Global Grape Brandy at the IWSC

Grape Brandy is a large and vibrant category at the IWSC. In 2025, 137 medals were awarded to brandies from 22 countries, with the highest number of awards going to Moldova (31 medals), Spain (28 medals), and Italy (20 medals).

What do our judges look for?

"What we're looking for in grape brandy is age and balance - for the grape and the cask, the oak, to sit in harmony with one another. We don't want the oak to overpower the fact that this is a grape spirit. But equally, we don't want the grape spirit to be so spiky and aggressive," explains Joel Harrison, IWSC Spirits Judging Committee Brandy Specialist

Grape Brandy Golds: Azerbaijan, Spain and Italy

Savalan Grappolo, a grape brandy from Azerbaijan, took a Gold Medal at this year’s awards, impressing judges with its “invigoratingly fresh bouquet of ripe melon and a hint of English rose” and “complex layers of luscious, dried apricot and the essence of dry seeds and cool wet stones.”

Spanish brandies received the most Gold Medals in this category, totalling seven out of the 11 awarded, with six of these being Brandy de Jerez from five different producers. In this heritage-rich category, several Gran Reservas were awarded. However, it was also an arena for discovery, including the Cardenal Mendoza Nebulis Unusually Smoky Brandy de Jerez from Sanchez Romate Hnos, which judge Rose Brookman highlighted as a product that changed her perception of the category.

Another Western European category that performed well was Grappa. Judge Matt Chambers noted, “The grappas were generally very strong, with some great examples, especially in the aged expressions.” Grappa Riserva 7 Anni Selezione Bortolo Nardini from Distilleria Nardini and Grappa Riserva Botti da Sauternes from Distilleria Sibona each received a Gold Medal, accompanied by eight Silver Medals and 10 Bronze Medals.

The final Gold Medal went to Vieux Pineau des Charentes Blanc, Château de Montifaud - an aperitif derived from Cognac with the addition of grape must. This producer is a frequent medallist at the IWSC in a niche category that deserves much greater attention and has the potential to be an excellent add-on sale in a hospitality environment.

Moldovan Brandy

Moldova delivered a commendable performance at the 2025 IWSC, securing 31 medals across its grape brandy entries, affirming its strength and consistency in the category. While no Golds were awarded this year, several producers achieved high Silver Medals, including Cricova JSC’s Divin 7 YO (94 points), Chateau Vartely’s VSOP (93 points), and Călărași Divin’s XO 7 YO (93 points). At the Bronze level, entries such as Divin XO from Migdal-P SA and Divin Bardar’s XO 10 YO also stood out. Judge Barry McCaughley praised the “sweet, smooth and easy-going” character of Moldovan brandies around the seven-year mark, calling it a “sweet spot” for style and maturity.

While the overall style is appealing and accessible, particularly for domestic markets, international opportunities may be unlocked through greater balance and finesse. “Much less oak, or more sympathetic use of it, will help the aged Moldovan brandies,” one judge advised, suggesting that producers look to lighter, grape-forward examples such as those seen in the grappa category. With clear quality foundations and medal-winning consistency, Moldovan producers are well placed to evolve their styles to appeal to a broader international audience.

A table of this year’s Gold and Silver Medal-winning grape brandies follows. The full 2025 IWSC results are available to browse on our website.

Medal	Score	Producer	Entry Name	Region	Country of Origin
Gold	95	Savalan - Aspi Winery	Savalan Grappolo		Azerbaijan
Gold	95	Château de Montifaud	Vieux Pineau Des Charentes Blanc	Cognac	France
Gold	95	Distilleria Nardini	Grappa Riserva 7 Anni Selezione Bortolo Nardini		Italy
Gold	95	Bolero & Company	Daisi Brandy 5 Years Old		Georgia
Gold	95	Distilleria Sibona	Grappa Riserva Botti da Sauternes		Italy
Gold	95	Lionidzis Zvari	Novella		Georgia
Gold	95	Grupo Osborne	1866 Masters Edition Brandy de Jerez	Andalucia	Spain
Gold	95	Sanchez Romate Hnos	Cardenal Mendoza Nebulis Unusually Smoky Brandy de Jerez	Jerez	Spain
Gold	95	Emilio Lustau	Family Reserve 1/5 Solera Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez	Jerez	Spain
Gold	95	Emilio Lustau	Finest Selection Solera Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez	Jerez	Spain
Gold	95	González Byass	Lepanto Solera Gran Reserva 12 YO Brandy de Jerez	Jerez	Spain
Gold	95	Bodegas Tradición	Platinum Solera Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez	Jerez	Spain
Gold	95	Miguel Torres	Torres 20 Brandy		Spain