8 July 2022
40 Best Wines in the World as judged at the International Wine Challenge 2022

Vincent Bartement from La Chablisienne, IWC White Winemaker of the YearThe International Wine Challenge, the world’s most influential, impartial and rigorously judged winecompetition, has announced the 40 highest scoring wines in its 2022 competition.
Following a series of rigorous blind tastings, winners from sixteen countries were named the best wines in theworld, as judged by a panel of leading global wine experts. Of these 40 exceptional wines, five were awarded
the ultimate accolade of Champion which is a title reserved for wines that are deemed the absolute best-inclass in the categories of red, white, sparkling, sweet and fortified.
FRANCE EXCELS WINNING TWO OUT OF FIVE CHAMPION TROPHIESFrance excelled in this year’s challenge, achieving the most medals overall and also earning two covetedChampion trophies. Northern Rhône producer Maison Delas Frères beat wines from over fifty countries tosecure the Champion Red Trophy for its Les Bessards 2019, which was also awarded the International Syrah
Trophy. The Champion Sparkling Trophy went to Rare Champagne for its Rare Millésime 2008 while it wasCharles Heidsieck’s Chef de Cave, Cyril Brun, who was named IWC Sparkling Winemaker of the Year. Frenchwinemakers were also recognised for their expertise in still wine production. Vincent Bartement from La
Chablisienne was named IWC White Winemaker of the Year while Christophe Briotet from Edouard Delaunay
won IWC Red Winemaker of the Year, an accolade he received in 2021 for his white wines.
SPAIN WINS CHAMPION FORTIFIED TROPHY
Spain enhanced its credentials as a producer of world-class fortified wine with Bodegas Tradición winning theChampion Fortified Trophy for its Oloroso Tradición VORS which judges described as having “an almosteternal finish.” Spain also took home the Vermouth Trophy for the Cabecita Loca Vermouth as well as afurther three trophies, making it one of the best performing countries in this year’s challenge. Galician
producer Bodegas Altos de Torona was awarded the Spanish White Trophy for its Albariño 2021, the Spanish
Red Trophy went to Legaris for its Alcubilla De Avellaneda 2018 and Bodegas Villa Conchi took home theCava Trophy for its Extra Brut Imperial Reserva 2018.
ITALIAN PRODUCER TENUTA DI CAPEZZANA WINS CHAMPION SWEET WINE TROPHY TWO YEARS IN A ROW
For the second year in a row, Tuscany producer Tenuta Di Capezzana was awarded the Champion Sweet Wine
Trophy for its Vinsanto di Carmignano Capezzana Riserva 2014. Meanwhile, Sardinian producer Antonella

Corda impressed judges with the “lovely savoury edge” of its Cannonau Di Sardegna 2020, earning it theItalian Red Trophy this year. Further north in the Veneto, Col Vetoraz Spumanti was awarded the Prosecco
Trophy for its Valdobbiadene Superiore Di Cartizze 2021.
Co-Chair Peter McCombie MW commented: ‘The International Wine Challenge judging panel includes experts
from all around the world and each trophy winning wine is tasted by at least three panels, meaning that eachwine is judged as fairly as possible and entirely on its own merits. This year’s top 40 features many familiarnames but it is great to see wines from lesser-known regions standing up on the global stage too.”
The 40 Best Wines in the World as judged by the International Wine Challenge 2022 are included below:
FranceRare Champagne Millésime 2008

IWC Champion Sparkling Wine 2022 - DanielThibault Trophy , Champagne Trophy, Vintage
Classic Blend Champagne Trophy

FranceMaison Delas Frères Les Bessards
2019

IWC Champion Red Wine 2022, InternationalSyrah Trophy, French Red Trophy, Hermitage
Trophy, Rhone Red Trophy

New ZealandTrinity Hill Wines Gimblett Gravels
Chardonnay 2020

IWC Champion White Wine 2022, IWC Sustainable
Trophy 2022, International Chardonnay Trophy,
New Zealand White Trophy, Hawkes BayChardonnay Trophy

Italy

Tenuta Di Capezzana Vinsanto di
Carmignano Capezzana Riserva 2014

IWC Champion Sweet Wine 2022 - Alois Kracher
Trophy, Italian Sweet Trophy

SpainBodegas Tradicion Oloroso Tradicion
VORS

IWC Champion Fortified Wine 2022 - ManuelLozano Trophy , Sherry Trophy, Oloroso Trophy

Argentina

Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec
2020
The Ethereal One Fleurieu Grenache
2020

Argentinian Red Trophy

Australia

Galway Pipe Rare Tawny 25 Years

Australian Fortified Trophy

Australia

House of Arras EJ Carr Late
Disgorged 2006
Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay
2020

