IWC 2024 RESULTS

Highlights from the 40th annual competition – including the top winemakers and varietal trophies…

The rigorous and impartial International Wine Challenge has announced the results of its 2024 competition.
Medals were awarded to 38 winemaking countries following a blind tasting by an international panel of experts last month. While France, Australia and Spain remained top of the medal table, emerging wine-producing countries such as England, Japan, Canada, Romania, Ukraine and India all saw an increase in the number of medals awarded.

The top winemakers at IWC 2024

Here are the shortlists for the 2024 IWC Winemaker of the Year awards. The winners will be announced at the IWC Awards in London on July 9.

IWC Red Winemaker of the Year 2024
The contenders: Bodegas Olarra’s Javier Martínez de Salinas; Edouard Delaunay’s Laurent Delaunay; Viña Undurraga’s Rafael Urrejola

IWC White Winemaker of the Year 2024
The contenders: La Chablisienne’s Estelle Roy; McGuigan’s Ryan Andrew; Maison Albert Bichot’s Alain Serveau

IWC Fortified Winemaker of the Year 2024
The contenders: Bodegas Osborne’s Marcos Alguacil; Emilio Lustau’s Sergio Martínez; Pereira D'Oliveira’s Filipe D'Oliveira

IWC Sparkling Winemaker of the Year 2024
The contenders: House of Arras’ Ed Carr; Piper-Heidsieck’s Emilien Boutillat; Rare Champagne’s Emilien Boutillat

IWC Sweet Winemaker of the Year 2024
The contenders: Royal Tokaji’s Máté Varga; Weingut Angerhof Tschida’s Hans Tschida; Weingut Helmut Lang’s Helmut Lang

IWC Own Label Range of the Year 2024
The contenders: Asda, Marks & Spencer, Sainsburys, Tesco

France increases its medal haul

France won the highest number of medals in each category with 72 gold, 394 silver and 455 bronze medals – 84 more than last year.

• The International Pinot Noir Trophy was awarded to Edouard Delaunay for the ninth time in a row. The Burgundy producer’s Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2021 was also awarded the Charmes Chambertin Trophy, Burgundy Red Trophy, and French Red Trophy. Other Pinot Noirs from the company took the trophies for Chambolle Musigny, Corton and Nuits St Georges.
• The International Sauvignon Blanc Trophy was awarded to a Loire Valley producer for the first time since 2017. Château de Tracy claimed it with Les 101 Rangs 2019.
• The Provence Rosé Trophy was won by Château Paquette Angélico 2023 in its debut year.
• The Chablis Grand Cru Trophy, Chablis Premier Cru Trophy and Chablis Trophy were all won by La Chablisienne, which also picked up five gold medals as well as a further 13 silver and bronze medals.

Strong results from Europe

Spain, Portugal and Italy took third, fourth and fifth place respectively in the medal rankings this year.
Spain gained 34 gold, 207 silver and 215 bronze medals – with Sherry producers taking 22 of the golds. Rioja collected 138 medals – the most of all the regions. Spain has also seen a rise in medals for sparkling wines, gaining 46 medals this year, compared to 39 last year.

• The Spanish Red Trophy was won by Bodegas Valdemar’s Balcón de Pilatos Maturana, 2020, resulting in Rioja claiming the prestigious title for the second year in a row.
• The Spanish White Trophy was won by a Galician winery for the sixth year in a row with Bodegas Pazo de Villarei’s Albariño 2023 taking the top prize.

Portugal increased its medal count, winning 33 gold, 175 silver and 195 bronze medals. Portugal also won 11 trophies for Ports.

• Quinta da Terrincha’s Tinto 2021 from the Douro won the Portuguese Red Trophy.

Italy won 337 medals in total. Perhaps the biggest surprise was a skin-contact white wine winning the Italian White Trophy. Borgo Savaian di Stefano Bastiani took the prize with its amazing Aransat 2022, which also won the new Italian Skin Contact Trophy.

• The Italian Red Trophy was awarded to a wine made from the Lagrein grape variety native to the South Tyrol with CAVIT taking home the prize with its Bottega Vinai Lagrein Trentino 2021.

