Like taste in general, taste in wine is highly subjective, influenced by such factors as the taster’s experience, cultural preferences, body chemistry, even mood. That said, some tasting panels are more credible than others and some wine competitions are justly seen as reliable indicators of wine quality.
The UK-based international wine publication Decanter does a pretty good job in that regard. Without false modesty, it describes its annual World Wine Awards event as being “the world’s largest and most influential wine competition” — and many consumers and members of the wine trade would doubtless agree. (You don’t have to be a wine expert yourself to learn these 13 ways to tell if a wine is actually really good.)
This June, Decanter assembled about 170 experienced tasters — including 11 Master Sommeliers and 44 Masters of Wine — to taste 18,094 wines from 56 countries. The 50 wines that earned the highest scores were awarded a Best in Show medal at an awards ceremony on July 7.
Some 17 countries made the cut, with three heavy hitters in the wine world perhaps not surprisingly earning the most places — France (15 entries), Spain (nine), and Italy (seven). Less expected might be one wine each from Canada (a Niagara Peninsula chardonnay), Georgia (a blend of cabernet sauvignon and an indigenous grape called sapervai, aged in clay pots), and the UK (a sparkler from Kent made with traditional Champagne varieties).
Some names on the list will be familiar to wine-lovers, among them the Champagne producer Charles Heidsieck, the Burgundy négociant and winemaker Albert Bichot, and the Napa Valley’s estimable Trefethen Family Vineyard. Others will be less so, among them St. Jodern Kellerei from Switzerland, Tselepos from Greece, and St. Andrea from Hungary. (If wine, familiar or otherwise, isn’t your thing, you might enjoy one of America’s 40 most delicious beers.)
Click here to see the 50 best wines in the world according to the experts
24/7 Tempo reviewed the results of Decanter’s tastings, which are arranged by country, and consulted the wine-price comparison site Wine-Searcher to add average prices where available. Global averages were computed by Wine-Searcher. 24/7 Tempo estimated average U.S. prices by averaging out the highest and lowest U.S. prices listed on the site.
Argentina: Catena Zapata
> Wine: Nicasia Vineyard Malbec 2019
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $92 (U.S.; 2015 vintage)
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Australia: Calabria
> Wine: The Iconic Shiraz 2018
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
Australia: Fermoy Estate
> Wine: Reserve Chandonnay 2019
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
Canada: Hidden Bench
> Wine: Felseck Vineyard Chardonnay 2018
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
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Chile: La Causa
> Wine: Cinsault-País-Carignan 2019
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
France: Legras & Haas
> Wine: Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne 2008
> Type: Sparkling
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $63 (global)
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France: Charles Heidsieck
> Wine: Rosé Réserve Champagne NV
> Type: Sparkling
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $56 (U.S.)
France: Domaine Berthet-Bondet
> Wine: Château-Chalon 2013
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $73 (global)
France: Domaine Christian Moreau
> Wine: Valmur Chablis Grand Cru 2019
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $82 (U.S.)
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France: Albert Bichot
> Wine: Domaine du Clos Frantin Les Malconsorts Vosne-Romanée 2019
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $215 (U.S.)
France: Château de Meursault
> Wine: Clos des Epenots Pommard 2019
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $113 (global)
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France: Xavier Mourier
> Wine: Domaine de Pierre Blanche Résurgence Condrieu 2019
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $37 (global)
France: Janicot Vignobles
> Wine: Domaine de Meriguet Cahors 2018
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
France: Mas de la Séranne
> Wine: Terrasses du Larzac Antonin et Louis 2018
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $24 (global)
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France: Château de la Chapelle
> Wine: Château de la Chapelle 2018
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
France: Château Croix des Rouzes
> Wine: Château Croix des Rouzes 2018
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
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France: Château Pierre-Bise
> Wine: Savennières-Roche-aux-Moines 2018
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $47 (U.S.)
France: Domaine Charles Gonnet
> Wine: Vin de Savoie Chignin-Bergeron 2020
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
France: LePlan-Vermeersch
> Wine: Côtes du Rhône Villages RS Rouge Plan de Dieu 2020
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $11 (global)
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France: Domaine Ray-Jane
> Wine: Bandol Rouge 2020
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
Germany: Fritz Wassmer
> Wine: Schlossberg Staufen Chardonnay 2018
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
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Germany: Weingut Kreuzberg
> Wine: Devonschiefer R Reserve Spätburgunder 2018
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
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Georgia: Kakhuri Gvinis Marani
> Wine: Qvevri Cabernet-Sapervi 2019
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
Greece: Tselepos Canava Chrissou
> Wine: Laudia Single Vineyard Santorini 2018
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
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Hungary: St. Andrea
> Wine: Nagy-Eged Vineyard Grand Superior Egri Bikavér 2017
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $27 (global)
Italy: Castello Berton
> Wine: 47/87 Rive Di Vidor Extra Dry Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore 2019
> Type: Sparkling
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
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Italy: Casa Setaro
> Wine: Fuocoallegro Piedirosso Vesuvio 2019
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $11 (global)
Italy: Diego Morra
> Wine: Monvigliero Barolo 2016
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $51 (global)
Italy: Castiglion del Bosco
> Wine: Brunello di Montalcino 2016
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $64 (U.S.)
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Italy: Muzic
> Wine: Collio Bianco Stare Brajde 2019
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
Italy: Broglia
> Wine: Broglia Derthona Timorasso 2018
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $29 (U.S.)
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Italy: Capezzano
> Wine: Carmignano Vin Santo Riserva 2013
> Type: Sweet
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $145 (U.S.; 2012 vintage)
New Zealand: Whenua
> Wine: Matua Chardonnay 2018
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
Portugal: Gandarada
> Wine: Dão 2019
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
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Portugal: Primeiras Vinhas
> Wind: Alvarinho Monção e Melgaço Vinha Verde
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
Portugal: Henriques & Henriques
> Wine: 20-Year-Old Verdelho NV
> Type: Fortified
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $140 (U.S.)
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South Africa: Cederberg
> Wine: Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $45 (global)
Spain: Hacienda López de Haro
> Wine: Rioja Gran Reserva Classica 2004
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
Spain: Real Agrado
> Wine: Las Planas Viura Reserva 2016
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
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Spain: Finca Aylés
> Wine: Cuesta del Herrero 2020
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
Spain: Mar de Ons
> Wine: Albariño 2020
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $19 (U.S.)
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Spain: Matilda Nieves
> Wine: Mencía Ribeira Sacra 2020
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
Spain: Scala Dei
> Wine: Heretge Carinyena Priorat 2017
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
Spain: Familia Torres
> Wine: Grans Muralles Conca de Barberà 2017
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
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Spain: La Conreria d’Scala Dei
> Wine: Voltons Priorat 2017
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $59 (global)
Spain: Osborne
> Wine: Rare Amontillado Solera AOS NV
> Type: Fortified
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $370 (500 ml)
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Switzerland: St. Jodern Kellerei
> Wine: Heida Barrique 2018
> Type: White
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $32 (global)
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United Kingdom: Squerryes
> Wine: Late Disgorged Brut 2011
> Type: Sparkling
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): N/A
United States: Trefethen
> Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $46 (U.S.)
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United States: Hahn Family Wines
> Wine: Lucienne Smith Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018
> Type: Red
> Average U.S. or global price (750 ml): $44 (U.S.)
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