Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 results revealed

Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 results have been published today (19 June), showing all medal winners in this year’s competition.

‘Picture yourself in the biggest wine shelf of the world, and next to you there are the best wine experts, holding your hand and helping you to make the best decision possible,’ described wine consultant and judge Agnes Csiba Herczeg, encapsulating the significance of  Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) results.

A DWWA medal on a bottle, or a search on our results site, signifies that the wine has been judged blind by top-tier experts. These esteemed palates objectively recognise and award wines of good, great and outstanding quality, providing ‘the perfect little guidebook,’ said sommelier and judge Amanda Wassmer-Bulgin.

Thanks to its unmatched breadth of samples (more than 18,000 wines) and calibre of judges, DWWA results provide one of the most comprehensive and authoritative sources of recommendations for wine lovers worldwide – and the latest results are out now.

Explore iconic classic styles and intriguing producers from emerging regions, ready to be discovered by you.

Quick links to Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 results

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Spotlight on DWWA 2024 winners

The prime players

Perhaps the most discussed and documented of wine-producing nations, France reclaimed its frequently held top position at DWWA.

France was awarded 12 Best in Show and 28 Platinum medals, more than any other country. This year’s big regional champions were Burgundy and Champagne, which secured nine medals each in these top two categories.

Champagne claimed two Best in Show medals out of the 50 awarded globally, while Burgundy garnered three, solidifying its status as the top regional victor of the entire competition.

All three Burgundy Best in Show medals were awarded to white wines from the 2022 vintage, and DWWA Co-Chair Andrew Jefford emphasised ‘how attractively this ripe yet fresh vintage tastes in early youth.’

Burgundy Best in Show wines at DWWA 2024:

Château De Fuissé, Le Clos Monopole, Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru 2022
Domaine Berthelemot, Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2022
Maison Jaffelin, Rully 2022

Beaujolais is of great note, too, seeing its best-ever performance in the competition’s Top 50 Best in Show selection – with two cru wines awarded medals in this top category, both from producer Domaine De Colonat.

The judges noted, ‘We’ve only ever featured a Beaujolais cru in our Best in Show selection once (a 2020 Fleurie), so this year’s double appearance (in a year when no red from further north in Burgundy came through the judging rounds) marks a step forward for this ever-more-significant wine region.’

Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 results map: Where the top medals went

After a standout year for Australia at the 2023 competition, the nation retained its status amongst the major global players with eight Best in Show medals at DWWA 2024, second only to France.

Following close behind, Spain secured seven spots in the competition’s Top 50, and Italy six. However, in the Platinum category, the rankings shift – Italy leading with 18 medals, followed closely by Spain with 17 and Australia with 10.

With 89 additional Gold medals, it’s Spain that has cumulatively secured second place in the overall leaderboard of DWWA 2024 results.

Spain’s versatile and exciting selection of award-winning wines reflects the country’s quality wine revolution, providing affirmative answers to questions like, ‘Can Cava age?‘, ‘Does Ribera del Duero produce noteworthy whites?‘, and ‘Is there more to Spanish fortified than Sherry?‘.

Currently undergoing an exciting transformation, Catalonia’s Cava was awarded seven Gold medals, one Platinum and one Best in Show.

Produced the same year as DWWA’s first edition, the Best in Show winner was Alta Alella, Mirgin Exeo Evolució Gran Reserva Brut Nature 2004. Judges described it as still ‘fresh and lifted on the nose, with the wild grass and saffron notes of Xarello mingling with creamier, limpid orchard fruits from Chardonnay’.

Ribera del Duero received its first-ever Best in Show medal for Valduero, Blanco, Reserva 2016, produced with the white Albillo Mayor grape variety, while Bodega Brotons, Gran Fondillon Reserva 1964 from Alicante marks Spain’s first sweet wine to place in the Platinum category.

Rioja, Priorat and rising-star Toro each feature proudly in the competition’s Best in Show, Platinum and Gold categories, as do Spain’s world-renowned fortified wines.

