 Credit: David Rowlands The International Wine Challenge, widely regarded as the world's most influential, impartial and meticulously judged global wine competition, has just unveiled its 2026 medal and Trophy results marking the final awards announced under the competition’s current format ahead of a major global rebrand launching in June.
With competition entries rising 7% year-on-year, the medal tables this year point to both enduring excellence and accelerating global breadth, from top-scoring fortified wines and Trophy-winning sparklers to award-winning supermarket bottles. Fortified and sparkling wines continued to deliver some of the highest scores, with standout results from Champagne, the Douro (Port) and Jerez (Sherry) among the competition’s defining bottles, with Menin Porto Tawny 80 Anos (98 points) and Rare Champagne, Rare Magnum 2012 (98 points), the joint highest scoring wines in the competition. Another competition stand out was England with the highest percentage of wines winning a Gold medal. IWC Co-Chair Sam Caporn MW said, “It's really wonderful that over 16% of English entries were awarded not just medals, but Gold medals. This is an incredible achievement and testament to the quality of the wines being produced in the country right now.” Co-Chair Oz Clarke added, “It is now clear that champagne has a genuine rival in England and the battle for top sparkler will be keenly fought over the next few years.” Historic European regions remain the benchmark, with Champagne leading the regional Gold table and classic areas such as Burgundy, Douro, Jerez and Rioja continuing to dominate at Gold level. In the new world, South Australia, Tasmania, Mendoza, and Marlborough were the regional highlights and from the UK, Kent was the stand out region. New for 2026, is the IWC ICON selection, which recognises wines that producers believe best define the character, ambition and identity of their estate. From flagship fine wines to distinctive terroir expressions and rare bottlings, ICON is intented to spotlight defining wines rather than simply the highest scoring wines. Producers from over 10 coutnries and 20 regions entered their wines into the inaugural competition and the wines were judged by a dedicated ICON panel. See the full icon results here. Top 15 country rankings by medals Medals were awarded to 39 winemaking countries, with new entrants to the medal table from Switzerland, Montenegro, Sweden, India, Malta and Ireland. The list offers a valuable snapshot of global wine industry trends, showing top scoring producers, identifing emerging regions, and acting as a barometer for tracking the global wine market. The full list of medal and trophy winners in the 2026 International Wine Challenge can be viewed here. Number 1: France France leads: most Gold medals, standout Trophy winners and benchmark regions Champagne & BurgundyFrance reaffirmed its central role in the global fine wine landscape entering the largest number of wines and securing the highest number of Gold medals overall. Across the results, France’s benchmark regions continued to set the pace; from Champagne at the top of the global regional Gold table to Burgundy’s leading Trophy performance. French wines also featured among standout supermarket selections and the inaugural ICON list.
Number 2: Spain Spain shines with Gold-winning Sherries, Rioja strength and major Trophy success Spain delivered a standout showing, with particularly strong performances in classic regions including Jerez (14 Golds) and Rioja (11 Golds) and multiple top awards across red, white and fortified categories. From 95-point VORS Sherries to headline-making Trophy wins and an ICON wine from Galicia, Spain’s results underline both depth and diversity across styles.
Number 3: Portugal Portugal excels: Douro leads outside France and fortified wines dominate Moving up from fourth place in 2025 to third this year, Portugal delivered one of the strongest performances of the competition relative to entry numbers, with the Douro again emerging as a global hotspot for both still and fortified wines. With the joint highest scoring wine in the competition, the 98-point, decades-old Menin Tawny Port 80 Anos, to major Trophy wins across Port, Madeira and Douro reds, Portugal’s results underline world-class quality, ageing pedigree and remarkable breadth.
Number 4: Italy Italy impresses: Barolo, Franciacorta and Taurasi lead a diverse Trophy winning line-up Up one place from fifth to fourth, Italy delivered a strong, wide-ranging performance outperforming several larger entrants on its Gold conversion rate and securing major top awards across red, sparkling and sweet styles. From a Trophy-winning Barolo to premium Franciacorta and a 95-point Taurasi from Campania, the results highlight both Italy’s regional depth and its continuing ability to compete at the highest level.
Australia powers ahead: regional depth and four-Trophy Barossa Shiraz Australia delivered one of the strongest performances relative to its entry volume, combining a high Gold conversion rate (almost one in ten) with exceptional regional breadth. With South Australia and Tasmania leading the medal tables, and a Barossa Shiraz taking four Trophies, Australia’s results underline continued global strength across Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and premium sparkling.
