were joined by three Aussie sparklers, including a first Platinum for the Orange sub-region of New South Wales and two for Tasmania, where producer House of Arras continued a strong run of form at DWWA.

Sparkling Platinums also went to Prosecco DOCG in Italy, Los Carneros in California, Hungary and England, where Berkshire county debuted in this medal tier thanks to Winding Wood, Rosé Brut 2022.

Summer whites showcase

DWWA 2026 Platinum winners offered untold riches to anyone seeking delicious white wines for summer (or other times of year).

New Zealand enjoyed a great competition with eight Platinums overall, spanning whites and reds. It included a UK supermarket label: Tesco Finest* Black Birch Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2025. Produced by Villa Maria in Awatere Valley, Marlborough, judges noted its aromas of passion fruit and ‘mystifying sea spray minerals’.

Both of Switzerland’s Platinum medals also went to white wines, including a 100% Petite Arvine with ‘bounteous complexity’. They were joined by Austrian Grüner Veltliners, which helped fuel Austria’s eight Platinums in 2026.

Three Snapshot Trends

Pinot power

Pinot Noir dazzled in many locations, from Chile to New Zealand. It powered two out of five Platinums for the US. Northern California's Anderson Valley showed why it is so highly regarded by those in-the-know, and Oregon’s Dundee Hills showed its class.

On the white side, Pinot Blanc iterations enjoyed a good year. ‘Oozing class and panache,’ said judges of Germany’s sole Platinum medal: Pfalz: Kranz, Ilbesheim Kalmit Weisser Burgunder 2024.

Mendoza terroir magic

Argentina’s eight Platinum medals all went to Mendoza, where terroir-driven wines are a key aspect of DWWA 2026.

A single-vineyard Malbec won Best in Show, but the Platinum list has a fascinating trilogy of single-vineyard Cabernet Franc produced by Gran Enemigo. ‘Fabulously concentrated with shapely tannins, razor sharp acidity and a savoury nerve,’ said judges of the Gualtallary, Tupungato bottling.

Tannat Tango

Malbec isn’t the only grape to thrive in southwest France and South America. DWWA 2026 saw Platinums for a Tannat-led, Madiran red alongside Bodega Garzón, Petit Clos Tannat 2023 in Uruguay, with ‘lavish blackcurrant, blueberry and plum notes on the palate’.

Local heroes

DWWA offers a treasure trail of local takes on international grape varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon drove two Platinums for China in 2026, for instance, including a debut at this level for Yunnan province.

Chardonnay excelled globally, too, but this year’s competition also featured plenty of local hero varieties. Witness judges’ enthusiasm for a ‘beautiful expression of Prokupac’ from Serbia, or Markus, Pepejuh Plavac Mali 2019, which secured one of five Platinums for Croatia.

In Chile, one of the country’s four Platinums celebrated the ongoing revival of historic variety País. Meanwhile, Georgia’s two Platinums included a 100% Aleksandrouli red with ‘jubilant violet, lilac and crunchy forest fruit’.

It’s unfair to reduce South Africa’s impressive eight Platinums to one wine, but there was notable success for Du Toitskloof, Granite Pinotage 2024, from Swartland.

Old-vine Chenin Blanc from Swartland also made the list. In Stellenbosch, meanwhile, Backsberg’s Patriarch Cabernet Franc scooped a second consecutive Platinum, this time for its 2023 vintage.

Sweet treats

How about a 33-year-old Slovenian Welschsriesling to enjoy with dessert this weekend? ‘Extraordinarily pure for its age,’ said judges of Puklavec Family Wines’ ‘Jeruzalem Ormož Spätlese Edition 2 Welschriesling’ 1993.

While Sauternes and Tuscan Vin Santo saw success, DWWA 2026’s 20 Platinum sweet wines featured many names from central, eastern and southeastern Europe.

Five of Hungary’s eight Platinums were sweet, including Tokaji Aszú ‘5’ and ‘6’ Puttonyos styles. Czech Republic saw its first Platinum since 2020 thanks to a 100% Riesling, and Greece scooped a Platinum via producer Biblia Chora in the foothills of Mount Pangeon.

