All the medal-winning wines from The Spring Tasting 2025

Our annual spring tasting always provides an eclectic selection of fascinating wines, and this year was no exception, writes Patricia Stefanowicz MW.

JUST AS the earliest of the buds on grape vines appear, the drinks business holds its annual Spring Tasting Masters. The judges anticipate exciting, intriguing wines, and the day is an early opportunity to see what producers of the widest possible variety of wines are putting forward for the New Year.

In 2025, we had a large and fairly broad entry, so we were pleased to see many wines achieving medals. The sole Grand Master is so extraordinary that at least one judge considered awarding it 100 points. Praise, indeed.

Sparkling wines wake up our palates and are always a diverse group. Busi Jacobsohn’s Classic Cuvée and Blanc de Blancs from East Sussex, and Perlage’s Afra Veneto rosé, were awarded Golds, and our Grand Master was Champagne Pommery’s Chardonnay-dominated Cuvée Louise Brut 2006. There were Silver medals from places as diverse as the Veneto, northern Spain and Germany for Kylie Minogue’s signature white and rosé no-alcohol sparklings. The judges found some delicious wines from different grape varieties and blends.

White wines, both unoaked and oaked, offered plenty of appeal, but Austria was, perhaps, the star this year. Weinwurm’s specially designed ‘Asia Blend’ Cuvée White (Niederösterreich) and Kodolitsch’s gently oaked Sauvignon Blanc (Südsteiermark) were awarded Golds, while several Grüner Veltliners from Kracher, Aigner and Artner garnered Silvers, as did a few Rieslings and, inevitably, a couple of Chardonnays. Mouton Cadet Classic Blanc, an affordable Sauvignon Blanc blend from the Baron Philippe de Rothschild stable, won a well-deserved Gold medal.

Rapaura Springs Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough led the New World wines, justly earning a Gold medal, while Bruce Jack’s oaked Clairette Blanche, grown in South Africa, won a Silver.

Partner Content

JGC’S González: ‘Our philosophy is simple common sense’

Champagne Tsarine to launch first zero dosage cuvée to mark 30th year

Masterclass proves the UK should look out for Lisboa

Rotari brings mountain-born sparkle to the holiday season

Iberian excellence

There were a few wines from the Iberian Peninsula. Clos d’Agon Blanco, using Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier grapes from Catalunya, was awarded a Silver and Gold medal-winning Quinta do Noval’s Reserva white, made from indigenous Viosinho and Gouveio grapes in the Upper Douro, indicates the possibilities for excellent white wines from those regions.

There were only a handful of rosé wines shown here, but it is worth pointing out that northern Spain is a rational alternative to the ubiquitous Provence. Unoaked red wines were mostly inexpensive, being mainly priced under £15, and the judges found a few easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing wines, including Pata Negra Apasionado Organic Monastrell from Murcia, and VIK A Cabernet Franc from Chile.

It seems, however, that most red wines benefit from careful ageing in, or with, some form of wood. Among the oaked wines, Sietecerros’ Pata Negra Toro Roble and Marqués de Carrión’s Rioja Reserva both proved to be good, affordable, quaffable wines.

Real excitement among the oaked red wines started at £30, where there were Gold medal winners from Alpha Estate (Greece), Bellevue Wine Estate (South Africa) and Quinta do Noval (Portugal) as well as very good Silvers from Domaine Skouras (Greece), Castello di Radda (Italy) and Marqués de Cáceres (Spain). At stratospheric prices, moving above the £70 level, some of the wines the judges tasted on the day were fantastic. Brunello di Montalcinos from Banfi (Poggio alle Mura) and Argiano were absolute stand-out wines to shout about – providing a great coda to a very enjoyable judging day.

White Sparkling – No Alcohol

Rosé Sparkling – No Alcohol

Still White Unoaked – No Alcohol

Still Rosé Unoaked – No Alcohol

Still Red Unoaked – No Alcohol

White Sparkling

Rosé Sparkling

Still White – Unoaked

Still White – Oaked

Still Rosé – Unoaked

Still Red – Unoaked

Still Red – Oaked

Still Red – Oaked (continued)

About the competition

With high-quality judges and a unique sampling process, The Spring Tasting Masters provides a chance for your wines to shine. The 2025 competition was judged on 18 February at Old Queen Street Cafe in London, employing experienced judges. The top wines were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and those expressions that stood out as being outstanding received the ultimate accolade – the title of Spring Tasting Master. This report features medal winners only. Please visit the Global Masters website for more information or, to enter future competitions, with a chance to appear in print and online, call: +44 (0) 20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Raichura at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com