Bronze Medal Red Wines: The Drinkability Revolution

Bronze medals don't tell the whole story - but they do reveal practical trends. At the IWSC 2025, red wines claimed 1,015 Bronze medals across 29 countries, and the patterns emerging from these results suggest fundamental shifts in both quality and style that producers and buyers should notice.

Rising Standards Across the Board

Perhaps the most significant trend isn't about specific wines - it's about the sheer volume of quality. "When it comes to bronze medal-winning wines, the key trend that I've seen is actually the increased amount of bronze medal-winning wines," explains Alistair Cooper MW. "We've seen an increase in wines that previously scored no medal. We've seen the bar raised in several countries, which is positive."

This quality evolution spans the globe. Italy led with 154 medals (15%), followed closely by Australia (135 medals, 13%), France (116 medals, 11%) and Spain (112 medals, 11%). But the real story lies in the breadth: Argentina earned 98 medals, Portugal claimed 83, and Canada secured 71 - suggesting that excellence in red winemaking has genuinely globalised.

The Drinkability Factor

What's driving this quality surge? According to Cooper, it's a fundamental shift toward drinkability. "In the past, some excessive oak use or extraction in the winery may have marked certain regions out. That move towards greater drinkability at the bronze medal level has been great."

Dirceu Vianna Junior MW, focusing on Portuguese Bronze winners, echoed this observation: "The trends I've seen are very positive. These sunny, hot-climate wines are now more harmonious. People are picking a little earlier to preserve freshness, extracting less, and using less oak. The wines are more drinkable.”

This shift toward freshness and harmony isn't confined to Portugal. The varietal breakdown tells a compelling story: while Cabernet Sauvignon led with 124 medals (12%), the diversity is striking. Pinot Noir claimed 95 medals, Malbec earned 88, and crucially, food-friendly varieties like Sangiovese (39 medals), Grenache (52) and Barbera (12) all performed strongly.

Global Consistency and Local Character

The vintage patterns reveal producers adapting to both climate and market demands. Recent years dominated the medal count - 2022 led with 287 medals (29% of entries), followed by 2023 with 262 medals (26%) - but crucially, these fresh vintages maintained strong average scores above 87 points.

Vianna Junior noted this trend's commercial relevance: "The trends that I've seen this year for the bronze medal-winning categories are exactly what the markets are looking for. I'm talking about the UK market, because there are some markets - maybe Asia or South America - where richer, fuller body wines are still sought after. But in general terms, in Europe, the USA and Canada, people are looking for freshness, and this is exactly what the wines are delivering." Consistency is equally striking. Bodegas Ramón Bilbao, Gemtree Wines, Le Clos Jordanne and De Bortoli all collected multiple Bronzes with average scores close to 89, proving Bronze recognition is rarely a one-off.

The Big Bronze Picture

For Vianna Junior, Bronze medals represent something essential: "A bronze medal, it's a wine that gives the consumer pleasure." In an increasingly competitive global market, that pleasure principle, combined with rising technical standards and improved drinkability, suggests Bronze winners are wines that matter commercially, not just critically.

Explore the list of high-scoring Bronze medal red wines below, or check out our full results here.