On June 17, the results of the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA)—the world’s largest and one of the most prestigious wine competitions—were announced. This year, nearly 17,000 wines from 58 countries were evaluated blind by 245 leading experts, including 63 Masters of Wine and 24 Master Sommeliers.
However, the main news isn’t just about the scale of the competition. The results of the DWWA 2026 highlight an important trend: high-quality wine is no longer the exclusive domain of a few historic regions. Today, outstanding wines are being produced all over the world—from classic European appellations to new and lesser-known wine-growing regions.
Ukrainian wineries won 73 medals, which we’ll discuss further in this article. As a reminder, the best Ukrainian wines were also honored in May in Kyiv at the Uwines Awards 2026; you can view the winners here. You can sample the winners of both competitions at the Uwines Ukrainian wine bar (Kyiv, 5 Hetmana Pavla Skoropadskogo St.)
Record-Breaking Quality
According to the organizers, DWWA 2026 was the most competitive competition in its 23-year history. The percentage of wines that received Platinum, Gold, and Silver medals was the highest in the award’s history.
The results are as follows:
50 Best in Show awards
196 Platinum medals
924 Gold medals
6,193 Silver medals
6,805 Bronze medals
This does not indicate a lowering of standards, but rather—on the contrary—a global rise in winemaking quality thanks to advances in viticulture, technology, and a deeper understanding of terroir.
Ukraine at the DWWA 2026: 73 Medals and New Market Leaders
Against the backdrop of this global rise in wine quality, the results of Ukrainian producers at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 are particularly noteworthy. This year, Ukrainian wines won 73 awards at the Bronze, Silver, and higher levels, confirming the country’s gradual strengthening of its position on the international stage.
It is particularly noteworthy that the award-winning wines include both large producers and small craft wineries from various regions of Ukraine—from Bessarabia and Odesa to Zakarpattia, Podillia, Galicia, and even Chernihiv.
Top Ukrainian Wines at the DWWA 2026
94 points
Chateau Chizay Late Harvest Furmint 2022 — 94 points
Shabo Grande Cuvée Extra Brut 2015 — 94 points
93 points
Shabo Grande Reserve Cabernet Franc – Merlot – Saperavi 2023 — 93 points
Beykush Amphora Rkatsiteli 2024 — 93 points
92 points
Odesos Winery Limited Edition Cabernet Sauvignon – Odesa Black – Merlot 2023 — 92 points
Shabo Grande Reserve Pinot Noir 2024 — 92 points
Gigi Winery Qvevri 2024 — 92 points
91 points
Grande Vallée Méthode Traditionnelle 60 Months Brut 2018 — 91 points
Vinoman Odesa Black 2023 — 91 points
The Most Successful Ukrainian Wineries
Shabo — The Undisputed Leader of the Year
Shabo was Ukraine’s top winner at the DWWA 2026.
Top Scores:
Grande Cuvée Extra Brut 2015 — 94
Grande Reserve Cabernet Franc-Merlot-Saperavi 2023 — 93
Grande Reserve Pinot Noir 2024 — 92
Limited Edition Rkatsiteli-Chardonnay 2022 — 90
Reserve Cabernet 2024 — 88
Grand Reserve Chardonnay Brut 2021 — 87
Iukuridze Family Wine Heritage 2016 — 88
7 wines scored between 87 and 94 points.
Beykush
Another leader in the Ukrainian rankings.
Amphora Rkatsiteli 2024 — 93
Telti-Kuruk 2025 — 90
Artania 2024 — 90
Pinotage 2025 — 89
Arbina Rkatsiteli 2023 — 89
The strong showing of white and orange wines is particularly noteworthy.
Gigi Winery
One of the biggest surprises of the year.
Qvevri 2024 — 92
Qvevri Orange 2024 — 89
Pet-Nat 2025 — 87
For a young winery from Podillia, this is a very strong international result.
Chateau Chizay
Late Harvest Furmint 2022 — 94
Founder’s Reserve Furmint 2023 — 88
Troyanda Karpat 2021 — 87
It was Transcarpathia that gave Ukraine the highest-rated wine of the year.
The Odesa Black variety continues to triumph
If you look at the list of medalists, it’s easy to spot a pattern.
Odesa Black regularly appears among the best Ukrainian wines:
Terra Bessarabia Odesa Black 2025 — 90
Vinoman Odesa Black 2023 — 91
Leleka Wines Odesa Black 2023 — 90
Bolgrad Select Collection Odesa Black 2025 — 88
Leleka Reserve Odesa Black 2023 — 86
Villa Tinta Odesa Black 2021 — 86
Driukivski Vyna Odessa Black 2024 — 89
Big Wines Big Art Odesa Black 2024 — 87
This once again confirms that Odesa Black is becoming one of the most successful Ukrainian grape varieties at international competitions.
