IN THE MEDIA: Press Coverage DIRECTOR'S WRAP-UP: Finca La Capilla Takes Top Honors in Wine; Delamain Dazzles with Special XO Cognac (July 3, 2025) - The 22nd annual Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits competition is complete, and there are plenty of award winning products to celebrate. I'm happy to report that very high quality wines and spirits continue to find their way to the top in blind judging events, and it's always worth taking a look at what passes muster with wine journalists, who tend to have an extremely wide view of the marketplace. Once again, we are thrilled to share their insights with the public. 
For openers, the winner of our founder's memorial award - the Robert Whitley Trophy for Wine of the Year - is the La Capilla 2020 Vendimia Seleccionada from Spain's Ribera del Duero region, taking a score of 99 points and surpassing some serious competition. Chief Wine Judge Michael Franz commented “...its very dark color and nearly opaque pigmentation showed it to be a wine derived from very low yielding vines - which is to say, something very serious. That impression is confirmed in spades by tasting, as it shows formidable physical concentration and very deep, penetrating and persistent flavors ...this is a great wine - a term I use very reservedly." At its full retail price of $53, it certainly delivers a lot of bang for your buck. Well done!
Miguel Caratachea took Domestic Wine of the Year honors for his 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon "Venerable Vines" from Napa Valley - a wine of true finesse and elegance. Oregon's King Estate took Domestic Winery of the Year on the strength of its three stellar Pinot Gris offerings coupled with several other fine wines. Australia’s Dandelion Vineyards grabbed the Import Winery of the Year title thanks to Platinum Awards in the Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc categories and 100% of its entries acheiving medals. Mendocino County's Navarro Vineyards won Small Producer of the Year recognition with its usual impressive lineup. 
Spirits judges awarded Spirit of the Year to a special Cognac: the Delamain Cognac Pléiade Domaine La Rambaudie XO Cask No. 767-04 that could turn just about anyone into a Cognac fanatic. Tennessee's Nearest Green earned the Distiller of the Year honor with whiskeys built for sipping pleasure.
You can check out all of the wine and spirits winners on our results pages, and don't miss the judges' comments on Platinum and Gold award winners there as well. Full reviews of Platinum winning wines can also be found at WineReviewOnline.com. Reviews of Platinum award winning spirits will be posted online at SpiritsReviewOnline.com over the next few weeks. If you’d like to learn more about Critics Challenge founder Robert Whitley you can read a collection of tributes at this link at WineReviewOnline.com – another one of his great ideas. It’s my honor to play a part in continuing Robert's legacy, and our team looks forward to celebrating more great beverages at the 2026 Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits Challenge next June. Cheers! Rich Cook
Competition Director |
