Global Trends in Bronze Medal Sweet & Fortified Wines

While sweet and fortified wines may not always enjoy the spotlight they deserve, their Bronze medal performance at the IWSC 2025 reveals a category brimming with diversity, heritage and untapped potential. Spanning over 60 entries across both categories, the results revealed fascinating patterns: fortified wines celebrated traditional powerhouses at their finest, while sweet wines highlighted unexpected global leaders pushing stylistic boundaries.

Fortified Wines: Iberian Dominance with Global Surprises

Portugal and Spain dominated the fortified wine Bronze medals, claiming 82% of all awards between them. Portugal led with 25 medals (57% of the total), while Spain secured 11 (25%). This strong showing reflects centuries of expertise in Port, Madeira and Sherry production.

Port wines were the clear standouts within Portugal, earning 20 medals - 45% of all fortified Bronze awards. Madeira added another five, with producers such as Blandy’s showing consistent quality across their ranges. In Spain, Andalucía’s Sherry triangle accounted for 10 of the country’s 11 medals, including top-scoring wines like Emilio Lustau’s 30-Year-Old Palo Cortado.

“The wines are exceptionally good,” noted Alistair Cooper MW. “These are wines that have been continuously undervalued by consumers, yet always appreciated hugely by professionals.”

Yet this year’s results also showcased the global reach of fortified wine. Australia contributed five Bronze medals (11%), with Victoria’s Rutherglen region shining through classic Muscat and Tawny styles. More unexpectedly, single Bronzes were awarded to entries from Myanmar, Taiwan, and the USA – highlighting the growing international interest in fortified wine styles.

Sweet Wines: Canada’s Cool-Climate Triumph

The sweet wine results told a dramatically different story. Canada emerged as the clear leader, claiming six of the 15 Bronze medals (40%). The wins were split evenly between British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley and Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula - regions renowned for their icewines crafted from Vidal and Riesling.

Canada’s success reflects its mastery of extreme winemaking conditions. Standout Bronze recipients included Jackson-Triggs’ Reserve Riesling Icewine 2022 (89 points).

Australia followed with three Bronze medals (20%), showcasing both botrytised Sémillon from New South Wales and Moscato from Victoria. Japan earned two medals (13%) for distinctive sweet styles made from Koshu and Delaware in Yamanashi, while New Zealand contributed two Marlborough-based late harvest Sauvignon Blancs. France and Hungary also received one Bronze medal apiece, rounding out a diverse and globally distributed sweet wine field.

The Broader Picture

What emerges from these results is a category in evolution. Fortified wine regions continue to deliver benchmark styles through consistent quality and long-established producers. In contrast, the sweet wine category is more democratised, with cool-climate precision and innovative winemaking often trumping historical pedigree. Whether it’s a 30-year-old Tawny from Portugal’s Douro Valley or a delicate Riesling icewine from Canada’s frozen vineyards, the IWSC 2025 Bronze results confirm that excellence in these categories spans continents and climates.

Explore the full list of IWSC 2025 Bronze medal sweet and fortified wines below. A full list of this year's results can be browsed on our website.