Orange wines — a Ukrainian strength.
The global trend toward orange wines is fully confirmed by the results from Ukraine.
Among the most successful:
Beykush Amphora Rkatsiteli 2024 — 93
Chateau Pinot Pinot Blanc Orange 2022 — 90
Shabo Limited Edition Rkatsiteli-Chardonnay 2022 — 90
46 Parallel El Capitan Orange 2024 — 90
Zelenytsi Muscat Orange 2024 — 90
Gigi Qvevri Orange 2024 — 89
Beykush Arbina Rkatsiteli 2023 — 89
Biologist Orange Traminer 2024 — 87
Sass Rhyolite 2024 — 87
For a country that is just beginning to establish its international image, this could become a distinct competitive advantage.
Five Major Trends at the DWWA 2026
1. Great wines are emerging from an increasing number of regions
Wines from 56 countries around the world received medals. Particularly noteworthy were the first historic successes for a number of regions:
the first Platinum medals for Castilla-La Mancha in Spain;
the first Platinum medal for Savoie in France;
the first Gold medal for Pico Island in the Azores;
the first Gold medals for Texas in the U.S.;
strong results from Virginia and other emerging wine regions.
The global map of quality wine continues to expand rapidly.
2. Indigenous grape varieties are experiencing a true renaissance
One of the most interesting trends has been the success of local grape varieties.
Among the most notable results:
Plavac Mali (Croatia) — Best in Show;
Callet (Mallorca) — Gold;
Altesse (Savoy) — Platinum;
Robola (Greece) — Gold;
Kisi (Georgia) — Platinum;
Petite Arvine (Switzerland) — Platinum;
Prieto Picudo and Albillo Mayor (Spain) — among the country’s best wines.
This is a particularly important signal for Ukraine. The world is increasingly interested in unique local varieties and regional identity, rather than just international classics.
3. The value for money has never been better
The DWWA 2026 showed that excellent wines no longer have to be expensive.
Among the leaders in terms of “value for money” were wines from:
Portugal;
Spain;
Italy;
Argentina;
Australia.
For consumers, this means more opportunities to discover high-quality wines without having to spend a fortune.
4. Sparkling wines continue to surprise
Although Champagne remains the benchmark, an increasing number of regions are demonstrating world-class production of sparkling wines.
Among the most interesting results:
Franciacorta’s first Best in Show;
another Best in Show for English sparkling wine;
a historic Platinum for Berkshire;
strong results from Tasmania;
the first Gold for Brazilian Moscato;
and Platinum for Canadian Icewine Sparkling.
The sparkling wine category is becoming increasingly global and competitive.
5. Orange wines have finally entered the mainstream
Orange wines are no longer viewed as a niche product.
In 2026:
Argentina won its first Gold medal for an orange wine;
Georgia won 2 Gold and 15 Silver medals for its orange wines;
Italy and France also strengthened their positions in this category.
The global market is increasingly recognizing alternative wine styles as an integral part of modern wine culture.
What does this mean for Ukraine?
The results of the 2026 DWWA highlight several trends that are particularly important for Ukrainian winemaking.
First, the world is becoming increasingly open to new wine regions. The success stories of Texas, Savoy, the Azores, and Croatia show that quality can attract attention even without a centuries-old marketing legacy.
Second, there is growing interest in local grape varieties and regional authenticity. This is precisely one of the main strengths of Ukrainian wine today.
Third, consumers are actively seeking new discoveries. They are willing to try wines from new countries, new grape varieties, and new styles, provided they are backed by a high-quality product and a compelling story.
A New Era for the Global Wine Industry.
DWWA 2026 has once again confirmed that the modern world of wine has expanded far beyond traditional notions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, or Tuscany.
Today, exceptional wines are produced in dozens of countries, from hundreds of different grape varieties, and in a wide variety of styles. For wine lovers, this means only one thing—never before have there been so many opportunities to discover new wines and new wine regions.
And this is good news for Ukrainian wine. The global trend is moving precisely toward diversity, authenticity, and new stories—and that is exactly what Ukraine can offer the world.
In Kyiv, you can sample the competition’s winning wines and other top Ukrainian wines at the Uwines Ukrainian wine space, located at 5 Hetman Pavlo Skoropadskyi Street.
Source: uwines.com.ua