Austrian sweet wines won four Platinums, with two for Kracher winery; including its Nouvelle Vague ‘Nummer 1’ 2022 red made from 100% Zweigelt.

Across the Atlantic, both of Canada’s Platinum medals at DWWA 2026 went to Icewines produced from Vidal grapes, including Pillitteri Estates Winery, Commendatore Reserve Sparkling Vidal Icewine 2024 from Niagara-on-the-Lake. ‘Superbly sweet and honeyed with a delectable crisp acidity and illuminating lemony pétillance,’ said judges.

Fortified favourites

Morris Wines’ Old Premium Rare Muscat reminded the world why Australia’s Rutherglen is so revered, but Spain and Portugal dominated the fortified Platinums. Bodegas Lustau took all three Platinums awarded to Sherry.

Three Port Platinums included Jáfoste’s 80-year-old White Port. ‘Phenomenally smooth and lustrous with a texture and concentration that must be experienced to be believed,’ said judges.

Portugal also saw success for non-fortified wine, such as a Vinha Vehla-led Grande Reserva red blend.

Full DWWA 2026 Platinum list

DWWA 2026 Platinum Winners

Argentina

• A Corazón Abierto, Gran Corte, Mendoza 2020
• Alta-Yarí, Gran Malbec, Gualtallary, Tupungato, Mendoza 2024
• Gran Enemigo, Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc, El Cepillo, San Carlos, Mendoza 2022
• Gran Enemigo, Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Gualtallary, Tupungato, Mendoza 2022
• Gran Enemigo, Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Los Chacayes, Tunuyán, Mendoza 2022
• La Luz, Gran Callejón Del Crimen Ánfora Malbec, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2025
• Luigi Bosca, De Sangre Malbec, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza 2024
• Trapiche, Terroir Series Laborde Cabernet Sauvignon, La Consulta, San Carlos, Mendoza 2024

Australia

• Brokenwood, Indigo Vineyard Chardonnay, Beechworth, Victoria 2024
• Château Tanunda, 100 Year Old Vines Shiraz, Barossa, South Australia 2022
• Dawson James, Pinot Noir, Tasmania 2024
• E.J. McDougall, Old Vine Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia, 2024
• Hare's Chase, Vigilance Marananga Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia 2022
• House of Arras, Grand Vintage Extra Brut, Tasmania 2009
• House of Cards, The Royals Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2024
• Josef Chromy, Finesse Brut, Tasmania 2019
• Katnook Estate, Prodigy Shiraz, Coonawarra, South Australia 2024
• Monteperle, Vineyard Selection Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia 2024
• Morris Wines, Old Premium Rare Muscat, Rutherglen, Victoria NV
• Oakridge, 864 Winery Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Yarra Valley, Victoria 2024
• Peter Lehmann, Masters Wigan Riesling, Eden Valley, South Australia 2019
• Printhie, Swift Blanc De Blancs Brut, Orange, New South Wales, Australia 2011
• Sidewood, Mappinga Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia 2024
• Sidewood, Owen's Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia 2024
• Southern Light Vineyards, Ghostgum Vineyard Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria 2024
• Suckfizzle, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2023
• Wynns, Wynvale Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, South Australia 2024

Austria

• Angerhof Tschida, Schilfwein Muskat Ottonel, Burgenland 2022
• Angerhof Tschida, Trockenbeerenauslese Ried Domkapitel Sämling 88 Neusiedlersee, Burgenland 2021
• Birgit Eichinger, Ried Heiligenstein 1ötw Riesling, Kamptal Niederösterreich 2024
• Esterházy, St. Georgen Blaufränkisch, Leithaberg, Burgenland 2023
• Gritsch, Ried Singerriedel Grüner Veltliner, Wachau, Niederösterreich 2024
• Kracher, Nouvelle Vague Nummer 1 Zweigelt, Burgenland 2022
• Kracher, Nummer 2 Trockenbeerenauslese Welschriesling Zwischen den Seen, Burgenland 2022
• Weingut Müller, Ried Gottschelle Grüner Veltliner, Kremstal, Niederösterreich 2024

