English wines won the highest percentage of gold medals per entry in a global competition, with experts describing the improvement as remarkable.
At the International Wine Challenge, English wines are winning more gold medals than ever. In 2025, the country won 10, but this year it was awarded 25.
Sam Caporn, a master of wine, said: “I think there are a number of reasons why England did so well this year. One of them is that for many of the top producers, the vines are getting older which leads to greater quality; Nyetimber’s first vintage for example was in 1992 so actually over 30 years ago now.”
She added that the wines were being matured for longer: “There is also the possibility of increased bottle age – Wiston for example, won a trophy for their Cuvee 2009 Magnum and reserve wines are also taking on more complexity with every year that goes by.”
As the climate changes, vineyards, particularly in the south of England, can expect more sunny days and warmer weather. However, extreme weather including drought can often have the adverse effect in threatening food crops.
Oz Clarke, the co-chair of the IWC, said: “The improvement in English wine over the past decade has been remarkable. Growers now understand their vineyards far better, winemaking has become more precise, and there’s a real confidence about what England can achieve, particularly with sparkling wine. The results at this year’s International Wine Challenge show just how far things have come: English wines are being judged alongside the world’s best and are winning on quality alone. It’s very exciting to see.”
Caporn said: “Arguably newer producers and plantings are also learning from their predecessors with an understanding of how important microclimate is as well as soil, coupled with using a whole raft of different clones and rootstocks for better blending options. It’s a really exciting time for English wine right now with an appreciation of newer regions such as the Crouch Valley in Essex and consequently still wines are also coming into their own and not just sparkling. It’s a truly exciting time for our industry and really rewarding for the winners to see the plaudits they richly deserve being awarded to our homegrown talent.”
Supermarket wines in England did particularly well in the competition with bargain bottles from Aldi, Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s winning gold medals.
While England came ninth in the country rankings overall, with France remaining in the lead, it won more gold medals as a percentage of its entries than any other country.
16% of English wines entered achieved gold medals. Kent was the best region for wine in England, winning 12 gold medals, driven mainly by sparkling wine and chardonnay. The judges said the success in the competition showed England’s “rise as a world-class wine producing country”.
France won awards for its champagne and burgundy wines. Next was Spain, which impressed judges with sherries and rioja. Portugal followed, winning awards for its port.
Gold medal-winning supermarket wines
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M&S Champagne Delacourt Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2017, France
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M&S Collection Barossa Valley Shiraz 2024, Australia
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Exceptional Botrytis Riesling 2017, Aldi, New Zealand
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Exceptional Asti NV, Aldi, Italy
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Fletcher’s LBV Port 2021, Aldi, Portugal
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Tesco Finest Picpoul de Pinet 2024 Les Costières de Pomerols, France
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Tesco Finest Barolo 2021 Fratelli Martini Secondo Luigi, Italy
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Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Rioja Gran Reserva 2018, CVNE, Spain
