Cabernet Masters Reveal 2026 medallists

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4 June 2026

The Drinks Business reports the results of The Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters 2026, judged in London on 8 April at COMO The Halkin. It was a large tasting, with 151 wines assessed by 10 judges across three panels. Chile submitted the most wines, followed by Australia, South Africa, the US and Argentina, with entries also from Spain, Italy, Romania, Mexico, Portugal and India.

The headline result is that the top two awards went to US wines. Alexander Valley Vineyards’ 2021 Alexander School Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma won Master, while Sequoia Grove Winery’s 2021 Rutherford Bench Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from California won the overall Grand Master title.

In total, judges awarded one Master, one Grand Master and 42 Gold medals. The US led the Gold count with 14, followed by Australia with 10; South Africa and Chile each received seven Golds, Argentina one, and Spain three. The article also highlights Concha y Toro’s £8 Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon as an exceptional-value Gold medal winner.

Cabernet quality generally rose with price, especially where oak polish, depth and concentration were involved, though there were notable exceptions at lower prices. California performed particularly strongly at the top end, reinforcing the article’s view that Napa remains a natural home for pure Cabernet Sauvignon.

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