Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2025 outcomes can be introduced on Wednesday 18 June. A rigorous judging course of has seen 1000’s of wines blind-tasted by virtually 250 main consultants of their subject, together with Masters of Wine and Grasp Sommeliers.
Particular medal winners stay a intently guarded secret, however a number of judges have provided a couple of private tasting highlights as a sneak preview to outcomes day.
Thrilling kinds to find
Now in its twenty second 12 months, DWWA stays the world’s greatest wine competitors and has at all times prided itself on showcasing under-the-radar areas, producers and kinds, alongside nice examples of vinous classics.
DWWA 2025 options fascinating wines from many various international locations, from Australia and France to Denmark and Uzbekistan.
Beth Willard, one in every of 5 DWWA Co-Chairs, stated, ‘We’re actually privileged to obtain wines from all world wide that are actually various in fashion and terroir.’
Willard added, ‘There are additionally some actually fascinating curiosities among the many Platinums and Greatest in Present medals; wines from lesser-known areas or varieties that are filled with persona.’
In Europe, Greece has loved a stellar 12 months at DWWA 2025, backing up a robust displaying eventually 12 months’s competitors.
Serbia additionally provided some actual surprises, stated Willard. Dr. Caroline Gilby MW, joint-Regional Chair for the Balkans, Central & Jap Europe and Croatia & Slovenia, stated, ‘What I discover fascinating in Serbia is that this combination of indigenous grapes, like Prokupac, which has some actually good examples and worldwide grapes.’
Wojciech Bońkowski MW, joint-Regional Chair alongside Gilby, added, ‘I’ve made loads of actually thrilling discoveries.
‘They’re often wines constructed from historic, outdated grapes that had been semi-abandoned or on the verge of extinction. Individuals are placing them again into manufacturing.’
Stefan Neumann MS, Regional Chair for Switzerland & Austria, stated, ‘Austria confirmed particularly sturdy high quality with a couple of standout surprises, whereas Switzerland impressed with contemporary, elegant kinds and a few scrumptious candy wines.’
Classics and extra…
DWWA 2025 exhibits there’s additionally a lot to be enthusiastic about in established areas. Co-Chair Sarah Jane Evans MW highlighted ‘wonderful top-level Burgundy’ and likewise ‘a very pretty number of Beaujolais’.
Bordeaux’s 2022 crop lit up DWWA 2025 and so did Piedmont’s Barolo wines. ‘I’d undoubtedly maintain an eye fixed out for wines from notably good vintages in areas just like the north of Italy,’ stated Co-Chair Willard.
Christine Marsiglio MW highlighted ‘some implausible wines from Central Italy’.
In Spain, a number of areas and kinds contributed to a robust efficiency at this 12 months’s competitors, with Sherry having fun with one in every of its finest years at DWWA.
Almudena Alberca MW, new joint-Regional Chair for Spain in 2025, stated, ‘I used to be fortunate to style on, the Jerez/Sherry panel and the standard of the wines throughout all of the flights was wonderful.’
Alberca praised each Spanish crimson and white wines. ‘I feel the general high quality is larger than ever,’ she stated. Among the many highlights, she famous, ‘We discovered lot of pleasure and high quality within the Mediterranean wines, particularly these constructed from Monastrell and Garnacha grape varieties.’
Glowing success
Cava additionally confirmed properly and DWWA 2025 seems to be one other good 12 months of alternatives for glowing wine lovers. Classic Champagne demonstrated its prowess, however there was additionally success throughout the English Channel and in California.
‘English glowing wine is a prime tip,’ stated Co-Chair Evans.
Southern gems
White wines from throughout the Southern Hemisphere additionally impressed judges. ‘We’ve had some very pretty white wines from South Africa and Uruguay,’ stated Evans.
Fellow Co-Chair Willard added, ‘There was implausible Chardonnay from historically nice producing areas, like South Africa and Australia’s Margaret River.’
Willard picked out a number of different private highlights, together with Argentina, the place ‘premium wines proceed to astonish for his or her high quality’.
Amanda Barnes MW, Regional Chair for Chile, stated she was notably impressed with the range of the nation’s entries.
‘Gold medals adorned the wine areas of Chile proper from the northern Atacama area, all the way down to the southern extremes of Malleco,’ she stated.
Barnes added she was particularly excited by high quality from ‘long-overlooked’ southern Chile.
She stated, ‘From racy Carignan and juicy Cinsault and Garnacha, to the floral magnificence of old-vine Malbec and subject blends — to not point out the revival of expressive southern whites like Chenin Blanc, Semillón and Moscatel — there’s a wealth of variety and authenticity to find in Chile’s south, usually at distinctive value factors.’
Elsewhere, DWWA 2025 choose Bree Inventory MW stated she was ‘thrilled by the elevated presence of New Zealand Syrah, which showcased traditional cool-climate and regional individuality’.
North America within the highlight
Signature US wine states California, Oregon and Washington carried out properly and James Tidwell MS, DWWA Regional Chair for the USA and Central America, highlighted Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District as a selected spotlight in 2025.
It’s not all in regards to the West Coast, although. ‘For the second 12 months in a row, the judges had been impressed with a wine from Pennsylvania,’ stated Tidwell. ‘Likewise, we tasted good examples from Colorado.’
Bree Inventory MW, who is predicated in Oregon, stated, ‘It was actually thrilling to see the numerous enhance in US wine submissions this 12 months. I’ve additionally noticed a constant rise in high quality from Canada and Mexico.’
Inventory added, ‘Particularly from the US, the growth within the kinds of grapes being entered, together with thrilling new varieties and people from rising areas like Colorado and Michigan, was notably noteworthy.
‘The standard throughout the US flights clearly signifies some distinctive latest vintages.’
Tidwell additionally stated Mexican wines, extending past Baja California, proceed to enhance. ‘The judges tasted numerous wines from areas within the inside of Mexico which exhibits the continued growth of high quality grape-growing areas.’
Nice wines for each finances
There are three value tiers at DWWA 2025 and the under-£15 Worth class is one to look at intently.
Decide Tim Marson MW stated a Worth Gold medal, particularly, means shoppers ‘know that they’re going to get a fantastic instance of that wine at a particularly reasonable value’.
DWWA Co-Chair Andrew Jefford stated of Worth Golds, ‘What we’re searching for is gorgeous fruit by itself… quick pleasure of fruit.’ He added, ‘There’s at all times an actual frisson of pleasure whenever you discover them.’
Extra broadly, DWWA’s meticulous strategy to judging means producers and shoppers can view all medals with the utmost confidence.
Whereas the 50 coveted Greatest in Present medals symbolize the top of the competitors, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze ranges are all value exploring.
‘The calibre of judges at Decanter is extraordinary,’ stated Co-Chair Michael Hill Smith AM MW. ’It’s all one of the best and the brightest.’
Hill Smith stated a Bronze medal nonetheless requires settlement from three knowledgeable judges and affords an assurance of a wine ‘that’s well-made and has persona’.
