Wine Awards: What They Are, What They Mean & What to Look For

Wine awards and scores are widely used to highlight quality, but with so many bottles displaying medals and points, it’s not always clear what these endorsements represent.

Awards and critic scores can be a useful indicator of quality, particularly when they come from recognised competitions or respected reviewers. Understanding how they work makes it easier to interpret them and choose with confidence.

At Fine Wine Delivery, we respect both international competitions and critic scores. However, every wine in our range is ultimately selected by our independent Tasting Panel, ensuring it meets our standards for quality, character and value.

Medals vs Points: What’s the Difference?

Wine awards generally fall into two categories: medals awarded at wine shows, and scores given by critics.

Wine Shows (Medals)

Medals are typically awarded as:

• Gold Medal: Awarded to wines scoring around 90–95 points in blind tastings. A strong indicator of quality and craftsmanship.
• Double Gold Medal: Given when all judges independently award Gold, showing unanimous recognition of excellence.
• Silver Medal: High-quality wines showing strong merit.
• Bronze Medal: Sound, well-made wines that perform well within their class.

At the top level, you may also see:

• Champion Trophy: Awarded to the best wine in its category, selected from the top-performing entries.

A gold medal or trophy indicates a wine has stood out in direct comparison with others of the same style.

Wine Critics (Points)

Critics and publications evaluate wines individually, most commonly using the 100-point scale or star-based ratings.

• 95+ points / 5 Stars: Exceptional wines with outstanding quality and character.
• 90–94 points: High-quality wines showing strong balance and expression.
• 85–89 points: Very good wines that are reliable and well made.

You may also see awards such as:

• Wine of the Year: A prestigious title recognising a wine for its overall excellence across quality, value and impact.

Unlike wine shows, these scores reflect a wine’s quality on its own, rather than against other wines in a specific category.

Major Wine Shows: What to Look For

Not all wine competitions carry the same level of influence. Some are widely recognised for their rigour and consistency.

International Competitions

• Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA): One of the largest and most respected global competitions.
• International Wine Challenge (IWC): Known for its detailed, multi-stage blind tasting process.

New Zealand Wine Shows

• New Zealand International Wine Show: The country’s largest competition, covering a broad range of styles.
• The National Wine Awards of Aotearoa New Zealand: Focused on recognising excellence within New Zealand wine.

What is a Trophy?

A trophy is awarded to the best wine in a category - effectively the top gold medal winner. It represents a wine that has stood out above all others in its class.

The Critics: The Power Behind the Score

Behind every score is a critic, or panel, bringing their own experience, preferences and tasting approach to the evaluation.

While scoring systems aim to provide consistency, it’s worth remembering that wine assessment is not purely objective. A score reflects both the quality of the wine and the perspective of the person tasting it.

International Critics

• Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: One of the most influential voices in modern wine. Known for popularising the 100-point scale, with a historical preference for richer, more powerful wine styles.
• Wine Spectator: A long-standing publication with a broad, global focus. Its scores are widely recognised and tend to favour balance, structure and drinkability.
• Jancis Robinson: A highly respected critic known for a more restrained, nuanced approach, often favouring elegance, balance and wines that reflect their origin.

New Zealand & Australian Experts

• James Suckling: A prolific international critic who reviews wines across multiple regions, often highlighting expressive, fruit-driven styles.
• Bob Campbell MW (The Real Review): One of New Zealand’s most trusted wine authorities, with a focus on regional typicity, balance and consistency.
• Sam Kim (Wine Orbit): A well-known New Zealand-based reviewer, offering accessible and detailed tasting notes across a wide range of wines.

Why Critics Don’t Always Agree

Even among experienced critics, scores can vary. This is often due to differences in palate preference; for example, some favour bold, full-bodied wines, while others prefer lighter, more restrained styles.

For this reason, it can be helpful to follow a critic whose taste aligns with your own, rather than relying on a single score alone.

The Fine Wine Delivery Difference: Our Tasting Panel

Wine awards offer a helpful starting point, but they do not always reflect how a wine is drinking today.

At Fine Wine Delivery, every wine is assessed by our independent Tasting Panel, which reviews thousands of wines each year and selects only those that meet our standards.

We focus not only on technical quality, but also on:

• Regional character and typicity
• Balance and drinkability
• Value for money

This approach ensures that every wine in our range is selected with the New Zealand palate in mind, and is worth enjoying now, not just at the time it was judged.

Understanding Wine Awards in Context

Wine awards are a helpful guide, but they’re best understood with a bit of context. Not every medal or sticker carries the same level of meaning, and knowing what to look for can make them far more useful.

Not All Awards Carry the Same Weight

Well-established competitions apply strict judging standards, often with experienced panels and multiple tasting rounds.

Other awards may have broader entry criteria or a more commercial focus. While these can still highlight good wines, results from recognised competitions tend to provide a stronger indication of quality.

Awards are tied to a specific vintage. A gold medal for a 2021 wine reflects how that vintage performed, but the following release may show differently depending on seasonal conditions.

Look for awards that are clearly linked to a named competition or critic. Recognised medals, trophies and critic scores provide more meaningful guidance than general or unclear claims.

The most effective way to use awards is alongside other information like region, producer and style. When combined, these elements give a more complete picture and help you choose a wine with confidence.

Use Awards as a Guide

Wine awards and scores are a useful starting point. They highlight wines that have performed well and can help narrow your options when choosing from a wide selection.

At the same time, they reflect a moment in time or an individual perspective. The most effective approach is to use them alongside your own preferences, whether that is a style, region or producer you enjoy.

At Fine Wine Delivery, every wine is selected with this in mind. Our Tasting Panel assesses each bottle for quality, balance and value, ensuring it is not only highly rated, but also genuinely worth drinking.

Our range includes Trophy and Gold Medal-winning wines, all carefully selected and re-assessed by our team. As you browse, you will find clear tasting notes and guidance to help you shop with confidence.