At this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), 248 leading international wine judges assessed wines from no fewer than 57 countries, from Albania to Uzbekistan.
Judge Christine Marsiglio MW says, ‘I think shining a light on lesser-known regions is a way that we keep diversity alive within the wine industry from a viticultural aspect but also from a consumer aspect. And it just keeps things fun.’
Breakthrough regions
It was a stellar year for China, with two Best in Show awards – the first time the country claimed this award. Dongfang Yuxing Winery, Geruihong Yeguangbei, Helan Mountain East, Ningxia 2022 is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Dornfelder and 6% Cabernet Gernischt (Carmenère), a mélange that ‘few in Europe would have thought of’, said judges, and exhibiting a palate with a ‘seductive plunge of fruit and spice’.
China’s second Best in Show came from the Shandong Peninsula, whose coastal climate is gentler than the continental climate of Ningxia. Changyu, Noble Dragon N188, Yantai, Shandong 2022, predominantly Cabernet Gernischt with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, was described as ‘dark and searching, with plum-berry fruits’. Both wines were selected for this year’s Top 50 Best in Show wines.
China also scooped a Platinum for Li’s Estate Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Helan Mountain East, Ningxia 2022, along with 10 Golds. Noting China’s long heritage, the judges said: ‘Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised at the speed at which its wine creators are learning, and the level of their accomplishments.’
Seven Gold medals were awarded to wines from Japan this year, compared to just one in 2024 (although the country won four Golds in 2021, 2022 and 2023). Japan also entered its highest number of wines to date (163) in this year’s competition.
The country also claimed a Platinum for Grande Polaire, Zweigeltrebe, Yoichi, Hokkaido 2022, a 100% Zweigelt redolent of ‘cherries, plums, prunes and violets’. Co-Chair Sarah Jane Evans MW said, ‘A headline this year is Hokkaido, and the two reds, Zweigelt and Pinot Noir. Hokkaido, the most northerly of Japan’s islands, is an area with great potential. There’s already investment there from Burgundy, with a focus on Pinot Noir.’
No fewer than five of those seven Golds went to the wines from the Koshu grape, which Evans describes as the country’s ‘hero variety’. ‘At its simplest, the pink-skinned grape makes a subtle, elegant, very likeable white wine. Over the last 15-20 years producers have made a great deal of progress on viticulture and winemaking. There is a growing range of styles: enhancing freshness and aromatics; or skin contact; or barrel fermentation,’ Evans said, adding that Japan has ‘definitely carved out a place for itself in the world of wine’.
Scroll down for the full list of DWWA 2025 award-winners
Elsewhere in Asia, India entered its highest number of wines this year (41) and was awarded six Silvers, including two with 94 points – one for a sparkler (Chandon India Brut, Nashik, Maharashtra NV), the other for a white (Sula Vineyards, The Source Reserve Chenin Blanc, Nashik, Maharashtra 2024).
Uzbekistan, a newcomer to the DWWA this year, turned in a thoroughly admirable performance, with one Silver and 5 Bronze awards.
Other notable ‘firsts’ this year: the first Platinum from Walker Bay in South Africa (Hasher Family Batrachella Pinotage, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay 2022) and the first Gold from Montenegro since 2020 (Plantaže, Pro Corde Vranac, Čemovsko 2018).
In the southern hemisphere, Chile and Argentina were the main South American players, although Brazil and Uruguay made their presence felt. Brazil entered its highest number of wines this year (214) and was awarded its first Gold since 2023 for an ‘astonishingly fresh and alert’ Maria Maria Isabela Syrah 2023, and no fewer than 48 Silvers. Uruguay entered fewer wines this year than last but was awarded an impressive three Golds among its 14 medals, the country’s first Golds since 2023.
The future is looking orange
Looking at this year’s results, the future looks bright for orange wines, which got their own category in the DWWA as recently as 2022. This year, 86 medals were awarded to these skin-contact wines, including the first-ever Best in Show for this style – for Vinakoper, Rumeni Muškat, Slovenska Istra, Primorska, Slovenia 2015. Judges heaped praise on this Yellow Muscat from Primorska, zeroing in on its ‘freshness and precision’ and its ‘amplitude and wealth’.
A Platinum went to a different variant of Muscat (this grape that seems to take particularly well to extended skin contact, judges noted). Groot Constantia Estate, Grand Constance, Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa 2020, made from Muscat de Frontignan, appealed with its ‘layers of apricot and orange marmalade’ flavours. Additionally, five orange wines were awarded Golds, coming from countries including Moldova, Czech Republic and Ukraine.
Simon J Woolf, joint Regional Chair for Balkans, Central & Eastern Europe, and Caucasus Region, a specialist in orange wines, said, ‘There has been an explosion in the interest and production of orange wines over the past two decades, to the point where they are now uncountable. Twenty years ago there were not even 100 winemakers worldwide who produced something in this category on a commercial basis. Now? In the 10,000s.’
The key to their appeal? The style ‘combines textural appeal (much as you’d expect in a red wine) with the freshness of a white. Plus, the skin fermentation often turbo-charges the flavours and aromas, so you can get more character and intensity than you might from a regular white.’ A category to watch.
Value off-the-beaten-path
Rich rewards await those looking for off-the-beaten-track wines costing under £15. From Central & Eastern Europe, Moldova claimed three Value Golds, while Romania had two Value Golds. Hungary was also awarded two Value Golds as was Ukraine (including the orange wine above).
