Winetitles reports that Australia’s Margaret River wine region has secured six trophies at the 2026 International Wine and Spirit Competition, more than any other individual wine-producing region worldwide. The competition assessed more than 6,000 international entries, with Australian wines receiving eight trophies overall, placing the country alongside France among the leading national performers. Margaret River’s awards included three Cabernet Sauvignon trophies, two Chardonnay trophies and one Semillon trophy. House of Cards Ace High Chardonnay 2025 achieved a perfect 100-point score, while other successful producers included Stella Bella, Xanadu, Lenton Brae, Nocturne and Willespie Estate. Industry representatives highlighted the achievement as evidence of Margaret River’s consistent quality and growing international reputation, particularly in Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
Award
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Michelin’s 3-Grape Bordeaux Ratings Have Wine Experts Seeing Red
2oceansvibe reports that Michelin’s recently introduced Bordeaux wine-estate ratings are attracting criticism from parts of the wine trade over their methodology and the practice of assigning a single rating to an estate rather than individual vintages or wines. Michelin awarded three grapes to nine Bordeaux estates, two to 16 and one to 37, while defending a process based on agronomy, technical mastery, identity, balance and consistency across vintages.
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IWSC Awards Perfect 100-Point Score for the First Time to House of Cards
Winetitles reports that Margaret River producer House of Cards has become the first winery to receive a perfect 100-point wine score from the International Wine & Spirit Competition since the IWSC introduced its 100-point system in 2019. The score went to the 2025 Ace High Chardonnay following blind judging during the IWSC’s Margaret River Global Tasting, making it the highest-scoring wine awarded under the competition’s current system. House of Cards also collected gold medals for its 2025 Royals Chardonnay and 2024 Kings in the Corner Cabernet Merlot, while more than 230 medals were awarded to Western Australian wines overall.
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IWSC 2026: France Lets the Fruit Speak
According to the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), France has topped the medal table at the 2026 competition, showcasing a stylistic transition towards fruit purity, fresh acidity, and restrained oak usage. Judging panels noted standout performances across Burgundy, where Chablis earned acclaim for its mineral precision, and in Bordeaux and the Rhône Valley, where winemakers increasingly favoured elegance and drinkability over heavy extraction. The review also highlights growing commercial momentum for lighter, aromatic red and white wines from southern France, including Languedoc Pinot Noir, Picpoul, and Saint Chinian reds.
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Finalists for 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Awards Unveiled
Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News reports that 67 Pall Mall has announced the 2026 finalists for its Global Wine Communicator Awards. The competition received 677 entries from 26 countries, narrowing them down to 24 finalists across eight countries, with categories covering long-form writing, short-form writing, video, audio and all-round wine communication.
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IWC Unveils New Global Regional Structure
Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News reports that the International Wine Challenge is moving to a four-region structure, Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the UK, launching from July 2026, with Americas judging in Mendoza and Asia Pacific judging in Adelaide, while gold medal wines will still progress to London for International Trophy judging next year.
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Global Rosé Masters 2026 Medal Winners Announced
The Drinks Business reports that the Global Rosé Masters 2026 has revealed its medal-winning wines, with standout results across still, sparkling, sweet and oaked styles. Top recognition went to Les Cinq Filles Rosé de Saignée in sparkling rosé and Château d’Esclans Garrus among still, barrel-aged rosés, while strong performances came from Provence, Spain, Italy, South Africa, Turkey, Australia, Portugal and the UK.
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English Wines Win Record Gold Medal Haul
The Guardian reports that English wines won 25 gold medals at the 2026 International Wine Challenge, up from 10 last year, with England achieving the highest gold-medal percentage by entries and Kent leading the domestic regions. Judges pointed to older vines, longer maturation, improved vineyard knowledge and more confident winemaking as key reasons for England’s rise, while supermarket bottles from Aldi, Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s also featured among the gold-medal winners.
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International Wine Challenge 2026 Medal Results Go Live
The International Wine Challenge says its first 2026 medal results are now live, following weeks of blind tasting by international judging panels. Trophy winners are scheduled to be announced on 19 May, with IWC Sake results due on 22 May after judging in Hiroshima.
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DWWA 2026 Judging Begins in London
Decanter reports that judging has begun for the Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 in London, with more than 16,700 wines from 57 countries being assessed by 246 judges from 36 nations. The competition runs across two weeks, with Bronze, Silver and Gold judging from 4 to 8 May, followed by Platinum and Best in Show judging from 11 to 15 May, while this year also brings new leadership, a larger cohort of women judges and expanded sustainability measures including reusable cotton bags, cork collection and wine waste processing through anaerobic digestion.
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Tesco Named Top UK Supermarket for Wine Selection
Food & Wine reports that Tesco has been named Outstanding Supermarket Wine Range at the 2026 IWSC National Drinks Retail Awards, after posting the highest press tasting scores among major supermarkets for a second straight year. The report says Tesco’s range runs to roughly 800 own-label wines, with nearly 100 in the premium Tesco Finest tier, and credits a buying team that includes Master of Wine Elizabeth Kelly plus long-running winery partnerships. For the UK trade and shoppers alike, it is another sign that supermarket wine remains a serious quality battleground, not just a volume game.
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Star Wine List Reveals UK 2026 Awards Finalists
Star Wine List has published its 19 February 2026 finalists list for Star Wine List of the Year UK 2026, naming 66 venues across 13 categories ahead of the awards ceremony on 23 March 2026 at 1 Hotel Mayfair in London. The organisation says the judging panel includes Richard Hemming MW, Kathrine Larsen-Robert MS, Stephen Wong MW and Mikk Parre, and it flags returning local categories, plus a new award for Best Riesling Wine List.
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Lifetime Achievement for Andrew Jefford
BusinessWire reports that renowned wine writer and journalist Andrew Jefford was named the recipient of the 2026 Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented at the V d’Or awards ceremony by Kylie Minogue. Jefford is celebrated for his work with Decanter and The World of Fine Wine, and for his deep exploration of terroir.