Wine World's Oscars: IWC 2024 Awards Showcase Global Excellence

On July 10, 2024, the International Wine Challenge (IWC), renowned as the world's most influential and rigorously judged wine competition, unveiled the top wines and winemakers of its 2024 edition, marking its 40th anniversary. Following a series of blind tastings by an international panel of experts, wines from four countries clinched the highest honors in the categories of red, white, sparkling, sweet, and fortified wines. Additionally, five Winemakers of the Year were named across these categories, with winners hailing from France, Spain, Austria, and Australia.

France emerged as the most awarded country in this edition, securing four out of the ten Champion Wines and Winemaker awards. Burgundy producer Edouard Delaunay retained the prestigious title of IWC Champion Red Wine with its Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2021, while winemaker Laurent Delaunay was named IWC Red Winemaker of the Year for the fourth time. Laurent Delaunay amassed a total of 26 medals and nine trophies, making him the most awarded winemaker in this competition. Estelle Roy from La Chablisienne was honored as IWC White Winemaker of the Year following an outstanding performance that earned the producer 18 medals and three trophies for Chablis. Rare Champagne was awarded IWC Champion Sparkling Wine for the third consecutive year with its Millésime Magnum 2008, and Maison Albert Bichot received the French White Trophy for its Hospices de Beaune Cuvée Baudot Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières 2022.

Australia had a standout performance, particularly in sparkling wines. Ed Carr, head winemaker at House of Arras, became the first Australian to be named IWC Sparkling Winemaker of the Year. The sparkling wines from House of Arras garnered 12 medals, and its Blanc de Blancs 2014 won the Australian Sparkling Trophy. Australian wine critic James Halliday AM received the IWC Lifetime Achievement Award.

Georgia made history by winning the IWC Champion White Wine for the first time with a skin-contact wine from the Kakheti region, the Kisi Qvevri 2021 from Vazisubani Estate. The judges described this wine as "texturally chalky with flavors of baked apple and pear, ending with a rich and slightly astringent phenolic finish."

Italy shone in the sweet wine category with the Vinsanto di Carmignano Capezzana Riserva 2016 from Tenuta Di Capezzana, which secured the title of IWC Champion Sweet Wine, repeating successes from 2022, 2021, and 2019. Spain, meanwhile, reaffirmed its reputation in fortified wines with Bodegas Espinosa De Los Monteros winning the IWC Champion Fortified Wine with its Palo Cortado VORS. Sergio Martínez of Emilio Lustau was once again recognized as IWC Fortified Winemaker of the Year, a title he has won five times previously.

The producer from Burgenland, Hans Tschida of Weingut Angerhof Tschida, was awarded IWC Sweet Winemaker of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, amassing ten wins since 2010. In this edition, his sweet wines received nine gold medals, seven silver, three bronze, and one trophy.

The champion wines of the IWC 2024 include: Rare Champagne's Millésime Magnum 2008 as IWC Champion Sparkling Wine, Edouard Delaunay's Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2021 as IWC Champion Red Wine, Vazisubani Estate's Kisi Qvevri 2021 as IWC Champion White Wine, Tenuta Di Capezzana's Vinsanto di Carmignano Capezzana Riserva 2016 as IWC Champion Sweet Wine, and Bodegas Espinosa De Los Monteros' Palo Cortado VORS as IWC Champion Fortified Wine.

The winemakers of the year at the IWC 2024 are Estelle Roy of La Chablisienne (White Winemaker of the Year), Laurent Delaunay of Edouard Delaunay (Red Winemaker of the Year), Ed Carr of House of Arras (Sparkling Winemaker of the Year), Sergio Martínez of Emilio Lustau (Fortified Winemaker of the Year), and Hans Tschida of Weingut Angerhof Tschida (Sweet Winemaker of the Year).