What makes a Gold medal-winning red wine?

In the world of red wine, there's nowhere to hide. Every element, from structure to finish, is laid bare for scrutiny. That’s precisely what makes a Gold medal at the IWSC so significant.

Over two intensive weeks in London, our expert panels evaluated red wines from 30 countries, spanning more than 160 grape varieties. The results speak volumes: while 79% of entries earned medals, just 19 achieved Gold status.

What sets these Golds apart?

According to our judges, Gold medal red wines offer more than technical perfection. As Alistair Cooper MW explained, “We’re looking for wines that stand out amongst their peers, that show personality, balance, and complexity - and that are true to their place of origin.” Context matters, and in blind flights of high-calibre wines, only a few truly shine.

For Alex Hunt MW, a Gold red must be “three-dimensional... balancing richness with refreshment, fruit with savoury nuance. It must show balance, beauty, and specific communication of a place or an idea.”

Victoria Mason MW echoed this, particularly in the case of Italian reds: “A Gold medal wine shows cohesion and completeness. The way tannin structure supports the fruit and interacts with acidity and alcohol is seamless - everything is in its place.”

But Golds go even further. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW described them as wines with a “wow factor - the kind you’d proudly bring to a party. There’s an emotional response when tasting a true Gold medal wine; it has finesse, purity and a strong sense of pride and place.”

This year’s Golds came from 11 countries, reaffirming that world-class winemaking knows no borders. While Australia led with four Golds, judges were equally impressed by standout reds from Brazil, England, Japan and Georgia. Hunt noted that these wines “weren’t trend-driven - they felt purposeful.”

Although the styles varied widely, the Gold medal reds all shared essential traits: clarity, character and confidence. They were complete wines - technically excellent, emotionally resonant, and deeply reflective of their origin.

Explore the full list of Gold medal red wines below.

The full IWSC results are available from www.iwsc.net/results