Wines of the Year 2021: top-scoring bottles

The results are in! Our experts around the world and the Decanter team nominated the wines that impressed them most in 2021, and they have been retasted blind by our three judges to select the best of the best. Combining classics, offbeat wines and value options, here's the assessment of the tasting and the list of top scorers.

By Tina Gellie

last updated 6 January 2022

in Tastings

wines of the year 2021 — (Image credit: Credit Unknown)

With 40% of entries scoring 95 points or more, this was undoubtedly the most successful Wines of the Year tasting Decanter has ever held.

Our trio of judges, Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW, Matt Walls and Stefan Neumann MS were unanimous in their praise.

‘It was overwhelming to taste so many fantastic wines – it was hit after hit!’ said Walls.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the 27 Wines of the Year 2021 that scored 96 points or above

‘Given the line-up was so diverse, it was notable how much we agreed on our scores,’ commented Cherutti-Kowal. ‘That just shows the sheer quality and class of the wines put forward for this tasting.’

While for Neumann, it was a landmark occasion: ‘This is the first time I’ve ever given 100 points! My average score was probably the highest ever, too.’

To select the wines, Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Chairs, key contributors and staff nominated the three wines that most impressed them during 2021, under the categories of Classic (a premium, textbook wine style), Offbeat (unusual grape, winemaking method, region or unearthed gem) and Value (£25 or under).

While many had sold out, or were unable to be sourced because of low stock or shipping issues, 126 wines arrived at Decanter’s offices to be judged blind over two days.

Neither the category nor price was revealed, so the wines were assessed purely on a quality basis – a fact that our judges appreciated.

Quality above all

‘It should always be about the quality in the glass before price becomes a consideration,’ said Neumann.

Cherutti-Kowal agreed, but also found it ‘fascinating’ that the classic names came through. ‘It’s reassuring that so many of these top wines, which command top prices, justify them. They deserve the accolades – the cream really rose to the top,’ she said.

Before the wines’ identities were revealed to them, the judges each gave a few personal highlights from the two days.

In the reds, it was the three Naoussa Xinomavros that stood out for Walls and Neumann.

‘It’s a style of wine that deserves more recognition,’ said Walls. ‘Complex, food-friendly, and I imagine these will be well priced too.’

Cherutti-Kowal was impressed by the ‘beautifully elegant’ Cabernets and blends from such a broad cross-section of countries. She also singled out Italy’s exceptional performance across both reds and whites and from north to south.

‘The Sangiovese flight was incredible,’ agreed Neumann. ‘So many interpretations and styles, but all a privilege to taste.’

Equally, he was happy to see the less common wine regions and varieties shining through, from China to Azerbaijan.

More Wines of the Year 2021 coverage:

Top-scoring classic wines | Top-scoring offbeat wines | Top-scoring value wines

Impressive wines across the styles

On day two, it was the sparkling wine flight that set the tone for the day, ranging from the ‘truly stunning’ Champagnes to the ‘amazingly different’ Cava.

More whites than reds are usually submitted in the Offbeat category and this year was no different, with a host of ‘idiosyncratic, characterful and fascinating’ examples with strong identities that ‘kept us on our toes’, said Cherutti-Kowal.

‘Hárslevelű, Timorasso and Pinot Bianco are not that well known except by wine geeks like us,’ said Walls, ‘so I was pleased to see them stepping up to the plate and fighting it out with classic varieties like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.’

Elsewhere, Neumann singled out the Assyrtiko for its beautiful ageing potential, while Cherutti-Kowal championed the New World wines. ‘The Chardonnays all showed well and the Chenin Blancs were extraordinary – the producers really showed their talent.’

‘Regardless of where any of these 126 Wines of the Year were from,’ said Neumann, ‘they each showed personality and quality’.

And that wasn’t surprising, noted Walls, when you consider that out of the thousands of wines Decanter’s experts tasted in a year, these were the ones that impressed them most.

‘It goes to show,’ he added, ‘that, just when we think we know the wine world, new and great things bubble up to the surface.’

Dive in and enjoy!

See tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring Wines of the Year 2021:

The list below shows the sparkling, white, red, sweet and fortified wines that all scored 96 points or above.

The judges

Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW

is a wine consultant, judge and writer as well as a WSET educator, and the DWWA 2021 Regional Chair for Veneto.

Stefan Neumann MS is an independent wine consultant, director of wine for Michelin two-star Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, a master sommelier since 2017 and a DWWA judge.

Matt Walls is an awarded wine writer, author and consultant, and the DWWA Regional Chair for the Rhône. His latest book, Wines of the Rhône, was published in January 2021.

Thank you to the following people who contributed their recommendations:

Sarah Ahmed, Jane Anson, Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, Amanda Barnes, Richard Baudains, Laura Bianco, Jim Budd, James Button, Bob Campbell MW, Yohan Castaing, Jeannie Cho Lee MW, Alistair Cooper MW, Peter Csizmadia-Honigh, Charles Curtis MW, Markus Del Monego MW, Michael Denton, Natalie Earl, Sarah Jane Evans MW, Simon Field MW, Aldo Fiordelli, Elizabeth Gabay MW, Michael Garner, Tina Gellie, Rosemary George MW, Caroline Gilby MW, Charlotte Hale, Georgina Hindle, Stephen Hobley, Huon Hooke, Andy Howard MW, Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, Susan Hulme MW, Yiannis Karakasis MW, Justin Knock MW, James Lawther MW, Fiona McDonald, Thierry Meyer, Michela Nassiz, Rupert Owen, Barbara Philip MW, Alessandra Piubello, Anthony Rose, Ronan Sayburn MS, Julie Sheppard, Greg Sherwood MW, Cesar Soler, Sonja van Praag, Matt Walls, Beth Willard, Amy Wislocki, Sylvia Wu

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Tina Gellie has worked for Decanter since 2008 and is the brand's Content Editor as well as Regional Editor for the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. An awarded wine writer and editor, she also 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.

Wines of the Year 2021: top-scoring bottles