Canada

• Peller Estates, Icewine Vidal, Ontario - Niagara Peninsula 2024
• Pillitteri Estates Winery, Commendatore Reserve Sparkling Icewine Vidal, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario - Niagara Peninsula 2024

Chile

• Baron Philippe De Rothschild, Almaule País, Maule 2025
• Baron Philippe De Rothschild, Escudo Rojo Origine Cabernet Sauvignon Maipó Valley, 2024
• Leyda, Origin Pinot Noir, Leyda Valley, San Antonio 2024
• Vik, Stonevik, Cachapoal 2025

China (mainland)

• Helanhong Winery, Helan Hong Jiangnan Reserva Red, Helan Mountain East, Ningxia 2019
• Shangri-La, Holy Land Cabernet Sauvignon, Deqin, Yunnan 2019

Croatia

• Bastiàn, Marchiori Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2023
• Bruno Ferenac, Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024
• Iločki Podrumi, Izborna Berba Prosušenih Bobica Traminac, Hrvatsko Podunavlje, Continental 2023
• Markus, Pepejuh Plavac Mali, Srednja i Južna Dalmacija, Coastal 2019
• Zure, Elysion, Lumbarda, Coastal 2016

Czech Republic

• Vinarstvi Volarik, Ryzlink Rýnský, Mikulovská, Moravia 2021

France

• Bastide De La Ciselette, Bandol, Provence 2023
• Brimoncourt, Régence Brut, Champagne NV
• Cattier, Blanc De Blancs Brut Premier Cru, Champagne NV
• Château Arricau-Bordes, Madiran, Southwest France 2021
• Château Braude Fellonneau, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux 2023
• Château Cavalier, Grand Blanc, Côtes de Provence, Provence 2025
• Château De La Crée, Les Gravières, Santenay 1er Cru, Burgundy 2023
• Chateau De Malleret, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux 2023
• Château de Rauzan, Augey, Bordeaux 2023
• Château De Rochemorin, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux 2023
• Chateau De Sancerre, Cuvee Du Connétable, Sancerre, Loire 2023
• Château Haut-Bergeron, Sauternes, Bordeaux 2023
• Château Lancyre, Grande Cuvée, Pic Saint Loup, Languedoc-Roussillon 2022
• Delas Frères, Domaine Des Grands Chemins, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône 2023
• Domain Gaget, Côte Du Py, Morgon, Beaujolais 2024
• Domaine Carrel & Senger, L'Eternel De Marestel Essentia 194, Roussette de Savoie Cru Marestel, Savoie NV
• Domaine De Castelnau, L'Etendoir des Fées, IGP Pays d'Oc, Languedoc-Roussillon 2023
• Domaine De Huillé, Éternel Chenin Blanc, Anjou, Loire 2022
• Domaine De La Clartière, Terres De Paillé, Anjou, Loire 2024
• Domaine De La Font Des Pères, Bandol, Provence 2020
• Domaine De Saint-Ser, Cuvée Prestige, Côtes de Provence, Provence 2023
• Domaine Kirrenbourg, Gewurztraminer, Grand Cru Schlossberg, Alsace 2021
• Domaine Louis Lequin Et Fils, Bâtard-Montrachet, Burgundy 2020
• Domaine Orenga de Gaffory, Alzetana, Patrimonio, Corsica 2023
• Domaine Pinson Frères, Mont De Milieu, Chablis 1er Cru, Burgundy 2024
• Drappier, Brut Nature, Champagne NV
• Jacquart, Blanc De Blancs Brut, Champagne 2018
• Jean-Marc Brocard, Vau de Vey, Chablis 1er Cru, Burgundy 2024
• Jean-Paul Picard, Le Pré-Long, Menetou-Salon, Loire 2025
• L'Oratoire des Papes, Les Chorégies, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône 2023
• La Tour Gallus, Gorges, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Gorges, Loire 2019
• Les Vignes De L'Arque, Chant Des Baumes, Duché d'Uzès, Rhône 2023
• Maison Delas Frères, La Landonne, Côte Rotie, Rhône 2023
• Maison Ginestet, Grand Vin, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux 2022
• Marks & Spencer, Delacourt Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne 2017
• Mas De La Seranne, Antonin Et Louis, Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac, Languedoc-Roussillon 2023
• Mouton Cadet, Rive Gauche, Bordeaux 2022
• Philippe Gonet, Ter Blanc De Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV
• Prestige Des Sacres, Cuvée Dynastie Blanc De Blancs Brut, Champagne NV
• Rare, Millésime Brut, Champagne 2012
• Saint Réol, Brut Grand Cru Ambonnay, Champagne 2008
• Vincent Denis, Terres De Soleil Liquoreux, Montlouis-sur-Loire 2023