Sherry took a seat amongst the Top 50 in the form of Bodegas Tradición VORS 30 Years Amontillado. Four non-Sherry wines feature in the top medal categories, including a Platinum each to Priorat (100% Grenache) and Rueda (100% Verdejo), plus two Golds to fortified PX wines from Montilla-Moriles.

Italy came third on the medal board, and a big win went to Lazio, marking this region’s first time in the competition’s Best in Show selection. ‘None of us saw this wine coming: a total surprise from the indigenous Bellone grape,’ commented the judges.

‘It’s absolutely (we felt) a wine for fine dining and the table, and the soundness and innate generosity of its flavours combined with the fact that it is not disconcerting or confronting in any way gives it a strikingly wide range of gastronomic applications. It deserves a wider audience.’

The nation’s regional champion, however, is Piedmont, which was awarded 20 medals across the competition’s top categories. This included two Best in Show Barolos from the 2020 vintage, plus four Platinum and 14 Gold medals – one of these a first-ever Gold to a Grignolino varietal wine: Vinchio Vaglio, Le Nocche Grignolino 2022.

Power performers Veneto and Tuscany are also worth noting, with a total of 17 and 15 medals respectively across top medal groupings. Classic styles Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva and Brunello di Montalcino Riserva feature proudly in the competition’s Top 50 selection.

In the north, Trentino-Alto Adige‘s wines impressed with a collective 18 wines scoring 95 points or more. A Best in Show medal, for Cantina Andriano, Juvelo Passito Gewürztraminer 2022, is the first for the region since 2020, and also the region’s first-ever sweet wine to place in the Top 50.

Sicily was a standout in the south, with two Platinum and five Gold medals. However, Sardinia, Puglia and Campania should not be overlooked, each earning well-deserved Golds. Notably, Campania’s Vernice, Glam, Fiano di Avellino 2023, priced under £15-a-bottle, secured a spot in the competition’s Top 20 Value Gold selection.

Exciting arrivals

‘Eyebrows, we know, will be raised,’ commented Jefford, regarding DWWA’s first-ever Best in Show Retsina.

Made by adding small amounts of Aleppo pine resin to white, or sometimes rosé, wines during fermentation, it’s a wine style that has existed for thousands of years in Greece, but has yet to gain global appeal.

Awarded to Kechris Tear of the Pine Retsina 2022, Jefford said, ‘No one could quite believe that a resinated wine could be as subtle and as good as this. But subtle and good it is: pale gold in colour, with aromas that seem simply perfumed rather than dominated by resin.’

Japanese wine made an exciting debut in the competition’s Best in Show selection, too, featuring the nation’s signature grape variety, Koshu. ‘The variety itself is of obscure origin, though it seems to have been in Japan for many centuries,’ explained the judges.

The Best in Show medal went to Suntory From Farm’s Tomi Koshu 2022, from Yamanashi, and judges described it as ‘pale silver-gold in colour, with whispered tropical-fruit scents and a slender, darting flavour’. Japan was also awarded a Platinum and Gold medal.

From the US, West Coast wines feature proudly in the top medal categories, but Pennsylvania and Virginia joined the Gold-medal ranks for the first time.

Virginia’s landmark Gold was awarded to Chestnut Oak Vineyard’s Petit Verdot 2019 from Monticello. In Pennsylvania, Mazza’s The Perfect Rosé 2022, produced with Chambourcin, stands out as a benchmark for wines produced from hybrid grape varieties and less-travelled wine regions.

Also new to the top medal charts, Morocco claimed its debut Gold for Villa Volubilia’s Fleur de Volubilia Rouge 2022 from Guerrouane, Meknès & Fès, a 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

Discovering top wines: Inside DWWA 2024 – behind the results

Unwavering talents

Germany‘s consistently strong performance has been marked at DWWA 2024 with its best-ever showing in the Gold category (15 medals), accompanied by two Platinum and two Best in Show medals.

