Decanter World Wine Awards names 2026 Best in Show Top 50

Decanter World Wine Awards has released its 2026 Best in Show Top 50, drawn from nearly 17,000 wines and spanning 16 countries. The list highlights firsts for Austria, Switzerland, Hungary and several Italian regions, while France leads the field with 16 top wines.

Why it matters: - The Top 50 Best in Show wines represent the highest tier of recognition at the Decanter World Wine Awards, the world’s largest wine competition. - The selection points drinkers, collectors and the trade toward the bottles most likely to stand out for quality, rarity and market demand. - The 50 wines come from just 0.3% of nearly 17,000 wines tasted, making the list a narrow snapshot of global fine wine quality.

What happened: - Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 announced its 50 Best in Show wines on July 24, 2026. - The competition is in its 23rd year. - The Top 50 spans 16 countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, Croatia, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US. - The awards cover styles from Champagne, Franciacorta and English sparkling wine to Provence rosé, benchmark whites and reds, sweet wines and fortified wines.

The details: - Austria returned to the Best in Show ranks for the first time since 2023 with two white wines from Wachau and Kamptal. - The Austrian wines featured Grüner Veltliner and Weissburgunder, also known as Pinot Blanc. - Switzerland earned its first-ever Best in Show red wine with a blend of Cornalin, Humagne Rouge and Syrah. - France led all countries with 16 Best in Show wines. - Burgundy was France’s strongest region, taking five top medals across Chablis Grand Cru, Corton Grand Cru, Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru and Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru. - Other French standouts included 2012 Blanc de Blancs Champagnes and 2025 Maury Sec, a first for the Languedoc-Roussillon appellation. - Australia’s list included mature Hunter Valley Semillon, a first Eden Valley Riesling, Tasmanian Pinot Noir, Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon and a Shiraz from Frankland River. - One of the competition’s two highest-scoring 98-point wines was a 2005 Vinsanto Late Release from Santorini, Greece. - Judges described the Santorini wine as “shockingly good.” - Hungary earned a Best in Show first with a 6 Puttonyos Tokaji Aszú. - Portugal’s three Best in Show medals all went to Port and Madeira. - Spain’s Best in Show wines included Fino and Amontillado Sherries. - Croatia got its second-ever appearance in the category with a Plavac Mali from Hvar. - South Africa was represented by Chenin Blanc, while Argentina’s standout was Malbec and Chile’s was Carmenère. - Italy posted several firsts, including Piedmont’s inaugural Best in Show Barbera, Franciacorta’s first top accolade, and debut appearances for Sicily’s Cerasuolo di Vittoria and Tuscany’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. - Italy also had notable examples of Barolo and Carmignano Rosso Riserva. - Sweet and fortified wines remained a major feature of the lineup, including Tokaji Aszú, a 98-point Sherry, Greek Vinsanto, a 1957 vintage Port and 30 Year Old Madeira.

Between the lines: - The spread of firsts across Austria, Switzerland, Hungary and Italy suggests the competition is broadening recognition beyond the most familiar prestige regions. - France’s dominance, especially Burgundy’s performance, shows that established fine-wine regions still set the benchmark. - The range from classic reds to sweet and fortified wines suggests the DWWA continues to reward depth across styles, not just the most fashionable categories.

What's next: - The full Top 50 and all other medal winners are available through the Decanter World Wine Awards. - Collectors, retailers and restaurants are likely to move quickly on the top-scoring bottles once the list circulates. - Expect the Best in Show results to shape buying attention across major wine regions through the rest of 2026.

The bottom line: - Decanter’s 2026 Best in Show list is both a global survey and a buying guide: France leads, but the biggest story is the growing number of first-time breakthroughs across Europe and beyond.