Georgia

• Tbilvino, Single Vineyard Aleksandrouli Shashiani, Kakheti 2024
• George Kiazo, Qvevri Kisi 2024

Germany

• Kranz, Ilbesheim Kalmit Weisser Burgunder, Grosses Gewächs, Pfalz 2024

Greece

• Biblia Chora, Sole Semillon Gewurztraminer, Pangeon, Macedonia 2019

Hungary

• Antalóczy, Dániel Aszú 5 Puttonyos, Tokaj 2021
• Balassa Bor, Szamorodni, Tokaj 2022
• Balassa, Villő Aszú 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj 2021
• Béres, Aszú 5 Puttonyos, Tokaj 2017
• Füleky, Furmint, Tokaj 2024
• Heumann, La Trinità, Villány, Dél-Pannónia 2019
• Juliet Victor, Aszú 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj 2019
• Kreinbacher, Classic Brut, Wine of Hungary, Generic NV

Italy

• Amandum, Pinot Bianco, Friuli Isonzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2021
• Bersano, Cremosina, Nizza, Piedmont 2023
• Bottega, Il Vino Dei Poeti, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany 2020
• Canneto, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Tuscany 2021
• Cantina Terlano, Nova Domus, Alto Adige Terlano Riserva, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 2023
• Cantina Terlano, Rarity, Alto Adige Terlano, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy 2013
• Cantina Terlano, Terlaner I Primo Grande Cuvée, Alto Adige Terlano, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 2023
• Cantina Terlano, Vorberg Pinot Bianco, Alto Adige Terlano Riserva, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 2023
• Cantina Tramin, Stoan, Alto Adige / Südtirol, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 2024
• Cantina Valle Isarco, Aristos Kerner, Alto Adige Valle Isarco, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 2024
• Capezzana, Riserva, Carmignano Vin Santo, Tuscany 2018
• Cascina Del Colle, Aimè, Abruzzo Pecorino Superiore, Abruzzo 2025
• Castello Del Trebbio, Vigneto Lastricato Terraelectae, Chianti Rùfina Riserva, Tuscany 2021
• Castello di Cacchiano, Millennio Gaiole, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2021
• Corte Sermana, Lugana Riserva, Veneto 2021
• Dosio, Fossati, Barolo, Piedmont 2022
• Fattoria La Vialla, Vin Santo del Chianti Riserva, Tuscany 2018
• Girlan, Curlan Chardonnay Riserva, Alto Adige / Südtirol Riserva, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 2022
• Il Colle 1978, Rive di Rua di Feletto Extra Brut, Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore Rive, Veneto 2024
• Lunae, Mea Rosa, Liguria di Levante, Liguria 2025
• Marks & Spencer, Collection Peironte, Barolo, Piedmont 2021
• Muzic, Villa De Randis Friulano, Collio, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2021
• Padelletti, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Tuscany 2020
• Poggio Il Castellare, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany 2021
• Prackfol, Sandl, Alto Adige / Südtirol Riserva, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 2020
• Tenimenti Grieco, Passo Alle Tremiti Falanghina, Molise 2025
• Terlano, Quarz Sauvignon, Alto Adige Terlano, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 2024
• Vigneti Villabella, Fracastoro, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva, Veneto 2015
• Vinory, Serragrilli, Barbaresco Riserva, Piedmont 2020

