Top wines of 2018: Most exciting wines to try

Decanter's top wines of 2018 — (Image credit: Credit Unknown)

Here are the 75 wines that have particularly impressed our staff and contributors in 2018, re-tasted blind by an expert panel. Tina Gellie reports...

75 wines tasted by our expert panel of Oz Clarke, Sarah Jane Evans MW and Tina Gellie

Decanter magazine’s ‘most exciting wines of the year’ list is all about wines that really made an impression for their ability to stand out from the crowd, whether that be through quirkiness or classicism.

This isn’t necessarily where you’ll find the biggest names or highest scorers of 2018, but you will hopefully find new wines to look for and to try.

‘So many different grape varieties, countries and wine styles. This is what our Brave New World of Wine is all about.’ – Oz Clarke

How the wines were chosen

As in the previous two years, we asked Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Chairs, key contributors and Decanter staff to name the wines they have most enjoyed over the past 12 months. Each wine’s ‘champion’ is included at the end of the tasting notes.

Only wines with a UK retail price of £60 and under were considered.

The wines were tasted blind by our expert panel, with only the grape variety and vintage disclosed.

Wines were rated for their complexity, harmony and wow-factor, with value also being taken into consideration.

We particularly wanted to reward wines with real individuality and a great drinking experience.

Scroll down to see Decanter’s top wines of 2018

The results

A remarkable 88% of entries scored an average of 90 points or above, displaying an impressive array of styles, with 17 countries and 37 different grapes represented.

Australia and Spain led in terms of numbers, with France and South Africa close behind. But there were also entries from Greece, Georgia, Hungary, England, Canada and more.

And while classic varieties dominate – Chardonnay was closely followed by Pinot Noir – there were also more unusual grapes such as Grecanico, Hárslevelú, Rkatsiteli and Xinomavro.

Even with a price limit of £60, there are many wines at £25 or under.

Continue reading below

Decanter’s top wines of 2018:

Sorted by style

‘It was a deliciously diverse array of wines – all different, all memorable.’– Sarah Jane Evans MW

Our tasters’ top picks from the tasting:

Oz Clarke

Oz Clarke is an award-winning communicator. His latest book is Red & White (Little Brown, £12.99)

Clarke’s honourable mentions went to the Sherries, a ‘remarkable’ Bierzo, ‘stunning’ South African Cinsault and an ‘astonishing’ Canadian Sauvignon Blanc.

‘But I’m going back to the old world for my favourites: Vassaltis’ brilliant Assyrtiko from Santorini; a Vinho Verde from Soalheiro I’d like to drink all summer, and the crunchy red Corbières from Domaine Le Champ des Murailles – the kind of red I long for in winter.’

Sarah Jane Evans MW

Sarah Jane Evans MW is DWWA co-chair, past chair of the Institute of Masters of Wine and an award-winning writer

For Evans, welcome surprises were from Greece and Georgia, plus the ‘glamorous’ Douro sparkling, ‘and the fact I put a Soave and a Pinot Gris in my top 10’.

She also highlighted the South African Albariño, which she said was ‘convincing, for a Spanish wine lover’, plus Vasse Felix’s Heytesbury Chardonnay – repeating the success of the 2014 vintage in last year’s line-up – plus stand-out Pinot Noirs and Garnachas.

Jane Anson’s top fine wines of 2018

Stephen Brook’s top scoring fine wines of 2018

Top wines of 2018 from Decanter Panel Tastings

Explore More

Tina Gellie has worked for Decanter since 2008 across a number of editorial roles and is currently the brand's Content Director. An awarded wine writer and editor, she won several scholarships on the way to getting her WSET Diploma, and is a freeman of The Worshipful Company of Distillers. She has worked in wine publishing since 2003, including as Deputy Editor and Acting Editor of Wine International. Before her wine career she was a newspaper journalist for broadsheets in London and Australia.

75 wines tasted by our expert panel of Oz Clarke, Sarah Jane Evans MW and Tina Gellie

‘So many different grape varieties, countries and wine styles. This is what our Brave New World of Wine is all about.’ – Oz Clarke

How the wines were chosen

Scroll down to see Decanter’s top wines of 2018

The results

Continue reading below

Decanter’s top wines of 2018:

‘It was a deliciously diverse array of wines – all different, all memorable.’– Sarah Jane Evans MW

Our tasters’ top picks from the tasting:

Oz Clarke

Sarah Jane Evans MW

You might also like:

Jane Anson’s top fine wines of 2018

Stephen Brook’s top scoring fine wines of 2018

Top wines of 2018 from Decanter Panel Tastings

Gusbourne Estate, Blanc de Blancs, Kent, England, United Kingdom, 2013

Vértice, Pinot Noir, Douro Valley, Portugal, 2007

House of Arras, Grand Vintage Brut, Tasmania, Australia, 2007

Ferrari, Perlé Zero Cuvée Zero 11, Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy, 2011

