Australia won 85 top-tier medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 (DWWA) – its second-highest haul.
Australia collected five Best in Show medals, 19 Platinum medals and 61 Gold medals including one Top Value Gold recognising exceptional wines priced under £15.
This year the 50 Best in Show medals represented just 0.3 percent of wines tasted.
South Australia led the medal haul with a Best in Show award for Pewsey Vale 2025 Eden Valley Estate Riesling.
The state also won nine Platinum medals for five Shiraz wines, one Cabernet Sauvignon, one Riesling and two Chardonnays.
The latter were both from Sidewood in the Adelaide Hills and awarded to 2024 Owen’s Chardonnay and 2024 Mappinga Chardonnay.
DWWA regional chair for Australia Huon Hooke said, “Australia is often thought of as a hot country but the quality of ‘cool climate’ varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wine continues to defy the clichés.”
South Australia added 21 Gold medals, including the country’s only Top Value Gold for Wirra Wirra 2024 Church Block McLaren Vale Grenache Shiraz.
In total, South Australia collected 311 medals.
Western Australia achieved 19 top-tier medals including two Best in Show for Deep Woods 2023 Margaret River Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and a first Best in Show ever for a wine from Frankland River – Ferngrove 2023 The Orchid Collection Dragon Shiraz.
The state also received two Platinum and 15 Gold medals, with Margaret River accounting for both Platinum awards and 14 Golds.
New South Wales won 35 medals including a Best in Show for Brokenwood ILR 2019 Hunter Valley Reserve Semillon.
Orange celebrated its first-ever Platinum medal with Printhie Swift 2011 Blanc de Blancs Brut.
Printhie also received a Gold medal for its Swift 2017 Rosé Brut.
Tasmania earned 12 top-tier medals including a Best in Show for Dalrymple Vineyards 2024 Pipers River Single Site Pinot Noir.
The state also received three Platinum medals, two of them for sparkling wines, including another top-tier award for House of Arras, which has consistently performed strongly in the category since 2021.
Tasmania also collected eight Gold medals.
Victoria recorded 15 top-tier medals including four Platinum.
Morris extended its run of Platinum medal wins to six consecutive years.
Mornington Peninsula also celebrated its first-ever Platinum medal with Southern Light Vineyards 2024 Ghostgum Vineyard Pinot Noir. The state also celebrated 11 Gold medals.
Visit awards.decanter.com for a full list of winners.
Australia was awarded a total of 630 medals, comprising five Best in Show, 19 Platinum, 61 Gold, 304 Silver and 241 Bronze medals.
Australia’s Best in Show medals
Brokenwood ILR 2019 Hunter Valley Reserve Semillon
Dalrymple Vineyards 2024 Pipers River Single Site Pinot Noir
Deep Woods 2023 Reserve Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
Ferngrove 2023 The Orchid Collection Frankland River Dragon Shiraz
Pewsey Vale 2025 Eden Valley Estate Riesling
Recent Comments