While German winemakers’ mastery of Riesling shines through in the top rankings, varieties like Weissburgunder, Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau and Chardonnay also feature prominently.

Outstanding Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) wines, including Platinum-awarded Weingut Fritz Wassmer Kaiserberg Herbolzheim Spätburgunder, Baden 2021, highlight Germany’s diverse and exceptional offerings.

Switzerland, another of the competition’s steady talents, impressed the judges once again in 2024 with its elegant wines, securing three Gold medals and one Platinum, plus a Best in Show for Domaine Gérald Besse, Martigny Petite Arvine, Valais 2022.

‘Petite Arvine is the jewel of the Valais (attempts to grow it elsewhere, notably by Michel Chapoutier and Angelo Gaja, have met with little success),’ commended Jefford. ‘This is a splendid example of its ability to be both nervy and fresh in home territory, evocative of the splendid Swiss landscape, yet at the same time dense and rewarding.’

South African wines maintained their robust performance with two Best in Show, one Platinum and 28 Gold medals awarded, a tally roughly comparable to last year.

Stellenbosch emerged as the top-performing region with 181 medals overall, including the country’s two Best in Show winners. In cooler-climate Elgin, Oak Valley’s Groenlandberg Chardonnay 2022 secured the nation’s Platinum medal, while Cape Coast celebrated its inaugural Gold medal for Essay’s Syrah-Cinsault-Grenache-Mourvedre 2022.

Onwards and upwards

Portugal‘s results have shown an upward trend over the last half decade, culminating in its strongest performance to date overall. While the country was awarded 13 Platinum medals, a feat last matched in 2021, it also secured 45 Golds.

Representing more than half of Portugal’s 14 wine regions, Alentejano, Alentejo, Dão, Douro, Madeira, Port, Setúbal and Vinho Verde excelled across sparkling, still and fortified styles in the top categories. Almost all were produced with indigenous varieties, showcasing the breadth and distinction of Portugal’s wines.

The UK achieved its highest medal count yet, including a first-ever Best in Show for English sparkling rosé, which went to Chapel Down Rosé NV from Kent.

The country also secured a Platinum and eight Gold medals, including one for French Champagne house Louis Pommery’s England Rosé Brut NV from Hampshire, and another for Cornwall’s Camel Valley Pinot Noir Rosé 2023 – a distinction last achieved by the county five years ago.

Turkey had a standout performance, too, winning three Platinum and five Gold medals – three of these featuring Anatolia’s indigenous red Öküzgözü variety.

After winning one Platinum in 2019 and a total of five Golds across the last three years of the competition, these results underscore Turkey’s emergence as a wine region to watch.

There were many more noteworthy examples of countries with upwards momentum.

Canada was awarded 79 medals more than last year, including two Platinum and a second-ever Gold for Nova Scotia.

Mexico was awarded its first Gold since 2019, and Moldova doubled its Gold medal count, with eight wines in this category. Slovenia received a Platinum after a one-year hiatus, while Brazil‘s medal count went up by 39. Austria tripled its Platinum medal count, with greater results in the Gold category.

Southern Hemisphere stars

Australia continues to be one of the best-performing countries, and this shows again in the Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 results.

Alongside its headline medals in the Best in Show category at DWWA 2024, the nation received 10 Platinum and 53 Gold medals, largely carried by South and Western Australia.

Tasmania, last awarded a Best in Show medal in 2019 for varietal Chardonnay, and once before in 2017 for Riesling, received two this year – both for Pinot Noir wines. In Victoria, a first-ever Gold for sub-region Nagambie Lakes (Goulburn) was awarded to Tahbilk, Museum Release Marsanne 2017. 

In New South Wales, Hunter Valley Semillon once again prevailed with a Best in Show to Mcguigan, Bin 9000 Semillon 2014. Judges noted, ‘This is the sixth time a Hunter Valley Semillon has featured in our Best in Show selection, so faithful followers of the DWWA results fanfare will by now be well acquainted with this unique indigenous style of Semillon.’

