IN BREVE
- Italy leads the way at the Mundus Vini Summer Tasting 2026 with 466 award-winning wines, surpassing Spain and Germany.
- The competition evaluated 2,974 wines, with a total of 1,698 awards granted: 57.1%.
- Roberto Sarotto triumphs with two Best of Show awards, and Veneto leads the Italian medal table with 97 awarded wines.
- Portugal and Spain achieve significant awards, while countries such as Mexico and New Zealand also stand out.
- The competition also awarded dealcoholised wines, with Italy obtaining significant recognition in the alcohol-free segment.
Italy finishes in first place at the Mundus Vini Summer Tasting 2026, with 466 awarded wines: 5 Grand Gold, 287 Gold, and 174 Silver. This result places Italian wine ahead of Spain and Germany in the summer session of the international competition organized by Meininger, now in its twenty-fifth year.
In Neustadt an der Weinstraße, 2,830 wines were evaluated, in addition to 144 alcohol-free products. The international panel therefore tasted a total of 2,974 samples. There were 1,698 awards granted to the wines (57.1%): 15 Grand Gold, 1,040 Gold, and 643 Silver.
ITALY FIRST, VENETO THE MOST AWARDED REGION
Behind Italy sits Spain, with 282 awarded wines. Following are Germany with 204, Portugal with 163, and France with 100. Good results also for Georgia and Romania, both with 60 medals, South Africa with 58, and Austria with 51. Completing the picture are Moldova with 29 awards, Greece with 23, and North Macedonia and Hungary with 21 each.
In the Italian medal table, Veneto leads with 97 awarded wines, ahead of Tuscany with 69 and Puglia with 60. In Spain, the competition is tight between Castilla y León, at 61, and Rioja, with 60 awards. Among the German regions, the Palatinate prevails with 65 medals, followed by Württemberg with 44, Rheinhessen with 23, and Baden with 21.
FROM BAROLO AND BARBARESCO TO TRENTODOC AND PROSECCO
Italian leadership is also confirmed in the Best of Show awards, given to the best wines in their respective categories. Roberto Sarotto obtains two awards with the Pezole Barolo Riserva Docg 2016, Best of Show Barolo, and the Currà Barbaresco Riserva Docg 2020, Best of Show Barbaresco.
Among the protagonists is also Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino Docg 2021. On the sparkling wine front, the Rotari Brut Riserva Trentodoc 2022 and the Molera Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Docg 2025 by Bisol stand out. The Italian results also include awards for Cantina Tollo in Abruzzo, Kellerei Meran in Alto Adige, and Cantine Torrevento in Puglia.
The title of Best Producer Italy was awarded to IWB Italia, while Fattoria La Vialla obtained the recognition of Best Organic Producer.
THE BEST WINES OF FRANCE, SPAIN, AND PORTUGAL
Among the French Best of Show winners, Champagne Alfred Gratien, the Mouton Cadet Héritage Rouge 2023 by Baron Philippe de Rothschild for Bordeaux, and AIX Rosé 2025 for Provence stand out. Also awarded were the Confidence Rouge Côtes du Rhône 2024 and the Plessis Duval Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie 2025.
Spain responds with Cune Reserva 2020, Best of Show Rioja Reserva, Terra Hispania Gran Reserva 2019, best Rioja Gran Reserva, and Protos 27 2023, Best of Show Ribera del Duero. Other highlighted labels include the Cava Aldonza Brut Reserva 2022 and the Cuarenta Vendimias Verdejo Cuvée Gran Vino de Rueda 2024 by Cuatro Rayas.
For Portugal, the Maynard’s 20 Year Old Tawny, Best of Show Port, the Espumante Murganheira Vintage Bruto 2017, and the Villa Geissini Grande Reserva Signature Edition 2022, awarded in the Douro category, emerge.
SURPRISES FROM EMERGING COUNTRIES
The Summer Tasting 2026 also provides an increasingly complex snapshot of international wine. In the United States, the Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Pinot Noir 2024 stands out. New Zealand wins an award with the Summerhouse Sauvignon Blanc 2026, while Australia brings the Attunga 1865 Shiraz 2022 and the Haselgrove Staff Chardonnay 2025 among the winners.
Among the growing countries, the Casa Madero Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 is Best of Show for Mexico. The Salome 2020 by Shumi prevails for Georgia, while Moldova and Ukraine distinguish themselves respectively with the Castel Mimi Grand Reserve Negru de Bulboaca 2018 and the Saperavi Shabo Reserve 2025.
“The direct comparison between historical areas and emerging markets,” stated Christian Wolf, director of tastings at Mundus Vini, “shows how much wine quality continues to evolve worldwide.”
ALCOHOL-FREE WINES: 71 MEDALS IN THE SECOND 2026 SESSION
Alongside the main competition, the Mundus Vini Non-Alcoholic 2026 #2 took place, dedicated to dealcoholised wines and sparkling wines. 71 products were awarded: 28 with the gold medal and 43 with the silver. Germany, Italy, and Spain together collected over 80% of the awards.
The Rolf Willy Neverfull Muskateller was named the best German alcohol-free wine, while the Nigra Cabernet Blanc by Moselland won the title of Best of Show Sparkling Germany.
For Italy, Doppio Passo Alternativa Sparkling 0.0% was the Best of Show Sparkling Italy. Even more significant was the success of Poderi di Lea Spumante Rosé Dealcoholised Wine 0%, the overall winner in the Best of Show Sparkling Rosé category.
Other international awards include Oleada Fizzy White, Best of Show Sparkling Spain, Zeno Alcohol-Liberated Viura, Best of Show Spain, and Divin 0.0% Rosé, Best of Show France. The title of most awarded producer in the alcohol-free category went to Henkell & Co. Sektkellerei.
The results confirm the rapid technical improvement of dealcoholised wines, a segment in which large groups such as Henkell-Freixenet, Rotkäppchen-Mumm, and Casa Santos Lima are joined by a growing number of specialized companies. The complete results of the Mundus Vini Summer Tasting 2026 and those of the Mundus Vini Non-Alcoholic 2026 #2 are available online.
