European wineries dominate 2025 white wine awards as Wine Pleasures announces top fifty list

Wine Pleasures, a respected organization in the wine industry, announced the results of its “50 Great White Wines of the World 2025” competition on June 17, 2025. The results were published on WinePleasures.com and highlighted the dominance of European producers, with Italy, Portugal, Austria, Spain, and France taking the top spots. The competition is known for its rigorous blind tasting process and is closely watched by wine buyers, importers, distributors, and hospitality professionals worldwide.

The competition evaluates white wines from around the globe, but this year’s results showed a clear preference for European wines. No wines from Australasia, South Africa, or the Americas made it into the top 50. The judging panel consisted of sommeliers, winemakers, wine educators, and other trade experts who scored each wine out of 100 points based on aroma, structure, varietal expression, balance, and finish. Only wines scoring 90 points or higher were included in the final list.

In the No Oak (Dry Whites) category, the highest score went to the 2023 Ca’ Brusade Chardonnay from Freccianera Fratelli Berlucchi in Italy with 98 points. This wine stood out for its purity and varietal clarity. In the Lightly Oaked (3–6 months) category, Casa Relvas Rabo de Ovelha 2024 from Casa Relvas in Portugal received 94 points. The Heavily Oaked (6+ months) category saw three wines tie at 97 points: NV Kaputt White from Van Zeller Wine Collection in Douro, Portugal; Chateau Haut Bertinerie Grand Vin Blanc 2024 from Vignoble Bertinerie in Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux, France; and 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Kranachberg Sonnenhang DAC from Domaines Kilger in Südsteiermark, Austria.

The competition also recognized medium-dry wines with residual sugar between 5 and 18 grams per liter. In this category, Volarik – Ryzlink Rynsky – Terroir Purmice 2023 by Vinarstvi Volarik from South Moravia in Czechia scored 95 points in the no oak group. In the oaked group for medium-dry wines, Volarik – Palava – Terroir U Venuse 2022 achieved a score of 97 points.

Gold medals were awarded to wines scoring 95 points or higher. Silver medals went to those scoring between 90 and 94.9 points. The awards table included only the top-scoring fifty wines entered into the competition.

Among heavily oaked dry whites (over six months oak aging), several Italian and Portuguese producers performed strongly. Notable entries included Cortes do Reguengo Reserva Branco 2023 from Quinta Do Reguengo in Portugal with 96 points and Vernaccia di Oristano DOC Riserva 1968 by Silvio Carta in Italy with another 96 points. Other high scorers included Extempore Sauvignon 2019 by Venica&Venica in Italy and Moss Blanc 2022 by Azienda Santa Barbara in Italy.

France also had a strong showing with Chateau Haut Bertinerie Grand Vin Blanc and Chateau Bertinerie Grande Cuvee Blanc both making the list with scores above 90 points. Austria’s Domaines Kilger was recognized for its Sauvignon Blanc Kranachberg Obere Kapelle Reserve DAC.

The results reflect current consumer trends favoring dry white wines with both unoaked and oaked styles receiving high marks for freshness and varietal character. The absence of New World wines among the winners may be due to lower participation or simply stronger performances by Old World producers this year.

Wine Pleasures’ annual competition is valued for its impartial judging process. All wines are tasted blind to ensure that brand reputation or price does not influence scores. This approach has made the awards a trusted benchmark for quality among professionals who rely on these results when making purchasing decisions.

The announcement of this year’s winners is expected to influence buying patterns across retail and hospitality sectors as importers and distributors look to add these highly rated white wines to their portfolios. The focus on boutique producers also provides an opportunity for lesser-known wineries to gain international recognition through their performance in this respected competition.

As of June 18, wine professionals around the world are reviewing the full list of winners published online and considering how these results will shape their selections for the coming year. The “50 Great White Wines of the World” continues to serve as a key reference point for excellence in white winemaking globally.