Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2025 results will be announced on Wednesday 18 June. A rigorous judging process has seen thousands of wines blind-tasted by almost 250 leading experts in their field, including Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers.
Specific medal winners remain a closely guarded secret, but several judges have offered a few personal tasting highlights as a sneak preview to results day.
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Exciting styles to discover
Now in its 22nd year, DWWA remains the world’s biggest wine competition and has always prided itself on showcasing under-the-radar regions, producers and styles, alongside great examples of vinous classics.
DWWA 2025 features fascinating wines from many different countries, from Australia and France to Denmark and Uzbekistan.
Beth Willard, one of five DWWA Co-Chairs, said, ‘We are really privileged to receive wines from all around the world which are really diverse in style and terroir.’
Willard added, ‘There are also some really interesting curiosities among the Platinums and Best in Show medals; wines from lesser-known regions or varieties which are full of personality.’
In Europe, Greece has enjoyed a stellar year at DWWA 2025, backing up a strong showing at last year’s competition.
Serbia also offered some real surprises, said Willard. Dr. Caroline Gilby MW, joint-Regional Chair for the Balkans, Central & Eastern Europe and Croatia & Slovenia, said, ‘What I find fascinating in Serbia is this mixture of indigenous grapes, like Prokupac, which has some really good examples and international grapes.’
Wojciech Bońkowski MW, joint-Regional Chair alongside Gilby, added, ‘I have made a lot of really exciting discoveries.
‘They’re usually wines made from historical, old grapes that were semi-abandoned or on the verge of extinction. People are putting them back into production.’
Stefan Neumann MS, Regional Chair for Switzerland & Austria, said, ‘Austria showed especially strong quality with a few standout surprises, while Switzerland impressed with fresh, elegant styles and some delicious sweet wines.’
Classics and more…
DWWA 2025 shows there is also plenty to be excited about in established regions. Co-Chair Sarah Jane Evans MW highlighted ‘amazing top-level Burgundy’ and also ‘a really lovely selection of Beaujolais’.
Bordeaux’s 2022 crop lit up DWWA 2025 and so did Piedmont’s Barolo wines. ‘I would definitely keep an eye out for wines from particularly good vintages in regions like the north of Italy,’ said Co-Chair Willard.
Christine Marsiglio MW highlighted ‘some fantastic wines from Central Italy’.
In Spain, several regions and styles contributed to a strong performance at this year’s competition, with Sherry enjoying one of its best years at DWWA.
Almudena Alberca MW, new joint-Regional Chair for Spain in 2025, said, ‘I was lucky to taste on, the Jerez/Sherry panel and the quality of the wines across all the flights was amazing.’
Alberca praised both Spanish red and white wines. ‘I think the overall quality is higher than ever,’ she said. Among the highlights, she noted, ‘We found lot of joy and quality in the Mediterranean wines, especially those made from Monastrell and Garnacha grape varieties.’
Sparkling success
Cava also showed well and DWWA 2025 looks to be another good year of opportunities for sparkling wine lovers. Vintage Champagne demonstrated its prowess, but there was also success across the English Channel and in California.
‘English sparkling wine is a top tip,’ said Co-Chair Evans.
Southern gems
White wines from across the Southern Hemisphere also impressed judges. ‘We’ve had some very lovely white wines from South Africa and Uruguay,’ said Evans.
Fellow Co-Chair Willard added, ‘There was fantastic Chardonnay from traditionally great producing regions, like South Africa and Australia’s Margaret River.’
Willard picked out several other personal highlights, including Argentina, where ‘premium wines continue to astonish for their quality’.
Amanda Barnes MW, Regional Chair for Chile, said she was particularly impressed with the diversity of the country’s entries.
‘Gold medals adorned the wine regions of Chile right from the northern Atacama region, down to the southern extremes of Malleco,’ she said.
Barnes added she was especially excited by quality from ‘long-overlooked’ southern Chile.
She said, ‘From racy Carignan and juicy Cinsault and Garnacha, to the floral elegance of old-vine Malbec and field blends — not to mention the revival of expressive southern whites like Chenin Blanc, Semillón and Moscatel — there is a wealth of diversity and authenticity to discover in Chile’s south, often at exceptional price points.’
Elsewhere, DWWA 2025 judge Bree Stock MW said she was ‘thrilled by the increased presence of New Zealand Syrah, which showcased classic cool-climate and regional individuality’.
North America in the spotlight
Signature US wine states California, Oregon and Washington performed well and James Tidwell MS, DWWA Regional Chair for the USA and Central America, highlighted Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District as a particular highlight in 2025.
It’s not all about the West Coast, though. ‘For the second year in a row, the judges were impressed with a wine from Pennsylvania,’ said Tidwell. ‘Likewise, we tasted good examples from Colorado.’
Bree Stock MW, who is based in Oregon, said, ‘It was really exciting to see the significant increase in US wine submissions this year. I’ve also observed a consistent rise in quality from Canada and Mexico.’
Stock added, ‘Specifically from the US, the expansion in the types of grapes being entered, including exciting new varieties and those from emerging regions like Colorado and Michigan, was particularly noteworthy.
‘The quality across the US flights clearly indicates some exceptional recent vintages.’
Tidwell also said Mexican wines, extending beyond Baja California, continue to improve. ‘The judges tasted a large number of wines from regions in the interior of Mexico which shows the continued expansion of quality grape-growing areas.’
Great wines for every budget
There are three price tiers at DWWA 2025 and the under-£15 Value category is one to watch closely.
Judge Tim Marson MW said a Value Gold medal, in particular, means consumers ‘know that they’re going to get a great example of that wine at a very fair price’.
DWWA Co-Chair Andrew Jefford said of Value Golds, ‘What we’re looking for is beautiful fruit on its own… immediate joy of fruit.’ He added, ‘There’s always a real frisson of excitement when you find them.’
More broadly, DWWA’s meticulous approach to judging means producers and consumers can view all medals with the utmost confidence.
While the 50 coveted Best in Show medals represent the pinnacle of the competition, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze levels are all worth exploring.
‘The calibre of judges at Decanter is extraordinary,’ said Co-Chair Michael Hill Smith AM MW. ’It’s all the best and the brightest.’
Hill Smith said a Bronze medal still requires agreement from three expert judges and offers an assurance of a wine ‘that’s well-made and has personality’.