Australian Sparkling Trophy

Austria

FJ Gritsch Riesling Ried Kalkofen
Smaragd 2020

Austrian White Trophy

Austria

Hans Tschida Angerhof Sämling 88
Beerenauslese 2010

Austrian Sweet Trophy, Austrian Samling 88Trophy

CanadaFlat Rock Cellars Riesling 2019

Canadian White Trophy

CanadaReif Estate Grand Reserve Vidal
Icewine 2019

Canadian Ice Wine Trophy

Chile1865 Selected Vineyards Carmenere2020

Chilean Red Trophy, Carmenere Trophy

Australia

Australia

International Grenache Trophy, Australian RedTrophy, South Australian Grenache Trophy

Australian White Trophy, Australian Chardonnay
Trophy, Tasmanian Chardonnay Trophy

EnglandHighweald Brut Reserve NVBest Wine in First Year of Production, English
Sparkling Trophy, Non Vintage English Sparkling
TrophyEnglandArtelium Artefact #2 Barrel AgedChardonnay 2020

English White Trophy

FranceMaison Albert Bichot Clos de laRoche Grand Cru Cuvée Cyrot
Chaudron Hospices de Beaune 2020

International Pinot Noir Trophy, Clos de la RocheTrophy, Red Burgundy Trophy

FranceMaison Albert Bichot Meursault 1er
Cru Les Charmes Cuvée Albert
Grivault Hospices de Beaune 2020

French White Trophy, White Burgundy Trophy,
Meursault Trophy

Georgia

Teliani Valley JSC Glekhuri Khikhvi
Qvevri 2019

Georgian White Trophy, Khikhvi Trophy

Germany

Weingut Hans Wirsching Iphöfer
Kammer Riesling Großes Gewächs
2019
Weingut Reiss Würzburger
Pfaffenberg Silvaner Auslese 2020

International Riesling Trophy, German WhiteTrophy

Italy

Col Vetoraz Spumanti Valdobbiadene
Superiore Di Cartizze 2021

Prosecco Trophy

Italy

Antonella Corda Cannonau DiSardegna 2020

Italian Red Trophy, Sardinian Red Trophy

New ZealandYealands Estate Single Block S1
Sauvignon Blanc 2021

International Sauvignon Blanc Trophy,Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Trophy

New Zealand

Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Syrah
2019

IWC Organic Trophy 2022, Marlborough Syrah
TrophyNew Zealand

McArthur Ridge Southern Tor 2020

New Zealand Red Trophy, Otago Pinot Noir Trophy

New Zealand

Giesen The Brothers Late HarvestSauvignon Blanc 2017

New Zealand Sweet Trophy

North
Macedonia
Portugal

Tikves Merak 2021

North Macedonian Trophy

Justino's Madeira Verdelho 1997

Madeira Trophy

Portugal

Dalva Porto Colheita Tawny 1985

Port Trophy, Colheita Port Trophy

Portugal

Catedral Dão Reserva Tinto 2021

Portuguese Red Trophy, Dao Trophy

South Africa

Spar Reserve Chenin Blanc Fairtrade2021
Neil Ellis Whitehall Chardonnay 2020

IWC Fairtrade Award 2022

South Africa

Bouchard Finlayson Tete de Cuvee
Pinot Noir 2020

South African Red Trophy

Spain

Cabecita Loca Vermouth NVVermouth Trophy

Spain

Villa Conchi Extra Brut Imperial
Reserva 2018

Cava Trophy

GermanySouth Africa

German Sweet Trophy

South African White Trophy, South African
Chardonnay TrophySpainSpanish White Trophy, Rías Baixas Trophy

Spain

Bodegas Altos de Torona Albariño
2021
Legaris Alcubilla De Avellaneda 2018

Uruguay

Garzón Single Vineyard Tannat 2020

Uruguay Red Trophy

Spanish Red Trophy, Ribera Del Duero Trophy

The full list of Trophy and Champion award winners at the 2022 International Wine Challenge released on 7thJuly can be found here.
ENDS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NOTES TO EDITORS:The International Wine Challenge
In its 39th year, the International Wine Challenge is accepted as the world’s most rigorous, impartial and influential winecompetition. The International Wine Challenge assesses every wine ‘blind’ and judges each for its faithfulness to style, region
and vintage. Awards include medals (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and Commended awards. Trophies are awarded to the very bestwines in each category. The International Wine Challenge is committed to helping consumers discover great wine, and themedals displayed on winning bottles offer a trusted guarantee of quality.
For more information on the IWC, please contact the IWC team at Phipps
iwc@thisisphipps.com: +44 (0)2039682455