New Zealand

• Clos Ostler, EOS Pinot Noir, Waitaki Valley 2022
• Craggy Range, Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough, Wairarapa 2025
• Greystone Wines, Erin's Chardonnay, Waipara, Canterbury 2023
• Greystone Wines, Vineyard Ferment Syrah, Canterbury 2023
• Nevis Bluff, The Holdsworth Pinot Noir, Central Otago 2024
• Palliser Estate, Hua Nui Vineyard Pinot Noir, Martinborough, Wairarapa 2024
• Te Kairanga, Pinot Noir, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand 2024
• Villa Maria, Tesco Finest* Black Birch Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand 2025

Portugal

• Burmester, 20 Year Old Tawny, Port NV
• Casa Manuel Joaquim Caldeira, Quinta Dos Castelares Sublime, Douro 2021
• Jáfoste, 80 Year Old, White, Port NV
• Quinta da Pedra, Eminência Loureiro 2015
• Quinta Da Vacaria, Grande Reserva, Douro 2019
• Vallegre, Vista Alegre, Vintage, Port 2016

Serbia

• Aleksandrovič, Kameničarka Prokupac, Oplenac, Šumadija-Great Morava 2022
• Deurić, La Rem Chardonnay, Fruška Gora, Srem 2023
• Matalj, Kremen Kamen, Negotinska Krajina 2021

Slovenia

• Steras, Refošk, Primorska 2024
• Puklavec Family Wines, Jeruzalem Ormož Spätlese Edition 2 Welschriesling, Štajerska Slovenija, Podravje 1993

South Africa

• Backsberg, Patriarch Cabernet Franc, Stellenbosch 2023
• Boschendal, Auré, Stellenbosch 2022
• Du Toitskloof, Granite Pinotage, Swartland 2024
• Hartenberg Wine Estate, The Mackenzie, Stellenbosch 2022
• Lothian of Elgin, Chardonnay Elgin 2023
• Nederburg, Heritage Heroes the Anchor Man Old Vine Chenin Blanc, Swartland 2024
• Perdeberg Cellar, The Dry Land Collection Joseph's Legacy Shiraz-Grenache-Mourvèdre, Coastal Region 2024
• Steenberg, Merlot, Constantia, Cape Town 2022

Spain

• Abadia Retuerta, Cuvée Palomar, Castilla y Léon 2022
• Altos R Pigeage, Graciano, Rioja 2022
• Arzuaga, Reserva, Ribera del Duero 2022
• Bodega Diez Siglos, 1985 Verdejo, Vino de España NV
• Bodegas Aquitania, Aquitania Albariño, Rías Baixas 2025
• Bodegas De Alberto, Dorado, Rueda NV
• Bodegas Luzón, Por Tí, Jumilla 2022
• Bodegas Olarra, Nucerro, Gran Reserva, Rioja 2020
• Campillo, 57 Selección Especial, Rioja 2019
• Cellers Unió, Vinyes De Poboleda, Priorat 2025
• Cuatro Pasos, Black Mencía, Bierzo 2021
• Dehesa Del Carrizal, Petit Verdot, Castilla-La Mancha 2023
• El Coto, Coto De Imaz, Gran Reserva, Rioja 2020
• Finca Rodma, Gran Rodma, Ribera del Duero 2022
• Lustau, VORS 30 Years Old, Moscatel, Sherry NV
• Lustau, VORS 30 Years Old, Palo Cortado En Rama, Sherry NV
• Lustau, Vors 30 Years Old, Pedro Ximenez, Sherry NV
• Marqués De Cáceres, Gaudium, Reserva, Rioja 2021
• Mas Doix, Doix Costers de Vinyes Velles, Priorat 2023
• Monteabellón, Finca Matambres, Ribera del Duero 2021
• Montepedroso, Enoteca Verdejo, Rueda 2023
• Pago Finca Élez, Las Teselas De Élez,Castilla-La Mancha 2023
• Tobelos, Tahon, Reserva, Rioja 2019
• Valduero, 6 Años Reserva Premium, Reserva, Ribera del Duero 2019
• Viña Salceda, Entresierras, Rioja 2023
• Viña Salceda, Picopalomares, Rioja 2023
• Virtus, Albillo Mayor, Gran Reserva, Ribera del Duero 2020

