‘A world-class producer’: English wines toast record gold medal haul

English wines won the highest percentage of gold medals per entry in a global competition, with experts describing the improvement as remarkable.

At the International Wine Challenge, English wines are winning more gold medals than ever. In 2025, the country won 10, but this year it was awarded 25.

Sam Caporn, a master of wine, said: “I think there are a number of reasons why England did so well this year. One of them is that for many of the top producers, the vines are getting older which leads to greater quality; Nyetimber’s first vintage for example was in 1992 so actually over 30 years ago now.”

She added that the wines were being matured for longer: “There is also the possibility of increased bottle age – Wiston for example, won a trophy for their Cuvee 2009 Magnum and reserve wines are also taking on more complexity with every year that goes by.”

As the climate changes, vineyards, particularly in the south of England, can expect more sunny days and warmer weather. However, extreme weather including drought can often have the adverse effect in threatening food crops.

Oz Clarke, the co-chair of the IWC, said: “The improvement in English wine over the past decade has been remarkable. Growers now understand their vineyards far better, winemaking has become more precise, and there’s a real confidence about what England can achieve, particularly with sparkling wine. The results at this year’s International Wine Challenge show just how far things have come: English wines are being judged alongside the world’s best and are winning on quality alone. It’s very exciting to see.”

Caporn said: “Arguably newer producers and plantings are also learning from their predecessors with an understanding of how important microclimate is as well as soil, coupled with using a whole raft of different clones and rootstocks for better blending options. It’s a really exciting time for English wine right now with an appreciation of newer regions such as the Crouch Valley in Essex and consequently still wines are also coming into their own and not just sparkling. It’s a truly exciting time for our industry and really rewarding for the winners to see the plaudits they richly deserve being awarded to our homegrown talent.”

Supermarket wines in England did particularly well in the competition with bargain bottles from Aldi, Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s winning gold medals.