Austria gained an extra 11 medals on last year, taking its total for 2024 to 101 with 10 more gold medals than in 2023.

• Austria was awarded the International Riesling Trophy for Petra Unger’s Ried Gaisberg 1ÖTW Kremstal Reserve Riesling 2022.

International trophies for Australia, New Zealand, Argentina

Australia had another strong competition, claiming second spot in the medal table with 54 gold, 250 silver and 154 bronze medals. Australia also won 19 trophies, 10 of which went to South Australia.

• Shaw + Smith won the Australian Red Trophy with its Balhannah Vineyard Shiraz 2021.
• Robert Oatley won the International Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy with The Pennant Cabernet Sauvignon 2018.

New Zealand also proved its quality on the international winemaking scene, claiming international varietal trophies for Syrah and Chardonnay.

• The International Syrah Trophy went to Kennedy Point Vineyard with its 2021 Syrah, highlighting New Zealand’s increasing expertise with this grape variety.
• Church Road was awarded the New Zealand Red Trophy for its Church Road 1 Merlot, and also won the International Chardonnay Trophy with its Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2021.

Argentina's Bodega Dante Robino claimed the International Malbec Trophy with its Gran Dante Malbec 2021.

Growing quality around the globe

The improving quality of wine around the globe is evident in this year’s results, with many countries gaining more medals than ever before.
England has seen a rise in medals with 13 gold, 54 silver and 58 bronze, having climbed up the medal table to ninth place this year from tenth last year.

• The English Sparkling Trophy was awarded to Wiston Estate for its Library Collection Blanc de Blancs 2010.
• Gusbourne was awarded the English Red Trophy for its Pinot Noir 2022.

Canada gained 14 more medals than last year, with three gold, 27 silver and 29 bronze. The Niagara Peninsula was the standout region – winning 46 of the medals, compared to 28 last year.

• The Canadian Ice Wine Trophy was awarded to Lakeview Wine’s Vidal Icewine 2021.

Georgia also won more medals this year, in particular the Kakheti region which won 48 out of 51 of the country’s medals.

• Vazisubani Estate’s Kisi Qvevri 2021 won the Georgian White Trophy.
• Teliani Valley’s Saperavi Unfiltered 2022 was awarded the Georgian Red Trophy.

Japan has won its most ever gold medals for wine with two going to Chardonnays made by Takahata Winery.

• The Japanese White Trophy was won by Takahata Winery’s La Clôture Electrique en Kamiwada Chardonnay 2022.

Other countries with significant gains were Romania with 12 more medals than last year, including five silver and 13 bronze, giving them a total of 18 medals. Ukraine saw an increase from one medal last year to eight this year. Read about its silver medal for an orange wine here. 
India also gained an extra three medals with five bronze medals awarded this time round.

The full list of 2024 International Wine Challenge award winners can be seen here.

The IWC Champion Wines for 2024, which are selected following a re-tasting by the IWC co-chairs of all the trophy-winning wines, will be revealed at the IWC 2024 Awards announcement on Tuesday, July 9.

The UK's top retailers

Here is a list of the exceptional individuals and companies vying for the IWC Industry Awards UK. The winners will be announced at the IWC 2024 Awards Dinner in London on July 9.

The finalists of the 2024 IWC Industry Awards UK.

92 Or More
Wine Club of the Year Finalist

Aldi UK
Supermarket of the Year Finalist

Alliance Wine
Spain & Portugal Specialist of the Year Finalist

Amathus Drinks
Medium Multiple Site Retailer of the Year Finalist
Unsung Specialist of the Year Finalist

Anchor & Hope
Restaurant Wine List of the Year (Contemporary) Finalist

Astrum Wine Cellars
Italy Specialist of the Year Finalist

Bibendum
Trade Educator of the Year Finalist

Cambridge Wine Merchants
Sparkling Retailer of the Year Finalist

Co-op
Large Multiple Retailer of the Year Finalist

Da Terra Restaurant
Restaurant Wine List of the Year (Fine Dining) Finalist

Daniel Lambert Wines (DLW)
France Specialist of the Year Finalist

Grape Britannia
GB Specialist of the Year Finalist

Hallgarten & Novum Wines
Agent of the Year Finalist
On Trade Wine Supplier of the Year Finalist

