Croatia’s presence at the renowned Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) grows stronger each year, and Istrian wines continue to stand out on the global stage. At this year’s competition in London, Istrian winemakers achieved an impressive haul of 104 medals. Of the 14 gold medals awarded to Croatian wines, five proudly returned to Istria for exceptional Malvasia wines, along with a platinum medal for an outstanding dessert wine:

Gold medals:
Malvazija Vina Bernobić, 2024
Malvazija Istarska Bruno Ferenac, 2023
Santa Lucia Malvazija Kozlović, 2018
Korona Malvazija Vina Franković, 2019
La Prima Malvazija Fakin, 2023

Platinum medal:
Dessert wine San Salvatore Muškat Benvenuti, 2021 (97 points)

This is an outstanding achievement for Istrian winemakers and for Istrian Malvasia, which has firmly established itself as the most awarded and most recognized Croatian grape variety. The impressive number of medals won at this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards is further proof that Croatia is rapidly emerging as a must-visit destination for wine enthusiasts. Croatian winemakers brought home a remarkable total of 386 medals from the London competition, securing Croatia’s place among the world’s elite wine-producing countries - just behind the great global wine powerhouses: France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Portugal, South Africa, and Argentina.

»» DWWA 2025: Overview of all award-winning Istrian wines
»» Explore the Istrian wine roads

Decanter 2025 Winners Showcase by Vinistra returns to Istria

Less than two weeks after the results were announced, the Association of Winegrowers and Winemakers of Istria, Vinistra, in collaboration with Decanter, is set to host the Decanter 2025 Winners Showcase by Vinistra for the second year in a row.This exclusive event will spotlight Croatian wines that scored 90 points or more at the Decanter competition - those distinguished with silver, gold, or platinum medals. In a walk-around tasting format, around 200 wine professionals will have the chance to sample these award-winning wines firsthand. The showcase will be further elevated by the presence of Decanter’s esteemed representatives, led by Caroline Gilby and Beth Willard. This prestigious event is scheduled for July 2nd in Savudrija.

»» More about the Decanter 2025 Winners Showcase by Vinistra event

[26/06/2025]