This is the 13th edition of The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands and it remains the most authoritative list of respected wineries from around the globe. The 50-strong ranking is voted for by an Academy of leading Masters of Wine, sommeliers, wine buyers, journalists and other industry experts from six continents around the world.
Antinori impressed the Academy with its high quality and consistency and it simultaneously earned the Most Admired Wine Brand in Europe award.
Argentina’s Catena Zapata, winner in 2020, took the runner’s-up spot and therefore collected the Most Admired Wine Brand in South America award, while veteran of the list Penfolds completed the podium. The Australia-based brand therefore retained its title as the Most Admired Wine Brand in Australasia.
Drinks International editor, Shay Waterworth, said: “The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands is an elite club to be part of and without doubt an authority regarding the industry’s most revered brands.
“Earning a place on this prestigious list is a serious achievement and I personally congratulate those in our top 50 this year. An extra round of applause must go to Antinori for becoming the first Italian brand to top our list since its inception in 2011.
“However, what makes the list so respected is the geographical spread and independence of our Academy, which we take pride in rotating to guarantee a true representation of the global trade.”
Europe has remained the mecca of admired wine brands for 2023 with 32 places on the list, headed up by France once again which represented more than a quarter of the overall ranking. Its neighbour Spain performed remarkably well to get eight brands on the list, one more than Italy.
While there were no new entries in 2023, the Highest Climber award went to France’s Chateau D’Yquem and sneaking into the top 10 is Ridge in the US, which also took home the Most Admired Wine Brand in North America title. This leaves one more special award for Most Admired Wine Brand in Africa & Middle East, which went to South Africa’s KWV.
There were of course lots of familiar names in the 2023 list such as Familia Torres, M. Chapoutier and Concha y Toro, who have featured in all 13 editions of the ranking.
Drinks International publisher Justin Smith added: “We are delighted to reward the achievements of the most admired wine brands on the planet. Congratulations to the highest ranked wineries in Europe, North America, South America, Australasia and Africa & the Middle East, and to all of the brands featured in our definitive guide. We look forward to continuing to celebrate the successes of exceptional wine producers long into the future.”
HERE IS THE 2023 LIST IN FULL: