As Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) enters its 22nd year in 2025, it continues to reinforce its reputation as the world’s leading wine competition. This year’s edition saw wines submitted from 57 countries, underscoring the competition’s role as a global benchmark for wine quality and excellence.
One of the notable trends of 2025 has been a significant increase in entries from the United States, particularly from the winegrowing regions of Oregon and Washington State, reflecting the growing ambition of American producers on the world stage.
Ahead of the 2025 DWWA judging week—where 250 internationally renowned wine experts from 35 countries will gather in London—Decanter hosted a special dinner at the iconic Carlyle Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The evening set the tone by showcasing a curated selection of 2024 award-winning wines, including a Platinum medal winner, highlighting the caliber of wines that will be awarded medals to the New York market.
With a strong emphasis on American excellence, the evening highlighted how the DWWA brings international prestige to medal-winning producers, reinforcing the competition’s rigorous standards to an influential New York audience.
While the US hosts several regional wine competitions, some of the country’s top producers often overlook them. Addressing the guests, Clive Pursehouse, Decanter’s US Editor, shared that among the 2024 participants were globally revered names such as Champagne Telmont, Rare Champagne, Australia’s Yarra Yering, Italy’s Cantina Terlano, and Burgundy’s Albert Bichot.
‘DWWA judges bring a calibre of expertise that is unrivalled in the world of wine competitions,’ Pursehouse said. ‘The rigorous scoring system and the very limited number of Platinum medals awarded — just 0.64% of entries in 2024 — reflect the extraordinary care and scrutiny with which every wine is evaluated.’
This year’s judging panel is among the most distinguished yet, there are 73 Masters of Wine and 23 Master Sommeliers among the judges, which also include Decanter’s Regional Editors and deeply experienced members of the wine trade.
The evening at The Carlyle paired an elegant, seafood-focused menu created by the acclaimed culinary team at Dowling’s with a line-up of acclaimed American wines. Dishes such as a rich lobster bisque and halibut served over a deconstructed clam chowder were elevated by vibrant Chardonnays and an expressive Pinot Noir from California and Oregon’s Willamette Valley, perfectly demonstrating the quality of US wines recognised by the DWWA.
Below, discover the four US medal-winning wines showcased during this special evening:
Domaine Chandon, Étoile Brut, Los Carneros, California, USA Non-Vintage
Gold, 95 points
From night harvested grapes that see a minimum of 5 years en tirage, this sparkling Brut is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier, shows depth and richness. A Lovely toasty nose infused with green apples and plums which come to life on the palate and swirl around the fine effervescence and racy acidity. Alcohol 12%
Ponzi Vineyards, Laurelwood Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon USA 2021
Silver, 94 points
Pretty nose of ripe apple, nashi pear and vanilla, palate is dry with fresh acidity and a lovely, bright acidity. The palate’s brightness is rounded by tropical fruit notes of grilled savoury pineapple with a saline brilliance that carries the finish seemingly forever. Alc 13.5%
Grgich Hills, Paris Tasting Commemorative Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California, USA 2022
Gold, 96 points
This wine was made to commemorate the legendary moment that winemaker Mike Grgich shook up the wine world with his 1973 Montelena Chardonnay that would go on to win the Judgement of Paris in 1976 and put American fine wine firmly on the map. It offers an understated style with ripples of ripe pear, apple and citrus fruit embraced by a glaze of creamy vanilla oak and enriched with a fine mineral backbone. Alc 14.1%
Audeant, Luminous Hills Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA 2021
Platinum, 97 points
Ripe crushed cherries and perfumed red flowers leap out of the glass and cascade over the crunchy, youthful palate; with an immersive texture, silky smooth tannins and a squeaky clean acidity. Impressively long and memorable. Alc 12.9%
