All the medallists from The Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters 2026

With a bumper entry and a cosmopolitan list of origins, the Cabernet Sauvignon Masters is one of the most anticipated tastings of the year, says Siobhan Turner MW.

ONCE AGAIN, COMO at the Halkin in London was the venue for one of the largest tastings of the db calendar, the Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters. Three panels, totalling 10 judges, tasted 151 wines in total. Chilean wineries submitted the largest number of entries – 38 wines – with Australia not far behind at 33, followed by South Africa (24), the US (22) and Argentina (17).

Spain, Italy, Romania, Mexico, Portugal and India were also represented, and it was a joy to see India and Portugal both gain Silver medals with their single entries, and Mexico receive a Silver and a Bronze for its two wines.

Overall, we awarded one Master and one Grand Master, both to US wines, and 42 Golds, of which 14 went to the US and 10 to Australia, with Golds also being awarded to South Africa (7), Chile (7) and Argentina (1). Spain received three Golds, which when allied to its two Silvers made for a particularly impressive average overall score.

Of course, not all was sunshine and roses. One Tuscan wine was put out for a double of cork taint, a far from ideal situation given the technology and options now available, and particularly so for a wine priced at £50 per bottle.

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More widely, there was an unsurprising correlation between price and performance. Although it is relatively easy to make an acceptable Cabernet Sauvignon at a cheap price point, it is much more difficult to make one with interest, layers, depth and concentration, as well as the polish that fine oak will give, at anything below £20 a bottle. One notable exception was Concha y Toro’s Casillero del Diablo, priced at £8 a bottle, which won a deserved Gold medal, a rare achievement for a wine in this price bracket, and the bargain of the day.

POLISHED AND INTENSE

The Master winners were unanimously polished, intense and accomplished, and, interestingly, an exception in one case to the “more money, more wine” rule we had generally observed. The 2021 Alexander School Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, from Alexander Valley Vineyards in Sonoma, priced at £45 a bottle, was my personal wine of the tasting, with an intense and complex nose, and, as one judge put it, “an insanely voluptuous mouthfeel”. This was truly delicious, and certainly outperforms its price point, particularly given its California origin.

The overall Grand Master was another California wine, Sequoia Grove’s Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, with layered berry fruit, chocolate and caramelised almonds on the nose, and an intense, polished and delicious palate, proving that Cabernet Sauvignon in its purest expression is perhaps most at home in the Napa Valley.

White Sparkling 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Red Unoaked 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Red Oaked 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Red Oaked 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (continued)

Red Oaked 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (continued)

Red Unoaked Cabernet Sauvignon blend

Red Oaked Cabernet Sauvignon blend

Red Oaked Cabernet Sauvignon blend (continued)

About the competition

With high-quality judges and a unique sampling process, The Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters provides a chance for your wines to shine. The 2026 competition was judged on 8 April at COMO Halkin in London, 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 Global Cabernet Sauvignon 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]