Competition In person

Decanter World Wine Awards — judging week

The world's largest wine competition — over 18,000 entries from 54 countries, judged blind by an international panel of Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers.

How the competition works

The Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) is judged entirely blind. Panels of three judges — all qualified to WSET Diploma level or above, with significant competition judging experience — taste wines grouped by category (variety, region, style) and price band. Each wine is scored on the 100-point scale. Wines that exceed regional panel thresholds are referred for confirmation by regional chairs, who are typically Masters of Wine or Master Sommeliers.

The 2026 competition received over 18,000 entries from 54 countries. Approximately 200 judges participate during the judging week, drawn from wine trade, media and education across 40+ countries. Results and full tasting notes are published in full on the Decanter website after the competition closes.

The medal tiers

Medal Points What it means
Platinum 97+ points Exceptional. The best wines of the competition. Typically fewer than 1% of entries.
Gold 95–96 points Outstanding. Well above category average. A reliable quality signal.
Silver 90–94 points Very good. Solid quality above the median for its category and price point.
Bronze 85–89 points Good. Recommended. A competent wine with no significant faults.
Commended 83–84 points Passes review but below medal threshold. Not published in the main results.

Using DWWA results as a buyer

Medal results are a useful filter — particularly useful when exploring a category or region you are less familiar with. A Gold or Platinum result from DWWA indicates a wine was assessed as outstanding relative to its peers and price band on that particular occasion. Platinum wines (under 1% of entries) represent genuine excellence. For everyday buying, a Silver is a reliable "safe choice" indicator.

The most effective approach is to combine medal results with your own palate preferences. The style questionnaire identifies which styles and structures you prefer; DWWA results then help narrow down the best producers within those styles. The How to taste wine guide gives you the vocabulary to evaluate wines independently, reducing dependence on any single scoring system.

Competition details: Decanter. Not open to general public — results published after competition closes.

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Questions

About DWWA and wine competitions.

How does the Decanter World Wine Awards judging work?
All wines are tasted blind — judges see no label information, only the wine category, region, vintage and price band. Wines are assessed using the 100-point scale by panels of three judges, all of whom are at minimum qualified to WSET Diploma or equivalent. Wines scoring above regional panel averages are referred to regional chairs (Masters of Wine or Master Sommeliers) for confirmation. The highest-scoring wines are assessed by a final "best in show" panel. Results and full tasting notes are published at decanter.com after the competition.
Are the DWWA medal results reliable as a buying guide?
Medal results are a useful quality signal — wines are assessed by qualified judges blind against peers in the same category and price band. A Gold or Platinum result is a meaningful endorsement. However, like all competitions, DWWA awards reflect one judging panel's assessment on one day; a wine may perform differently in other conditions or on other palates. The most reliable use of DWWA results is as a starting filter within a style you already know you like. The style questionnaire helps identify which styles to focus on, and the How to taste wine guide gives you the framework to evaluate wines independently.
What is the difference between DWWA and the International Wine Challenge?
Both are major international blind-tasting competitions based in London. The Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) uses a 100-point scale and is organised by Decanter magazine. The International Wine Challenge (IWC) uses a gold/silver/bronze/commended system and is independently organised. Both receive thousands of entries globally and are widely used by trade buyers. There is some overlap in judges. Neither is universally "better" — using both sets of results when researching a category gives a broader picture.
Can consumers attend the judging week?
The DWWA judging week is not open to the general public; trade and media may apply to observe. Consumer access to DWWA content comes through the published results and tasting notes on the Decanter website after the competition. Decanter also organises consumer tasting events separately from the competition. For consumer events in London in November, see the events page — the Burgundy masterclass at 67 Pall Mall and the Wines of Portugal Grand Tasting run in the same period.
How do wine competitions factor into labelling?
Medal stickers from major competitions (including DWWA) are permitted on bottles and back labels. They are not regulated by the same appellation rules as the wine's origin information. Under new EU nutrition labelling rules from December 2026, the QR code or physical label requirements do not extend to medal claims — these remain at the producer's discretion. For how to read the information that is regulated on a wine label, see the How to read a wine label guide.