CERVIM, Mondial des Vins Extrêmes 2026: A snapshot of heroic viticulture in 22 countries

84 Grand Gold Medals and 295 Gold Medals were awarded among 1,175 wines submitted by 432 wineries from 22 countries, including the return of Luxembourg. These results marked the conclusion of the 2026 edition of the Mondial des Vins Extrêmes , the only global wine competition specifically dedicated to wines from heroic viticulture and organized annually by CERVIM – the Centre for Research, Studies, Safeguarding, Coordination and Promotion of Mountain Viticulture. The wines were blind-judged according to the criteria of the OIV – Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin – by 11 commissions , for a total of 55 jurors including technicians, journalists, and expert Italian and international tasters, who met on August 25th and 26th at the Châtillon conference center.
"The numbers from this edition demonstrate the ability of heroic viticulture to bring different territories into dialogue," says Nicola Abbrescia , President of CERVIM. "The 1,175 wines entered by 432 wineries from 22 countries paint an increasingly complex picture of the heroic viticultural heritage . Behind each champion lie complex cultivation conditions, but also specific skills and territorial identities: it is precisely from this international exchange that we want to continue to develop the Mondial des Vins Extrêmes in the coming years."
Alongside the medals, 20 Special Prizes were also awarded, recognitions that highlight the best overall wine, the best wineries and the best wines by country, along with some specific expressions of heroic viticulture. The CERVIM 2026 Grand Prize , for the wine with the best overall score, goes to the Spanish Valle de Güímar Pico Cho Marcial Afrutado 2025 from SAT Viticultores Comarca de Güímar, in Arafo, Tenerife (Spain). The CERVIM Special Prize was awarded to seven entities: Cooperativa Vinicola Aurora Ltda in Brazil, SCV L'Étoile in France, Weingut Reis – Feine Weine! from Germany, Carlo Pellegrino & C Spa in Italy, Mateus & Sequeira Vinhos from Portugal, SAT Viticultores Comarca de Güímar from Spain and Domaine Blondel in Switzerland.
Five CERVIM Excellence Awards : Campos de Cima da Serra Zanotto Troppo Maturo 2020 from Vinicola Campestre Ltda (Brazil), Cuvée Barrique Rotwein Trocken 2018 from Weingut Reis – Feine Weine! (Germany), Pantelleria DOC Passito Sentivento 2014 from Prosit Srl (Italy), Islas Canarias DO Quiquere Blanco Seco 2025 from Bodega Gallo & Quiquere Wines (Spain), and Ticino DOC Merlot Carato Riserva 2022 from Angelo Delea SA (Switzerland). Campanian Cosimo Capasso of Cosimo Capasso Vini di Montagna, in Tocco Caudio (Benevento), is the best winemaker under 35, winner of the CERVIM Futuro 2026 Award .
The CERVIM Piccole Isole Award goes to the Pantelleria DOC Passito Sentivento 2014 by Prosit Srl; the CERVIM Donna Award was assigned to Isabella La Rosa of the Isabella La Rosa Agricultural Company in Sicily and to winemaker Ioanna Vamvakouri of Mikra Thira in Santorini, Greece. Three additional awards were given to Spain: the CERVIM Originale Award , dedicated to wines produced with ungrafted grapes, was given to the DO Lanzarote Timanfaya Moscatel Dulce Selección 1999 by Bodegas Timanfaya SL, while the VINOFED 2026 Award , for the dry wine with the highest score in the competition, went to the Islas Canarias DOP Quiquere Blanco Seco 2025 by Bodega Gallo & Quiquere Wines. Finally, the 2026 Premio Mondial des Vins Extrêmes goes to the Canary Islands as the wine-growing area with the largest number of wines submitted.
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The complete list is available on the website: www.mondialvinsextremes.com The 84 Gran Medaglie d'Oro will be tasted in the Sissi room at the Merano WineFestival , scheduled to take place in the South Tyrolean city from 6 to 10 November 2026. The awards ceremony will be held on 21 November at the VINSEUM – Museum of the Wine Cultures of Catalonia in Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain.