Highlights and news from the Decanter World Wine Awards 2024
Now that the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2024 have concluded, there’s so much exciting wine news to catch up on; including the annual 50 ‘Best in Show’ category. To break down the standout results for you, we’ve prepared these handy highlights so you can have your finger on the pulse of the next big thing.
What are the awards?
DWWA 2024 brought together hundreds of Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers from over 33 countries around the world, who blind taste over 18,000 wines.
It’s this comprehensive spread of judges and wines that makes the DWWA the authority on wine recommendation.
Who are the big winners?
The award tiers are organised into:
- Best in Show (50 winners)
- Platinum (117)
- Gold (643)
- Silver (5,977)
- Bronze (8,016).
This year, France claimed back their spot as the most awarded nation in the world, with 12 Best in Show and 28 Platinum medals won.
Meanwhile, Spain claimed second and Italy third place among wine-producing regions.
Highlight
Australasia stands among the elite
Australia’s monster haul of eight Best in Show awards — second only to France in that respect — has reaffirmed the excitement around the nation and its wine.
Close neighbour New Zealand also secured their own Best in Show, contributing handsomely to the region’s total medal tally of nine Best in Show, 12 Platinum, and six Gold medals.
Who are the new stars on the block?
2024 was the first year to include a Best in Show winner for Retsina, the popular Greek resinated wine, with Kechris Winery Tear of the Pine 2022 taking home the gong.
Japan also welcomed its first ever Best in Show winner, with the Yamanashi region’s Suntory From Farm Tomi Koshu producing an understated, ultra-discreet yet impeccably focussed wine that wowed judges. Set to be launched in Japan this September, try to get your hands on a bottle if you can!
Argentina’s Mendoza sub-region of Tupungato had their best year to date, with two Best in Show awards for Finca Flichman, Microterroir Gravel & Stone Malbec and Viña Doña Paula, Altaluvia Cabernet Franc, Gualtallary.
South Africa’s Stellenbosch walked away with Africa’s only two Best in Show awards this year, the Delaire Graff Chardonnay Banghoek 2022, and the Tokara, Reserve Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch 2021.
Lastly, Chile smashed their previous best gold medal haul with a 77% increase. They also welcomed their second ever Best in Show wine, Santa Carolina, Herencia Carmenère, Los Lingues, Colchagua 2020, after breaking into the vaunted category last year.
What's trending?
2024 has been a banner year for Rosé, with the style winning Best in Show, three Platinum and 20 Gold medals, representing its best results to date.
The top Rosé producing nations are all in the northern hemisphere, with Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Moldova, Romania, Spain, the US and UK being highlighted among the 800 dry and medium-dry still pink wines.
Orange wine is also proving one to watch, winning one Platinum and three Gold medals.
More choice and variety than ever
DWWA 2024 highlighted that we are blessed with a variety of winemakers, regions, and varieties. That means more tastes, more inventiveness, and more challengers for the top spots among wine regions of the world.
See the full list of winners here.
Award-winning
wines and insights
Every CWO Dinner and CWO At Home event comes with a complementary flight of fine wines – perfect for helping you absorb all the exclusive and actionable insights being shared by industry-leading expert speakers.