All the medal-winning wines from The Spring Tasting 2026

The Spring Tasting is an eclectic affair, with wines of every imaginable style, but the quality of this year’s entries was higher than ever, says Patricia Stefanowicz MW.

IT OFTEN still feels like winter as we approach our Spring Tasting, but the wines judged in this year’s competition brightened things up no end. Many of the wines fall outside our Global Masters themes and grape varieties, so anything goes, and in 2026 we were pleased to have awarded a number of Bronze, Silver, Gold and Masters medals.

We started with a few low-and no-alcohol wines and some sparklers, where Busi Jacobsohn’s Brut from Sussex, Graham Beck’s Cuvée Clive, Codorníu’s Ars Collecta Blanc de Blancs and Champagne Henriot’s Cuvée Des Enchanteleurs won Golds. Champagne Henriot earned a Grand Master for L’Inattendue Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs.

White wines, both unoaked and oaked, also showed well. Austria always shines brightly with Grüner Veltliner, Riesling and blends. There were a few wines from the Iberian Peninsula, and Bodega Cuatro Rayas’ Pisuerga Verdejo stood out. Casale del Giglio, from just south of Rome, gave the judges a genuine thrill with its 100% Bellone, an obscure indigenous white variety that is making a well-justified comeback. Rose Family Estate from Marlborough in New Zealand also performed well, taking home a slew of Gold and Silver medals.

Among unoaked red wines, Bodegas Roqueblanca’s juicy Garnacha from Rioja and Famiglia Castellani’s powerful Primitivo from Puglia were deemed good-value Gold medal-winners.

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With oaked red wines, Rose Family Estate won a coveted Master for its Marlborough Pinot Noir at under £20, but real excitement started in the £20–£30 bracket, where there were Gold winners from Perelada’s Efímer in Catalunya, Rose Family Estate in Marlborough once again and Domino de Elbio Salvio in Ribero del Duero.

Above £30, the wines were fantastic. Legaris Gumiel de Mercado (Castilla y Léon), Artner Blaufränkisch (Carnuntum) and Remírez de Ganuza Viña Coqueta (Rioja) received Golds, and Kir-Yianni Diapora (Naoussa) gained a Master.

At stratospheric prices, Tuscany and Spain were stellar. From Tuscany, Banfi’s Poggio alle Mura and Vigna Marrucheto Brunello di Montalcinos, and Orma’s super-Tuscan blend, were brilliant examples. At similar price points from Spain, ElixSea’s Trident was a worthy Gold winner, and Remírez de Ganuza earned a Master for its Rioja Reserva, and a Grand Master for Trasnocho.

We finished the tasting with a couple of sweet wines. Rose Family Estate’s Wairau River Botrytised Riesling was given a Gold medal, and Gebrüder Nittnaus Scheurebe TBA was a truly exceptional Grand Master, proving that Neusiedlersee can produce brilliant sweet wines almost every year. An uplifting finale for a superb judging day.

Beer – Lager, IPA and Fruit Lager

Sparkling Tea No Alcohol

White Sparkling No Alcohol

White Sparkling Low Alcohol

Rosé Sparkling No Alcohol

Rosé Sparkling Low Alcohol

White Still Low Alcohol

Red Still No Alcohol

Red Still Low Alcohol

White Sparkling

White Sparkling (continued)

Rosé Sparkling

Still White Unoaked

Still White Oaked

Still Rosé Unoaked

Still Red Unoaked

Still Red Unoaked (continued)

Still Red Oaked

Still Red Oaked (continued)

Sweet Wine

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 2026 competition was judged on 18 February at Novotel London Bridge, employing experienced judges. The top entries were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and those expressions that stood out as being outstanding received the ultimate accolades – the titles of Spring Tasting Master or Grand 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 Aston at: [email protected]