Co-Chair Oz Clarke said, “Australia remains a powerhouse of exciting reds and whites, but the landscape is changing. Barossa and Maclaren Vale performed really well, but not only with Shiraz - Grenache is now a real star performer from a wealth of old vines. And Tasmania is no longer a wine buff's curiosity. The sparklers have been superb for quite a while, but the reds, and particularly the whites, are now some of Australia's finest.” Number 6: South Africa South Africa stands out: Stellenbosch Golds and a strong showing across top Trophy categories South Africa delivered a high-impact performance, with Stellenbosch once again proving a benchmark region. Alongside 95-point Gold medal success for a leading Bordeaux-style blend, South Africa also featured among this year’s Trophy winners, reinforcing the country’s strength across classic Cabernet Sauvignon, premium white blends and modern Shiraz.
Number 7: New Zealand New Zealand delivers: Trophy-winning Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand reinforced its reputation for world-class cool-climate wines, with major Trophy wins across both Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc and a strong run of 95-point results in Marlborough. From Martinborough’s top red to Marlborough’s defining white style, plus award-winning supermarket selections, the results underline New Zealand’s breadth across premium and accessible wines alike.
Number 8: Argentina Argentina triumphs: 97-point Mendoza Malbec and consistent standout producers Argentina delivered major success, led by Mendoza’s continued dominance and a series of top awards for Malbec and Cabernet Franc. With a 97-point Mendoza Malbec named among the competition’s defining wines, plus Gold and Trophy wins from leading producers across Mendoza and Patagonia, Argentina’s results underline both peak quality and impressive consistency.
Number 9: England England leads the pack: highest Gold conversion rate of the competition and a standout run of Trophy-winning sparkling wines England delivered one of the most remarkable performances of the whole competition, recording the highest Gold medal conversion rate among major wine-producing countries and securing a broad spread of top awards. From Kent’s leadership in regional Golds to a string of Trophy wins across classic English sparkling styles, plus multiple 95–97 point highlights, the results underline England’s continued rise as a world-class wine producing country.
Number 10: Chile Chile highlights: 95-point Carmenère and top-scoring Bordeaux varieties from leading regions Chile delivered strong results, with leading producers once again performing well across the country’s flagship Bordeaux varieties. A 95-point Carmenère from Aconcagua and a top-scoring Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo underline Chile’s continuing ability to combine value, precision and regional identity at the highest levels of international competition. Also of note was the increasing recognition that Chile received for its cooler-climate and coastal Syrah styles.
Number 11: Japan Japan rises: five Gold medals, a Japanese white Trophy win and standout 95-point wines Japan continued its rapid ascent on the international wine stage, securing five Gold medals and taking home a headline Trophy win. With multiple 95-point wines from Nagano and Yamanashi, plus ICON recognition for a flagship Japanese bottling, the results reflect both growing confidence in international varieties and renewed attention on Japan’s indigenous Koshu.
Croatia earns recognition: Croatian White Trophy win and growing presence among medal-winning nations Up one place from 2025, Croatia featured in the results as part of an increasingly global spread of medal-winning quality, and secured a headline Trophy win for a flagship white variety. Croatia is emerging with its own unique Adriatic/Mediterranean fine wine identity and is gaining visibility with its indigenous varieties.
Number 13: Austria Austria delivers strong quality: standout results from a smaller entry base with stellar performance for Riesling and sweet wines Up one place from 2025, Austria continued to demonstrate impressive quality, delivering a strong Gold conversion rate despite a smaller overall entry base. Highlighted alongside other high-performing smaller entrants, Austria’s results reinforce its reputation for precision winemaking especially when it comes to Riesling and sweeter styles of wine.
Number 14: Georgia Georgia builds momentum: Trophy wins showcasing qvevri and modern reds Georgia continued its strong upward trajectory moving up one place from last year, delivering an impressive Gold conversion rate and securing multiple top awards.
Number 15: USA USA moves up five places: California’s benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay remain in the spotlight despite smaller entry numbers Producers from the United States once again featured among the medal winners, reflecting the ongoing strength and international reputation of key American wine regions. With California continuing to set benchmarks for both Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, the results underline the enduring competitiveness of US wines on the global judging stage.
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