IWSC wine judging in Congeliano Valdobbiadene: Judges Deliberations

This week we’ve been in Italy for our third Global Judging event of the 2025 Awards, held in partnership with the Consorzio Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG.

Six judges, overseen by Judging Committee Member Sarah Abbott MW, visited the region to assess its wines. Following two days of tasting, the judges have shared their thoughts on the highlights and trends they observed.

The judges were delighted to find consistently high quality across the board. The vast majority of wines tasted were awarded a medal, and nearly 50% received Gold or Silver. They noted a greater variety of styles and aroma profiles than they had perhaps expected, and were excited to see both creativity and openness in winemaking.

Extra Dry styles showed more consistency overall than Brut. While good quality was found in both categories, the Brut wines presented more highs and lows. The judges speculated that this may be due to Extra Dry being a more established category, whereas Brut is still developing stylistically.

The best Brut wines were described as incredibly pure, joyful, and charming—showcasing the highly enjoyable primary fruit of the Glera grape. However, there was a sense that, at times, lees work or extended ageing masked the grape’s natural charm. If producers wish to explore these more experimental styles, judges suggested it could be worth considering blends that include some of the ancient, permitted varietals.

Other highlights included several Sui Lieviti (on the lees) wines, which stood out for their complexity and balance. Judges also praised the Rive cru wines, noting some fascinating examples that expressed distinct terroir characteristics. Additionally, they were pleased to find that non-vintage and vintage wines were quite evenly matched in quality.

The judging panel for this event included Melania Battiston, Cat Lomax, Jason Millar,Vincenzo Arnese, Megan Clarke, and Helena Nicklin. Visit our social media channels for behind-the-scenes images from the tastings and other activities the panel took part in.

Check back here on 31 March to read the full results.