Highbury Vintners
Single Site Retailer of the Year Finalist

House of Townend
Regional Retailer, Northern England Finalist
Small Multiple Site Retailer of the Year Finalist

Howard Ripley Wines
Germany Specialist of the Year Finalist

Indigo Wine
Spain & Portugal Specialist of the Year Finalist

James Nicholson Wine
Single Site Retailer of the Year Finalist
Regional Retailer, Northern Ireland Finalist

Jascots Wine Merchants
On Trade Wine Supplier of the Year Finalist

Jeroboams Group
Buying Team of the Year Finalist
Italy Specialist of the Year Finalist

Jeroboams Trade
Agent of the Year Finalist

JFC
Sake Specialist of the Year Finalist

KOL
Restaurant Wine List of the Year (Contemporary) Finalist

Lea & Sandeman
Small Multiple Site Retailer of the Year Finalist
Sparkling Retailer of the Year Finalist
Regional Retailer, London Finalist

Liberty Wines
Agent of the Year Finalist
On Trade Wine Supplier of the Year Finalist
Australian Specialist of the Year Finalist
Italy Specialist of the Year Finalist
Trade Educator of the Year Finalist

Local Wine School
Consumer Educator of the Year Finalist

Majestic
Wine Buying Team of the Year Finalist
South Africa Specialist of the Year Finalist
Large Multiple Retailer of the Year Finalist
Rosé Retailer of the Year Finalist
France Specialist of the Year Finalist
Sparkling Retailer of the Year Finalist

Marks & Spencer
Supermarket of the Year Finalist
Large Multiple Retailer of the Year Finalist
Rosé Retailer of the Year Finalist

Momentum Wines
Online Retailer of the Year Finalist

Museum Wines
South Africa Specialist of the Year Finalist

New Generation Wines
South Africa Specialist of the Year Finalist
New Zealand Specialist of the Year Finalist

Noize Restaurant
Restaurant Wine List of the Year (Contemporary) Finalist

Novel Wines
Unsung Specialist of the Year Finalist

Palate Bottle Shop
Single Site Retailer of the Year Finalist
Regional Retailer, South East England Finalist

Pierre Hourlier Wines
Regional Retailer, Central England Finalist
France Specialist of the Year Finalist

Sainsbury's
Supermarket of the Year Finalist

Sip Champagnes
Sparkling Retailer of the Year Finalist

Stroud Wine Company
Regional Retailer, South West England
Small Multiple Site Retailer of the Year Finalist

Tazaki Foods
Sake Specialist of the Year Finalist

Tengu Sake
Sake Specialist of the Year Finalist

Tesco
Supermarket of the Year Finalist

The Cambridge Wine Academy
Consumer Educator of the Year Finalist

The Clove Club
Restaurant Wine List of the Year (Fine Dining) Finalist

The Ledbury
Restaurant Wine List of the Year (Fine Dining) Finalist

The Wee Vinoteca
Regional Retailer, Eastern England Finalist
Wine Club of the Year Finalist

The Wine Society
Online Retailer of the Year Finalist

The WineBarn
Germany Specialist of the Year Finalist

ThirtyFifty
Consumer Educator of the Year Finalist

Ultracomida Ltd
Spain & Portugal Specialist of the Year Finalist
Regional Retailer, Wales Finalist

Veraison - Berkmann Wine Cellars
Trade Educator of the Year Finalist

Vintage Wine and Port
Fortified Specialist of the Year Finalist

Virgin Wines
Wine Club of the Year Finalist
Online Retailer of the Year Finalist

Waitrose & Partners
Buying Team of the Year Finalist

Wine Origins
Unsung Specialist of the Year Finalist

Woodwinters Wines & Whiskies
Small Multiple Site Retailer of the Year Finalist
Regional Retailer, Scotland Finalist