Switzerland

• Histoire D'enfer, Réserve Vieilles Vignes Petite Arvine, Sierre, Valais 2023
• St. Jodern Kellerei, Visperterminen Heida, Wallis, Valais 2024

United Kingdom

• Tidebrook, Staddle Stone Chardonnay, Sussex, England 2023
• Winding Wood, Rosé Brut, Berkshire, England 2022

United States

• Alexana, Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Oregon 2023
• AvinoDos, Blanc De Blanc Extra Brut, Los Carneros, California 2022
• Brashley, Hacienda Sequoia Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, California 2023
• Clos du Val, Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Yountville, California 2024
• Echolands, Blue Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla Valley, Washington State 2023

Uruguay

• Bodega Garzón, Petit Clos Tannat, Maldonado 2023

Related Articles

Alongside the highly coveted 50 Best in Show wines, which represent just 0.3% of the wines tasted at the competition, the Co-Chairs have finalised the Top Value Golds List – which this year is the biggest in the competition’s history.

What is a Value wine?

DWWA is renowned for its rigorous judging process, with all wines assessed on a regional basis in carefully organised flights by country, region, colour, grape, style, vintage and price point.

The ‘Value’ title is awarded to every winning wine priced under £15 at the time of judging. In 2026, the exceptional quality of the entry pool saw a Value wine claiming 97-points and a Platinum medal – Domaine De La Clartière, Terres De Paillé, Anjou, Loire, France 2024 – an award unanimously agreed upon by the judging panel. This wine sits outside the Top 35 Value Golds list.

At the final stage of judging, the five Co-Chairs select the Top Value Golds of the competition. The list began with 20 wines in 2024 and has now grown to 35 – a reflection of the remarkable quality on show this year. To receive a Value Gold is no small achievement; to be named among the Top 35 is a genuine milestone for any producer.

DWWA Co-Chair, Beth Willard commented: ‘The Value wines are really important in the competition because they reflect the best of the wines available in major retail, supermarkets and independent retailers where most people shop. They offer great varietal or regional identity at an affordable, everyday price – we really work hard to seek these out when we are judging the flights.’

Quality and value from around the world

Spanning 15 countries, the Top 35 Value Gold wines are a testament to the competition’s global scale and the breadth of quality available at every price point.

Spain topped the charts with eight wines making the list, including traditional method sparkling wines and reds from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Joint Regional Chair for Spain, Ferran Centelles, encourages consumers to explore the category and notes ‘The Value wines really rock in Spain!’.

France followed closely with seven wines, among them Crémant d'Alsace, Chardonnay from Burgundy and rosé from Provence.

Further afield, winners hail from Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Croatia and beyond.

DWWA has firmly established itself as the world's largest wine competition, recognising excellence in winemaking at every price point.

Discover the full list of 35 Top Value Golds below, a proof that great quality doesn't require a big budget. See all winners at awards.decanter.com

Argentina

Sophenia, Altosur Malbec, Gualtallary, Tupungato, Mendoza 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Smoky aromas infused with black cherries and berries and a peony freshness…Plush tannins and herbal acidity fold into the stony core. Alcohol 13.5%

Australia

Wirra Wirra, Church Block Grenache-Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia 2024

95 points, Value Gold
Enticing florals, creamy red-and-blue fruits and hints of white pepper bring charm and breadth. Darting acidity, fine tannins and ample purity mark the palate. Alc 14.5%

Austria

Kummer, Zweigelt, Neusiedlersee, Burgenland 2024

95 points, Value Gold
An array of black cherry, damson and dried wildflower notes precede mouthcoating richness. There are supple, ripe tannins and peppy acidity. Long and herbaceous. Alc 12.5%

Laurenz V., Friendly Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal, Niederösterreich 2024