Nyetimber, Classic Cuvee Brut, West Sussex, England, United Kingdom

Guillaume Sergent, Les Pres Dieu Premier Cru Extra Brut, Champagne, France

Brokenwood, Indigo Vineyard Chardonnay, Beechworth, Victoria, Australia, 2016

DeMorgenzon, Reserve Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2017

Vassaltis, Assyrtiko, Santorini, Aegean Islands, Greece, 2016

Ata Rangi, Lismore Pinot Gris, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand, 2017

Bosman Family Vineyards, Fides Grenache Blanc, Wellington, South Africa, 2016

Okanagan Crush Pad, Haywire Free Form Sauvignon Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2016

Vasse Felix, Heytesbury Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia, 2016

Errazuriz, Las Pizarras Chardonnay, Aconcagua Valley, Chile, 2015

Gini, Contrada di Salvarenza Vecchie Vigne, Soave, Classico, Veneto, Italy, 2014

Kikelet, Kassai Single-Vineyard Hárslevelű, Tokaj, Hungary, 2015

Kusuda, Riesling, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand, 2015

Newton Johnson, Albariño, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay, South Africa, 2015

Orgo, Qvevri Rkatsiteli, Kakheti, Georgia, 2016

Santa Maria La Nave, Millesumare Bianco, Sicily, Italy, 2016

Quinta de Soalheiro, Primeiras Vinhas Alvarinho, Monção e Melgaço, Vinho Verde, Portugal, 2017

Bründlmayer, Terrassen Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2016

Arnot-Roberts, Trout Gulch Vineyard Chardonnay, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, 2016

Domaine William Fèvre, Chablis, 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre, Burgundy, France, 2016

Sandhi, Rita’s Crown Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, Sta Rita Hills, California, USA, 2014

Vita Vinea, Kisi Amber Dry, Kakheti, Georgia, 2016

Knewitz, Riesling Trocken, Rheinhessen, Germany, 2017

Dal Zotto, Arneis, King Valley, Victoria, Australia, 2016

Mas Champart, Pays d'Oc, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2013

Azores Wine Company, Arinto dos Açores, Pico, Azores, Portugal, 2016

Tetramythos, Roditis Nature, Patras, Peloponnese, Greece, 2017

Aldinger, Marienglas Untertürkheimer Gips Spätburgunder, Grosses Gewächs, Württemberg, Germany, 2014

Domaine de la Bégude, Rosé, Bandol, Provence, France, 2017

Domaine Skouras, Peplo, Peloponnese, Greece, 2017

Roda, I Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2011

Comando G, Uvas Felices El Hombre Bala, Madrid, Spain, 2015

Lukas van Loggerenberg, Geronimo, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2016

David Franz, Grenache Noir, Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia, 2016

Raúl Pérez, Ultreia, Bierzo, Spain, 2015

Blank Canvas, Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2015

Cristom Vineyards, Mt Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA, 2015

Frederick Stevenson, Dry Red, Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia, 2016

Riccitelli, The Party Malbec, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina, 2017

Thymiopoulos, Jeunes Vignes de Xinomavro, Naoussa, Macedonia, Greece, 2016

Viñedos de Alcohuaz, Tococo Syrah, Elqui Valley, Chile, 2015

Burn Cottage, Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand, 2015

Cara Sur, Tinto, Calingasta Valley, San Juan, Argentina, 2017

Domaine l'Aiguelière, Côte Rousse, Montpeyroux, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2015

Stéphane Ogier, Réserve, Côte-Rôtie, Rhône, France, 2012

Hickinbotham, Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia, 2016

Le Due Terre, Sacrisassi Rosso, Friuli, Colli Orientali, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, 2015

Saurwein, Nom Pinot Noir, Western Cape, South Africa, 2016

Château Potensac, Médoc, Bordeaux, France, 2016

Château Valcombe, Cinq Puits, Ventoux, Rhône, France, 2015

Chiara Condello, Le Lucciole, Romagna, Sangiovese Predappio, Emilia Romagna, Italy, 2015

Gabriëlskloof, The Landscape Series Cabernet Franc, Bot River, Walker Bay, South Africa, 2016

Campo Alla Sughera, Arnione, Bolgheri, Superiore, Tuscany, Italy, 2013

David & Nadia, Grenache, Swartland, South Africa, 2015

Joseph Phelps, Freestone Vineyards Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast, California, USA, 2014

Meyer-Näkel, Dernauer Pfarrwingert Spätburgunder, Grosses Gewächs, Ahr, Germany, 2015

Bruno Rocca, Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2015

Kanonkop, Paul Sauer, Simonsberg, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2015

Hamilton Russell, Ashbourne Pinotage, Hemel-en-Aarde, Walker Bay, South Africa, 2015

Château Gombaude-Guillot, Pom'N'Roll, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, 2015

Le Macioche, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2012