Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 sees record wins and rising stars across global wine regions

The results of the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) were announced this week, marking the 22nd edition of what is widely regarded as the world’s largest and most influential wine competition. This year’s event saw a record number of first-time wins, rising stars, and strong performances from both established and emerging wine regions. The judging panel included 248 international experts, among them 22 Master Sommeliers and 72 Masters of Wine, the highest number in the competition’s history.

Wines from 57 countries were blind-tasted and evaluated purely on quality. Out of all entries, only 0.30% received the coveted Best in Show medal, with 50 wines earning this top honor. In addition, 137 Platinum and 732 Gold medals were awarded, both figures representing an increase over last year. The overall percentage of wines receiving medals also rose to 82.2%, reflecting a general improvement in quality among submissions.

France led the medal count with 3,220 total awards, including 14 Best in Show, 33 Platinum, and 140 Gold medals. Champagne producers stood out with three Best in Show vintage cuvées. Burgundy achieved two Best in Show awards for appellations that had never before received this recognition. Corsica and Languedoc-Roussillon celebrated their first-ever Platinum and Value Platinum medals respectively, while Jura repeated its Best in Show win for a second consecutive year.

Italy followed with 2,204 medals, highlighted by six Best in Show and 30 Platinum awards. Tuscany led Italian regions with a Best in Show for Tenuta Meraviglia Maestro di Cava Bolgheri Superiore 2020. Piedmont earned two Best in Show and a first-ever Gold for an Erbaluce wine. Southern regions like Sardinia and Sicily also made significant gains, with Sardinia winning four Platinum medals and Sicily securing a Best in Show for Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria 2023.

Spain continued its upward trajectory with 2,025 medals, including five Best in Show and strong showings across fortified, red, white, and sparkling categories. Sherry producers had one of their best years ever, taking two Best in Show awards and multiple Platinum and Golds. Regions such as Ribeira Sacra and Priorat also earned top honors.

Portugal recorded its strongest DWWA performance to date with five Best in Show medals and a total of 554 awards. Fortified wines from the Port region excelled, while Douro table wines also received high recognition.

Greece marked a breakout year with its first-ever Best in Show medals from Peloponnese, Goumenissa, and Epanomi. The country led all others in medal efficiency—measured by medals per vineyard area and production volume—demonstrating exceptional quality relative to its size.

In Central and Eastern Europe, Slovenia won a Best in Show for an orange wine—the first time for this style—while Croatia secured its first Platinum since 2022 for a sweet Muscat. Montenegro earned its first Gold since 2020.

The United Kingdom’s sparkling wines continued to impress judges. For the first time, a magnum of English sparkling wine was awarded Best in Show: Sugrue South Downs, The Trouble With Dreams 2009 from Sussex. Other UK producers also took home Platinum and Gold medals.

In North America, California led U.S. results with two Best in Show awards for Clos du Val among others. Oregon, Washington, Pennsylvania, and Virginia also received top-tier medals. Canada achieved two Platinum awards for Icewines and celebrated Quebec’s first Silver medal.

Australia reaffirmed its global reputation with four Best in Show awards from different regions including Adelaide Hills and Barossa Valley. New Zealand earned a Best in Show for Craggy Range Pinot Noir from Martinborough along with strong results for Chardonnay.

South Africa had a record-breaking year with one Best in Show and its first-ever Gold for Worcester. Argentina doubled its top-tier medal count over last year to reach 46 top awards including two Best in Show from Mendoza’s Gualtallary region. Chile performed consistently well with two Best in Show medals—one for Carmenère from Maipó Valley and another for a Cinsault-País-Carignan blend from Itata.

China reached a milestone by winning two Best in Show awards for red blends from Ningxia’s Helan Mountain region—a first for the country at DWWA. Uzbekistan entered the competition for the first time and won six medals; Denmark also received its inaugural DWWA medal.

Other notable highlights included Armenia’s first Gold since 2022; Austria’s high Gold-to-entry ratio; Germany’s strong showing with Pinot Noirs and Rieslings; Japan’s consistency with eight top-tier medals; Mexico’s second consecutive Gold; Ukraine’s four Golds; and Uruguay’s three Golds.

Style trends at this year’s competition included a rise in orange wines—87 medals were awarded to this category—and continued strength among fortified wines such as Sherry and Port. Non-Champagne traditional method sparkling wines are gaining ground globally as well.

Supermarket wines proved their quality again this year as major UK retailers like Asda, Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, Lidl, and Aldi collected numerous awards—including five Golds for Asda alone.

The DWWA continues to serve as an important benchmark for producers worldwide. A medal can open new markets for wineries large or small—a fact echoed by judges who note that winning at DWWA can be transformative for both established brands and newcomers alike. With more than 18,000 entries judged this year across every major wine-producing region on earth, the results offer consumers an authoritative guide to outstanding bottles at every price point.