Award-Winning Red Wine

Award-winning red wines are those that have been independently tasted, analyzed and reviewed by an independent third party that specializes in evaluating and rating wines. Based on the high quality of the wine, the judging panel, journalist or critic will award it an official rating (typically a medal, trophy or high score on the 100-point scale used by most organizations, or less often the 20-point scale, which is more common in the UK).

Major international competitions typically receive hundreds, if not thousands, of entries of wine from around the world. Some of the most prominent wine shows include the Decanter World Wine Awards, the International Wine Challenge, the International Wine & Spirit Competition, the San Francisco International Wine Competition, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Mundus Vini and Berlin Wine Trophy. These organizations usually award bronze, silver, gold (and sometimes platinum) medals to the top wines in each category, often with more prestigious overall awards (like a trophy) for the best wines of the show overall. Some of these competitions also award a score out of 100 to the winning wines, in addition to a medal or trophy. Beyond these larger international shows, there are national competitions, such as the Concours de Bordeaux in France or Vinitaly in (you guessed it) Italy.

The world’s top wine critics typically rate wines on a scale of 100, which was popularized by the world’s most famous wine critic, Robert Parker (he is now retired, though his publication The Wine Advocate is still active and influential). Wines awarded a score of 90 points or higher are typically considered to be of excellent quality. Price also plays a factor, so more affordable wines, receiving a rating in the high 80s can also often be seen as a mark of quality.

Some of these critics work for established wine magazines, such as Wine Spectator (for example James Molesworth, who covers Napa Bordeaux and other regions), Wine Enthusiast or Decanter. Increasingly, many prominent critics have set up their own organizations, which typically publish scores and reviews of different regions’ wines online, although some also maintain print publications in addition to their online presence. Some of the most prominent critics include those writing for The Wine Advocate (founded by Robert Parker), Allen Meadows (Burghound.com), Andreas Larsson (Andreas-Larsson.com), Antonio Galloni (Vinous.com), James Suckling (James Suckling.com), Jamie Goode (Wineanorak.com), Jancis Robinson (JancisRobninson.com), Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux), Jasper Morris (InsideBurgundy.com), Luca Maroni (LucaMaroni.com), Raffaele Vecchione (WinesCritic.com), Lisa Perroti-Brown (TheWineIndependent.com) and Tim Atkin (TimAtkin.com).

A score of 90 points or higher, or of 17 points or higher on Jancis Robinson’s 20-point scale, typically indicate a wine of very high quality. Each critic has their own style of review that accompanies the score, and they can be short (a few sentences) or longer (up to 3-4 paragraphs per wine). Some critics tend to score more highly in general than others, and it is important for consumers to read the reviews of the wines to get a feel for a critic’s individual palate and preferences. That way, consumers can prioritize ratings and reviews from the critics who have similar tastes to them.

There are also wine journalists employed by well-respected newspapers such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Financial Times. While these journalists review individual wines, they typically don’t give them awards or points but tend to write about the style or quality of the wines in the context of a greater theme (although sometimes stars or other markings of quality may be given to individual wines).

Beyond this, many countries have famous wine guides, for example Gilbert & Gaillard, Bettane et Desseauve, Gault & Millau or Le Revue du Vin de France in France, Platter’s Wine Guide in South Africa, the Halliday Wine Companion in Australia, Guía Peñin in Spain and Gambero Rosso in Italy (which gives out its famous Tre Bicchieri ratings to the best wines in each category). These can serve as important resources for consumers looking to purchase wines from these respective countries. Many of them have their own rating system, and some of the awards given to the best-scoring wines are an important endorsement for a wine’s quality.

Buying an award-winning red wine does not necessarily guarantee that a consumer will like it, but it does mean that the wine was judged to be of high quality from an independent expert or panel.

Our own wine range features over 500 different wines from around the world, many of which have achieved critical acclaim or awards, and all of which have been selected by our local experts to be of outstanding quality and value for their respective styles. Start shopping today.

Critics often recognize award-winning red wines with high scores—typically 90 points or higher on the widely used 100-point scale, or 17 points or more on the 20-point system, which is favored by some UK-based critics like Jancis Robinson. In wine competitions, also known as wine shows, standout wines are awarded medals in ascending order of bronze, silver, gold, or platinum. The very best wines may also win a trophy, which is a top honor. These medal-winning and trophy-winning wines are often accompanied by brief tasting notes and sometimes a numerical score. The highest achievers in these competitions may go on to claim an overall award, such as “Wine of Show,” “Winery of the Year” or “Great Value Champion,” which recognizes their excellence across the board.

In addition to points and medals, many wine publications feature their own unique awards to celebrate exceptional wines. For example, the Italian guide Gambero Rosso releases an annual list of Tre Bicchieri (“three glasses”) winners, considered one of the highest distinctions for wines, winemakers, or estates in Italy. Similarly, in Australia, James Halliday’s Wine Companion awards a prestigious 5-star rating to the country’s top wineries.

Positive mentions in articles by renowned wine journalists, such as those writing for The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal, can also elevate a wine’s reputation—even if it hasn’t won a specific award. Sometimes these publications include a star rating (often one to three stars) or a similar system to give readers a sense of the wine’s quality as judged by the writer, adding to its credibility and appeal.

Wine awards, such as points and medals, are typically tied to the specific vintage of the wine. For instance, a Napa Valley Cabernet from the 2024 vintage might earn a 90-point score, but there’s no guarantee that the same wine from a different vintage will receive an identical score from the same critic, publication or competition.

Red wines that earn critical acclaim and high-profile awards often become more desirable to consumers, which can lead to them selling out quickly. That said, many award-winning red wines remain available for purchase even a year or two after their initial release, offering plenty of opportunities to enjoy these celebrated bottles.

Explore our collection of award-winning red wines today.