All the medallists from The Global Under £15 Masters 2026

It’s harder than ever to produce quality wines on a tight budget, but the excellence of this year’s entries was there for all to see, reports Patrick Schmitt MW.

PRODUCING INEXPENSIVE wine today is increasingly challenging. Every aspect of production is becoming more costly, from labour and taxes to the growing impact of extreme weather on yields and quality.

Given these pressures, a tasting competition focused on wines retailing for less than £15 might be expected to yield few high-scoring entries. While this price point is rarely home to near-perfect bottles, the overall standard of the contest was encouragingly high, with several excellent wines demonstrating that true quality can still be achieved on a budget.

So, what styles stood out, and where did they come from? In the following pages, you’ll find the full range of medal-winning entries, along with judges’ tasting notes on the top performers.

Among unoaked whites, aromatic varieties performed particularly well, including Riesling, Viognier and Gewürztraminer. Notably, the strongest examples came from Chile, especially from Cono Sur, a producer that has built its reputation on delivering fresh, characterful wines at highly competitive prices. Its reds, particularly Pinot Noir, are equally impressive – no small feat given the difficulty of producing fine examples of this variety, even without strict budget constraints.

There were also some appealingly unconventional whites, from a Torrontés by Bodega Los Haroldos in Mendoza to a non-vintage Spanish blend from The Guv’nor, and an Albariño from Spier Wine Farm in the Western Cape. A strong showing of vibrant, refreshing Sauvignon Blancs came from regions as diverse as the Loire, South Africa, Chile, Spain and Marlborough, including a relative newcomer from the latter region: All Good Things. In the oaked white category,

Chardonnay dominated, including a standout example from South Africa’s Bruce Jack Wines. So impressive was this wine that the judges felt it would merit a gold medal at twice, if not three times, its price, drawing comparisons with fine white Burgundy. It was duly named Under £15 Masters Best in Class.

SUPERB VALUE

Among the reds, the unoaked flight featured a lively, fruit-driven Pinot Noir from J de Villebois, awarded Gold for its Vin de France expression, alongside a superb-value Touriga Nacional from Portugal’s Dão region.

Oaked reds were more numerous, with excellent-value examples of Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec and Syrah from Chile, Australia and South Africa. Close behind were a number of well-made, affordable reds from these countries, as well as from Spain and Portugal. As judging chair Jonathan Pedley MW observed: “The tasting demonstrated that decent wines are available at sensible prices; our Golds had purity, good fruit and balanced palates.”

This is clearly good news for consumers, particularly those new to wine, whose first experiences often fall within this price bracket. If those entry-level wines are appealing, consumers are more likely to remain engaged and trade up over time; a disappointing bottle can have the opposite effect. Given that the majority of wine is sold below £15, this makes it our most commercially significant tasting of the year. It also explains why it is so reassuring to see such a strong line-up of wines in this competition.

Sparkling White

Sparkling Rosé

Still White Unoaked

Still White Oaked

Still Rosé Unoaked

Still Red Unoaked

Still Red Oaked

About the competition

With high-quality judges and a unique sampling process, The Global Under £15 Masters provides a chance for your wines to shine. The 2026 competition was judged on 15 April at the Wilton Arms in London, employing experienced judges. The top entries were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and the entrant that stood out as being outstanding received the ultimate accolade: the title of Under £15 Masters Best in Class. 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].