95 points, Value Gold
Graceful linden flower, sweet pea and chamomile tea merge with the peachy, orchard-fruit opulence of the palate alongside zesty acidity and white pepper length. Alc 13.5%

Bulgaria

Bononia Estate, Gomotartzi Dimyat-Vermentino, PGI Danube Plain, Northern Region - Danubian Plain 2024

95 points, Value Gold
Appetising raspberries, strawberries and fresh herbs bumble and babble over the softly spoken palate, with delicate tannins, cleansing acidity and a rasping bell pepper finish. Alc 13%

Croatia

Baćac, Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Animated acacia flower, stone fruit and pinewood aromatics draw you into a chalky mineral core, with bright acidity and a citrus crunch on the finish. Alc 13%

France

Cave De Cruet, Roussette de Savoie, Savoie 2025

95 points, Value Gold
White flower, sweet clover and yellow apple aromas encased in a mineral structure with chalky textures and lemon zest acidity. Well-defined and stylish. Alc 12.%

Cellier Des Dauphins, Réserve, Côtes du Rhône, Rhône 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Exuberant blackberry coulis and juicy raspberry aromas with a peppery, espresso note to follow. Scrumptious crunchy acidity and dense tannins embellish. Long and enduring. Alc 14.5%

Dagobert, Prestige Rosé Brut, Crémant d'Alsace, Alsace NV

95 points, Value Gold
Attractive red berry and floral notes lead the charge with a crisp, wet-stone undertow. Racy and elegant, with delicate foam and mesmerising freshness. Alc 12%

La Petite Perrière, Pinot Noir, Vin de France, Loire 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Inviting red cherry and strawberry fruit backed by chalky mineral notes on the palate. Tangerine-peel acidity refreshment gives way to a long, creamy finish. Alc 12.5%

Prosper Maufoux, Chardonnay, Bourgogne, Burgundy 2024

95 points, Value Gold
Aromas of honeydew melon, guava and golden apple. On the palate, the wine has buttery textures, sustained acidity and spiced-citrus length. Alc 12.5%

Romanin, IGP Alpilles, Provence 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Subtle watermelon fragrance with a teasing lick of strawberry, raspberry and red-cherry fruit on the palate, the whole deftly offset by the wine’s silky, drinkable textures. Alc 13%

Villa D'oriola, Chardonnay, IGP Côtes Catalanes, Languedoc-Roussillon 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Terroir-driven elegance, with a steely linear structure and expressive textural grip, teased open by orchard fruits and finished with saline succulence. Alc 12.5%

Hungary

Kővilla, Syrah, Villány, Dél-Pannónia 2024

95 points, Value Gold
Spicy blackcurrant, smoky blueberry and damson are lent extra complexity with violet florals and a minty zing. Fulsome and firm, concentrated and impressively long. Alc 15.5%

Italy

Citra, Niro, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Abruzzo 2022

95 points, Value Gold
Complex aromatics, ranging from damsons to toasted oak and iodine-like savoury notes. Plenty of heft and vigour here, energised by racy acidity and a ripe fruit finish. Alc 13.5%

Melini, Tesco finest*, Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany 2021

95 points, Value Gold
Capacious red plum, sour cherry and dried floral notes within a finely-tuned structure of smooth tannins; there’s a balsamic edge to the long finish. Alc 13.5 %

New Zealand

Asda, Exceptional Noble Riesling, Canterbury 2017

96 points, Value Gold
A lingering perfume of manuka honey, saffron, ginger and toffee pudding qualifies the fruit aromas, while the long palate is sustained by cleansing acidity. Alc 8.5%

North Macedionia

Marks & Spencer, Found Kratosija, Tikvesh, Povardarje 2024

95 points, Value Gold
Unparalleled fruit definition: crisp red berries infused with billowing florals, bursting with youthful tannins and mouth-watering acidity. Purity with finesse, too. Alc 13%

Portugal

Symington Family Estates, Tesco Finest*, Late Bottled Vintage, Port 2020

96 points, Value Gold
Hugely concentrated and powerful, packed with toffee richness mingled with dried prune, caramel and pecan-nut complexity. Harmonious and smoothly textured.
Alc 20%

