Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 reveals Top 50 wines from record global field

The Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 have announced the winners of their prestigious Best in Show medals, highlighting the top 50 wines from a field of more than 18,000 entries. The results were revealed yesterday in London, following a rigorous judging process that involved 248 wine experts from around the world. These judges evaluated wines from 57 countries, making this one of the most comprehensive and competitive wine competitions globally.

The Best in Show medals represent the highest level of recognition at the Decanter World Wine Awards. Only about 0.3% of all entries achieve this distinction. Each wine that reaches this stage has undergone multiple rounds of blind tasting and debate by regional panels, co-chairs, and a final five-person co-chair team. According to Amanda Barnes MW, Regional Chair for Chile, a wine that earns a Best in Show medal has been scrutinized and discussed by several professionals, ensuring that only wines of exceptional quality are recognized.

This year’s Best in Show list features wines from 14 countries: Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, France, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The selection includes a wide range of styles such as sparkling wines like Champagne, classic reds and whites from regions like Bordeaux and Burgundy, sweet wines including Sauternes and Passito di Pantelleria, and fortified wines such as Sherry and Port.

Among the winners from Argentina are Bemberg Estate Wines’ Pionero from Gualtallary and Rutini’s Single Vineyard Malbec. Australia is represented by Wirra Wirra’s The 12th Man Chardonnay and Xanadu’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. From Chile, Antiyal’s Viñedo Escorial Organic Carmenère stands out. China’s Changyu Noble Dragon N188 also made the list.

France leads with several entries across its famous regions: Domaine Du Mont Verrier’s Morgon from Beaujolais, Jean-Marc Brocard’s Bougros Chablis Grand Cru from Burgundy, Barons De Rothschild’s Rare Collection Blanc De Blancs Extra Brut Champagne, and Château Bastor-Lamontagne’s Sauternes from Bordeaux are among those recognized.

Italy’s top performers include Diego Morra’s Barolo Del Comune Di Verduno and Donnafugata’s Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria. Greece is represented by Monemvasia Winery Tsimbidi’s Monemvasia-Malvasia and Ktima Gerovassiliou’s Single Vineyard Malagousia. New Zealand’s Craggy Range Pinot Noir from Martinborough also earned a spot.

Portugal features Quinta Do Reguengo Cortes Douro and Graham’s Quinta Dos Malvedos Single Quinta Vintage Port among its winners. Slovenia is present with Vinakoper Capris Orange Rumeni Muškat. South Africa is represented by Knorhoek Cabernet Sauvignon from Simonsberg-Stellenbosch.

Spain has several entries including Vall Llach Mas de la Rosa Gran Vinya Classificada from Priorat and González Byass Del Duque V.O.R.S Amontillado Sherry. The United Kingdom is recognized with Sugrue South Downs The Trouble With Dreams from Sussex.

The United States secured two places on the list: Clos du Val Cabernet Franc from Stags Leap District in California and Kenwood Vineyards Six Ridges Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley.

The announcement of these awards is highly anticipated each year by producers and consumers alike. Neither judges nor producers know which wines have made it into the Top 50 until the official results are published. This adds to the excitement surrounding the reveal.

The Decanter World Wine Awards are known for their strict judging standards and international reach. Winning a Best in Show medal can significantly raise a winery's profile on the global stage. For consumers, these results offer guidance on some of the best wines available worldwide in 2025. The full reviews for each winning wine include detailed tasting notes and information on where to purchase them.

The competition took place over several weeks in London earlier this year. Wines were shipped from around the world to be tasted under controlled conditions by panels of experts with deep knowledge of their respective regions. The process ensures that each wine is judged fairly and without bias.

The diversity among this year’s winners reflects ongoing trends in global winemaking. Countries like China and Slovenia continue to gain recognition alongside traditional powerhouses such as France and Italy. The inclusion of both established classics and innovative new styles demonstrates how dynamic the world of wine remains.

As these results become public, many wine enthusiasts will seek out bottles bearing the Best in Show medal as a mark of quality for their cellars or tables this year. For producers who have achieved this honor, it represents validation of their work in vineyards and wineries across continents.