Nearby, New Zealand made the competition’s Top 50 selection for Central Otago’s Mcarthur Ridge, Southern Tor Pinot Noir 2022 from Alexandra Basin. The judges commented, ‘We may not have found any Burgundian Pinot Noir wines to feature in this year’s Best in Show selection, but three Pinots from the Southern Hemisphere goes some way to compensate.’

New Zealand Chardonnay performed best overall across the top medal categories, capturing both of the nation’s Platinum medals and five Gold – for Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough and Northland renditions.

In Argentina, Mendoza sub-region Tupungato showed its strongest performance to date, claiming both of Argentina’s Best in Show medals. Mendoza was awarded an additional three of the nation’s four Platinum medals – with the fourth awarded to Salta.

Neighbouring region Catamarca received its first-ever Gold for El Esteco, Chañar Punco 2020. Meanwhile, Patagonia made the top charts with a Gold to ‘a very exciting [white] blend’, said the judges of Otronia, 45 Rugientes Corte De Blancas, Patagonia, Argentina 2021.

Chile saw its best-ever performance in the Gold category, with 23 medals awarded – a 77% increase from last year. The impressive and varied line-up includes a wide array of regions, grape varieties and styles, ranging from Limarí Valley sparkling, Maule Sémillon and Osorno Valley Sauvignon Blanc to Cauquenes Garnacha, Curicó and Maipó Valley Cabs, Elqui Valley Syrah and an Itata Valley Cinsault-País-Carignan blend.

The nation also received a Best in Show for Santa Carolina, Herencia Carmenère, Los Lingues, Colchagua 2020, following on from a debut appearance for this sub-region in the Top 50 selection at DWWA 2023.

Style trends

Rosé wines emerged as top winners at DWWA 2024, with two Best in Show, three Platinum and 20 Gold medals, representing the best results for the style to date.

Top wines came from Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Moldova, Romania, Spain, the US and UK. Judges commented: ‘It won’t surprise readers to know that our rosé wine entry grows with every year that passes (we judged almost 800 dry and medium-dry still pink wines this year).’

Trend conversations continue around orange wine, and this year’s competition saw four top medal winners for the category, including Platinum for an Italian wine, two Golds for Georgian wines and a Gold for Slovenia. In the recently added category of alternative packaging, Famille Fabre, Orange Biologique, Corbières, Languedoc-Roussillon 2022 (bag in box) was awarded a Bronze medal. 

Top 20 Value Golds in the Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 results

This year’s Top Value list has doubled to 20, versus last year’s Top 10 Value Gold selection, pointing readers to a wider selection of the best wines in the competition priced under £15-a-bottle.

Judging for Top Value Gold is much the same as judging for the Top 50 Best in Show, with Co-Chairs blind-tasting all wines that qualify. While Platinum-awarded wines are tasted for Best in Show, Gold-awarded wines at £14.99 or less are tasted for the ‘best value’ category.

This year, Co-Chairs re-tasted 93 Gold-awarded wines in the Value price band, flagging up an exciting and ready-to-drink collection of wines.

‘The value component has always been important,’ said DWWA Co-Chair Michael Hill Smith AM MW. ‘I think it’s been done better this year than perhaps any other because we make absolutely sure that we’re really selecting the top wines, giving them a little nudge so that they really are recognised as Value under £15. I think for readers it’s really important.’

The selection includes seven white wines, two rosé and eleven red. More familiar regions and styles include German Riesling, Argentinean Malbec, Australian Shiraz, US Chardonnay and affordable Bordeaux, sitting alongside potential discoveries like South African Albariño, Italian Teroldego, Hungarian Kekfrankos and Bulgarian rosé.

Coming soon: Discover the Co-Chair’s Top 20 Value Gold selection next week on Decanter.com.

With special thanks to our sponsor

Thank you to Decanter World Wine Awards official sponsor Riedel for supplying glassware for the 2024 competition

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