Boas Quintas, Morgado de Buceles, Bucelas 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Astonishing drive and energy here, with lime and green-apple notes piled high and beautifully vibrant lemon-peel acidity. The beguiling freshness is still there at the finish. Alc 12.5%

Boas Quintas, Gandarada, Dão 2024

95 points, Value Gold
Striking dark plums and violet florals; undertones of mint, too. Plump and juicy with a core of luminous acidity driving the long finish. Alc 12.5%

Quinta da Raza, Rosé, Vinho Verde, Portugal 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Aromas of fresh cranberry, cherry and strawberry meld with pink-grapefruit acidity and a creamy texture. Long and saline with hints of pomegranate to end. Alc 11.5%

Senhora Malandra, Encruzado, Dão 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Citrus, pear and stone-fruit nose with floral elevation and a lick of spice. The oak-infused texture adds substance while precise acidity provides plenty of cut. Textbook. Alc 13%

Symington Family Estates, Tesco Finest*, 10 Year Old Tawny, Port NV

95 points, Value Gold
Hugely concentrated and powerful, packed with toffee richness mingled with dried prune, caramel and pecan-nut complexity. Harmonious and smoothly textured.
Alc 20%

Romania

Concept, Baricată Fetească Neagră Editie Limitata, Cotnari, Moldova 2022
95 points, Value Gold
Sizzling with blue and red fruit pungency and backed by green-tea umami. Structured and polished with classy oak giving breadth and depth. Alc 12%

South Africa

Spier, Villa Blue Albariño, Stellenbosch 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Ripe red apple and mango with flecks of citrus zest. Broad, creamy and concentrated, offset by vibrant acidity and a lingering saline finish. Alc 13.5%

Spain

Bodegas Alceño, Genio Español Roble Monastrell, Jumilla 2024

95 points, Value Gold
Teeming with plum-and-bramble fruit and Mediterranean herbs on the nose, while there’s cocoa warmth on the palate. Crunchy and firm with herbal notes returning on the finish. Alc 14%

Bodegas Señorio De Valdesneros, Cornitero Tempranillo, Arlanza 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Compelling black cherry, sweet spice and coffee tones with a twist of black pepper. Robust and complex red wine supported by rounded tannins and inky-fresh acidity. Alc 14%

Burgo Viejo, Rioja 2025

Ample red cherry and blackberry fruit dappled with flecks of lavender and violet on a background of vanilla oak to soften. Juicy, mouth-watering and long. Alc 13.5%

Celler Masroig, Solà Fred, Montsant 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Snappy blueberry, plum and black cherry fruit with underlying violet florals and garrigue herbs. Soft and fleshy with melting tannins and quiet but supportive acidity. Alc 16.7%

Jaume Serra, Brut Nature, Guarda, Cava 2022

95 points, Value Gold
Evocative dried petal, resin and nut aromas gently soothe the nose; bright. green apple fruit and lemon foam textures lavish the palate. Long, herbal finish. Alc 11.5%

Pata Negra, Tempranillo Roble, Ribera del Duero 2023

95 points, Value Gold
A weave of clove, mocha, cedar wood, dark chocolate and plum bring complexity to this generously structured Ribera, with polished tannins and bright, energising acidity. Alc 13.5%

Sofía Cañizares, Girò, Alicante 2025

95 points, Value Gold
Perfect summer wine! Cranberries, raspberries, red cherries and redcurrants jostle on the nose and palate, framed by light tannins and sweet, blood-orange acidity. Tantalisingly light. Alc 13%

Tierra De Cubas, Celsum Garnacha, Cariñena 2023

95 points, Value Gold
An intense and brightly defined style with ample, bold blue fruit notes and attractive oaky depths. Fine-grained tannins and zippy acidity propel the moreish length. Alc 14%

United States

Angels & Cowboys, Sonoma County, California 2025

95 points, Top Value Gold
Ample sweet melon, peach and cherry blossom verve on the palate. The texture is plump and juicy and there’s a cut-stone freshness to the finish. Alc 12.5%

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