IWSC 2023 Argentina wine results announced

Mon 10 Jul 2023

By Mila Gorchakova

Last week the IWSC headed to Mendoza to judge Argentinian wines in situ, in partnership with Wines of Argentina. Our international judging team was overseen by IWSC Judging Committee Member, Master of Wine Dirceu Vianna Junior. A panel of industry-leading experts joined 'Junior' at the tasting table: Master of Wine Beth Pearce, Rebecca Palmer, David Kermode, Master Sommelier Matteo Montone and Cristie Norman. Local Argentinian wine experts also took part in the judging, bringing their invaluable insight and knowledge of local terroirs and styles.

Over 2 days in Mendoza, the judging team tasted 430 Argentinian entries. “It was an impressive line-up that showcased the quality, stylistic diversity, and increasing sense of place of the wines now emerging from this stunning wine country, ” said IWSC judge Rebecca Palmer.

A total of 444 medals have been awarded to Argentinian wines, with 11 gold medals, over 150 silver, and more than 270 bronze medals.*

Malbec has led the gold medal count: 6 out of 11 golds have been awarded to wines made from Argentina’s number one grape, with 2 more gold medals received by Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon blends. “As expected, there was a strong spread of Malbecs, generally of high quality, with a growing number reflecting clear sub-regional specificity, which is encouraging,” our judges commented.

Two golds, as well as several silver and bronze medals have been awarded to Cabernet Franc wines – a grape variety that, according to our judges, has a bright future in Argentina. “Can Argentina catapult this lovely variety - which all too often gets second billing - into the limelight, as it has done Malbec? On the basis of the wines entered into the competition, there is every reason to think so, whether as a single variety – often expressed with haunting blue fruit, a tangible sensation of freshness and fine, silky tannins – or as a component of a red blend in partnership with Malbec,” judge Rebecca Palmer commented.

The best whites, according to our judges, came from higher altitude areas such as Gualtallary, confirming the aristocracy and potential of Tupungato’s cooler sites. Chardonnay performed particularly well, with one Gualtallary Chardonnay earning a strong gold. Additionally, 8 silvers and about a dozen bronze medals have been awarded to Chardonnay wines.

Full medal results can be viewed here.

*The medal count includes the wines tasted both in Argentina and in the UK, during the IWSC's wine judging in May.