Decanter World Wine Awards — London Decanter World Wine Awards is now the world’s largest wine competition with just under 17,000 wines from 57 countries assessed by nearly 250 wine experts including 94 Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers including our own Cameron Douglas MS as New Zealand regional chairman. Results from this major competition have recently been published and it’s great to see a number of Kiwi successes. New Zealand increased its top-tier medals tally by eight, compared to last year. There were two Best in Show, eight Platinum and 24 Golds. Best in Show awards went to the 2025 Rapaura Springs Rohe Blind River Sauvignon Blanc and the 2021 Villa Maria Ngakirikiri Gimblett Gravels (Bordeaux blend). Noteworthy local results saw 97pt Platinum medal awards to the 2022 Clos Ostler EOS Pinot Noir from the Waitaki Valley and the 2024 Nevis Bluff The Holdsworth Central Otago Pinot Noir. 95 pt Gold medal awards went to 2024 Monte Christo Alexandra Pinot Noir, 2024 Nanny Goat Queensberry Pinot Noir, 2025 Peregrine Sauvignon Blanc, 2023 Three Miners Warden’s Court Pinot Noir, 2024 Valli Gibbston Pinot Noir and 2022 Wooing Tree Pinot Noir. There were also nearly 300 Silver and Bronze medals awarded to New Zealand wines: to explore those results go to: https://awards.decanter.com/DWWA/2026 Star Wine List Awards The Star Wine List of the Year awards were launched in Sweden, in 2018, to recognise the world’s greatest wine lists and the people who create them. The jury for each event is selected from an international panel of top sommeliers and wine professionals with further judges bought in to add local insight. The 2025/26 Global Awards Final was recently held at Arilds Vingard in Skane, Southern Sweden with local sommelier Jacqueline Jubel from No 7 Balmac and The Cellar in attendance. The Cellar was one of the 24 finalists for the Best Newcomer List and made the Top 5 so it is great to see Dunedin represented on the world stage. Here are three stunning examples from DWWA 2026. ©Allied Media : wine label 2025 Saint Clair Pioneer Block 3 43 Degrees Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Price RRP $33 DWWA 2026: Gold Medal 96pts. A cooler, Wairau Valley site planted north-east to south-west at a 43 degree angle rather than the typical north to south. Rating Excellent to Outstanding Fragrant nose flits between chopped herb and pea-pod, grapefruit and lemon zest, feijoa and apple skin. The palate continues, a delightfully mouth-watering quality, with herb, cut grass and pea elements meeting gooseberry and feijoa, a lightly saline influence on the long close. Every sniff and sip opens another door, now a hint of capsicum as the texture swells. So much to enjoy. www.saintclair.co.nz ©Allied Media2022 Clos Ostler EOS Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir Monopole Photo: Peter Mcintosh. 2022 Clos Ostler EOS Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir Monopole Price RRP $120 DWWA 2026: Platinum Medal 97pts (Clones 667, 777, a different expression than their Caroline’s Pinot) Rating Outstanding A sense of volume, each sniff unveils something new. Savoury notes, fruit pastille, wild herbs, spice, a stony quality, growing rose petal perfume, zesty berry fruits later. Lovely flavour depth, filling the mouth, yet this is fine-boned and elegant with a cooling vein of acidity, fine tannins and refreshing tanginess. Wonderful balancing act between complexity, fruit depth, refreshment and elegance. www.closostler.com COPYRIGHT - ALLIED MEDIAWINE LABELS Photo: Gerard O'Brien 2021 Villa Maria Ngakirikiri Gimblett Gravels Price RRP $150 DWWA 2026: Best in Show 97pts (93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot) Rating Outstanding Stunning nose of cassis/blackcurrant, leaf, tobacco, cigar box, perfume, hints of smoke with air, so complex and classy, simply captures your attention. Wonderful sumptuousness, ripe tannins that are beautifully integrated, the chewiness building as the wine grows with air. Ripe yet not ‘sweet’, fabulous finish, everything in place for a long future, yet you could still open this today. www.villamariawines.com