In addition to the orange Best in Show referred to above, Slovenia claimed 13 Golds, including 2 Value Golds. Serbia claimed 7 Golds.
In the Caucasus, Georgia took one Value Gold while Armenia won 3 Gold awards (their first since 2022) and a handful of Silvers. Expect to hear more from these winemaking countries on the rise.
DWWA 2025: Hidden gems to try
Best in Show
Changyu, Noble Dragon N188, Yantai, Shandong 2022
Best in Show, 97 points
Our second Chinese wine in this year’s Best in Show selection comes not from the inland, fiercely continental climate of Ningxia, but from the very different coastal environment of the Shandong Peninsula; it’s also a successful blend of 75% Cabernet Gernischt (Carmenère) with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Despite very different growing conditions, the lesson is the same: China is capable of making not just fruity red wines (which many locations in the wine world do well), but structured red wines in which rich tannins provide the bone structure which gives beguiling fruit flesh an inner seriousness of purpose. This dark red-black wine is dark and searching, with plum-blackberry fruits. On the palate, those fruits show both depth and textural finesse, and the supporting tannins play a key role once again in lending that fruit its dignity and gastronomic force. These two wines constitute a remarkable debut for China in our Top 50. Alcohol 13.5%
Dongfang Yuxing Winery, Geruihong Yeguangbei, Helan Mountain East, Ningxia 2022
Best in Show, 97 points
China is a relative newcomer to the world of wine, though in other respects its civilisation pre-dates that of Mediterranean Europe (and the Chinese made mixed alcoholic beverages even earlier than the Georgians wines). Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised, then, both at the speed at which its wine creators are learning, and the level of their accomplishments. Both were on show this year with not one but two Best in Show wines. This wine from Helan Mountain in Ningxia is a cunning blend which few in Europe would have thought of: Cabernet Sauvignon with 9% of freshening Dornfelder and 6% of Cabernet Gernischt (Carmenère). It works well. The wine is a dark, opaque black-purple with fresh and alluring scents of blackcurrant and wild plum. The palate offers a seductive plunge of fruit and spice, settling on something more akin to dark chocolate but – and this is key – with the authority and detaining discipline only carefully extracted tannins can bring. It’s a revelation. Alc 15.6%
Vinakoper, Capris Orange Rumeni Muškat, Slovenska Istra, Primorska, Slovenia 2015
Best in Show, 97 points
Every year our orange wine categories attract more entries, and there is always significant clamour from judges to be allowed to scrutinise them. The wine world is beginning to realise just how much this, the sixth genre of wine, has to offer. The orange wine that has stepped up to the bright lights of our Best in Show selection this year is made from Yellow Muscat (a notably yellow-skinned variant of Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs). Muscats in general take well to this treatment, since time on skins can provide complex variations to the usual ‘grape’ aromas and flavours. This Istrian example is in fact relatively light for an orange wine: deep gold with faint coppery glints. It has commanding aromas in which classic Muscat sweetness meets something darker and earthier, with orange-and-peach fruit behind; on the palate, the wine is fully dry but with an amplitude and wealth rare in ‘normal’ dry Muscat. Its precision and freshness are irreproachable. Alc 13.5%
Brazil
Maria Maria, Isabela Syrah 2023
Gold, 96 points
Myriad strawberries, cherries, cloves and aniseed with an intrigue of leather and charcuterie. Astonishingly fresh and alert with a sweet spicy persistence at the end. Alc 14.6%
China (Mainland)
Li’s Estate, Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Helan Mountain East, Ningxia 2022
Platinum, 97 points
A tantalising complexity of blackberry fruit compote and succulent prunes garnished with cedar and black pepper spice and hints of green herbs. Rousing and rich with immersive tannins and a lick of warming tar on the finish. Alc 15.5%
India
Chandon India, Brut, Nashik, Maharashtra NV
Silver, 94 points
Toasty notes with interesting ripe lemon and apple pie aromas, touches of red currants. Juicy and elegant, long finish. Alc 12.5%
Sula Vineyards, The Source Reserve Chenin Blanc, Nashik, Maharashtra 2024
Silver, 94 points
Expressive nose with wool, apples, pear and lemon zest, touches of bees wax. Smooth texture on the palate, refreshing finish. Alc 12.5%
Japan
Grande Polaire, Zweigeltrebe, Yoichi, Hokkaido 2022
Platinum, 97 points
Spectacular swathes of cherries, plums, prunes and violets marry flawlessly with the vibrant minty undercurrent that ripples across the plush, velvety texture. Very intense and engaging with spicy interludes that saunter towards the finish line. Alc 12.5%
Montenegro
Plantaže, Pro Corde Vranac, Čemovsko 2021
Gold, 95 points
Bright blackberry, blue plum and strawberry fruit cascades across the nose and winds fervently around the supple grainy tannins, vivid acidity and long peppery finish. Alc 14%
South Africa
Hasher Family, Batrachella Pinotage, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay 2022
Platinum, 97 points
Tiny clusters of blackberries, mulberries and raspberries are soothed by a cooling mint effect and cushioned by billowing cocoa mocha oak. Polished and modern in stature with a savoury charcuterie depth and ravishing herbal length. Alc 13.5%
Groot Constantia Estate, Grand Constance, Constantia, Cape Town 2020
Platinum, 97 points
Multitudinous layers of apricot, orange marmalade, elderflower and tulip fragrance pursue the radiant honeyed sweetness with a smooth, emulsifying texture and a quenching watermelon acidity that tingles and energises. Statuesque with glorious tea leaf finish. Alc 12%
