Muscats du Monde Awards 25 Medals in 2026 Competition

The 2026 edition of Muscats du Monde, an international competition focused on Muscat wines, awarded 25 medals after a one-day tasting in Burgundy, France, on July 8, according to the organizers.

The event, now in its 26th edition, brought together 55 international judges to assess 77 still and sparkling wines made from Muscat grape varieties. Organizers said the samples came from 15 countries, underscoring the broad geographic reach of a category that includes styles sold under names such as Muscat, Moscatel and Moscato.

Of the 25 medals awarded this year, 18 were gold and 7 were silver. Based on the total number of entries, roughly 32.5% of the wines tasted received a medal. Gold medals accounted for about 72% of all distinctions granted.

Muscats du Monde is one of several European wine competitions built around a single grape family or style. Its format reflects the continued commercial importance of Muscat wines, which span dry, sweet, fortified and sparkling expressions and are produced across southern Europe, parts of Central Europe, South Africa, Australia and the Americas. The competition’s organizers said the judging was carried out under controlled tasting conditions and according to quality standards intended to make the results a reliable guide for producers, buyers and consumers.

This year’s tasting took place in Burgundy, a region better known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay than for aromatic Muscat wines. Even so, France remains central to the history of the grape family through appellations in Alsace and the south of the country, where Muscat appears in both dry table wines and sweet fortified styles. The decision to hold the event in France also reflects the country’s role in hosting specialized wine competitions that seek international visibility beyond domestic markets.

The figures released by the organizers point to a relatively selective medal rate. With 77 wines entered and 25 recognized, nearly two-thirds of the samples left without an award. That level of selectivity is often used by competitions to support their value in export promotion and retail communication, especially for lesser-known categories that compete for shelf space against more familiar international varieties.

For producers of Muscat wines, competitions like this can serve several purposes at once. A medal can help support import discussions, distributor presentations and direct-to-consumer marketing. In tourism terms, it can also strengthen the profile of regions where Muscat plays a defining role in local wine culture, from Mediterranean coastal areas to inland appellations with long traditions tied to aromatic white grapes.

The organizers did not provide further detail in the announcement on which countries won the most medals or which individual wines placed in the Top 10 ranking referenced in the competition materials. They said full results are available through the competition’s official website.

The annual contest comes at a time when producers in many wine regions are trying to sharpen their message around distinctive grape varieties rather than compete only on price or broad regional identity. For Muscat producers, that strategy can be especially relevant because the grape family is widely recognized by name but often less clearly understood by consumers, who may associate it mainly with sweetness despite its range of styles.

By assembling entries from 15 countries and evaluating both still and sparkling wines, the 2026 competition offered a snapshot of how diverse the Muscat category has become in today’s market. The medal list is likely to be used over the coming months by wineries and trade groups seeking visibility in restaurants, wine shops and export channels ahead of key buying periods later in the year.