The London Wine Competition has announced its 2025 winners, with Australian wines taking out over 230 medals alongside trophies for Best Wine by Packaging, Best Shiraz, Best Rieling, and Best Non-Alcoholic.
Now in its eighth year, the Beverage Trade Network-organised competition aims to recognise and celebrate the wines that consumers actually want to buy, judging the wine’s label, design, and packaging, and how well the brand's overall presentation aligns with its price point and perceived value for money, alongside the flavour of the product.
According to the judges, exceptional quality wines might not be considered winners if the price and packaging don't resonate with consumers.
This year Australian wines were a major winner, receiving 24 gold medals, 94 silver medals, and over 100 bronze medals. Little Giant Wines received the Packaging of the Year trophy for its 105-year-old Remarkables Shiraz, Wakefield Taylors Wines took out Shiraz of the Year with its Jaraman Shiraz, and Peter Lehmann Wines received the trophy for Rieling of the Year for its Masters Wigan Riesling. The Non-Alcoholic of the Year and Non-Alcoholic Red of the Year trophies went to Tread Softly, for its Everything Except Pinot Noir 2024.
Little Giant and Tread Softly are both owned by Fourth Wave Wines, with founder and director, Nicholas Crampton, stating it was great to see both brands receiving multiple awards and medals at this year’s London Wine Competition.
“We see our zero-brands as being leaders in quality and so is great recognition being named Non-Alcoholic Wine of the Year for our Tread Softly Pinot Noir,” said Crampton.
“Overall, our wines performed very well and it is extra rewarding to see our Australian alcoholic and non-alcoholic ranges earning recognition on the global stage. These achievements are the result of our team’s dedication to excellence. A huge thank you and congratulations to our team for making it all possible.”
New Zealand wines also showed out at the competition, with Paragon Wine Estates Isabel Estate Wild Barrique Chardonnay taking out the Wine of the Year award, and the country’s producers winning over 50 medals.
