My Top Ten Wines at Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in Yerevan, Armenia

I was a judge at the 2026 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in Yerevan, Armenia. These were my top ten wines out of more than 125 I tasted.

What a thrill and an honor it was to be a judge at the 2026 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, one of the most prestigious wine competitions in the world. The event took place in Yerevan, Armenia, in May, where I tasted more than 125 wines over the course of three days.

Palate fatigue is real when tasting this many wines in a short time, especially from the reds. The seasoned tasters told me that I would get used to it and get better at tasting that number of wines in one session. While I’ve tasted 30-40 wines in a few hours before, I wasn’t judging those wines, so the pressure during the 2026 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles was on. I didn’t want to score a wine too low, or praise a wine that didn’t deserve a medal. I found the quick pace challenging– we had only about 5-7 minutes to taste, score and comment on each wine. That said, I learned a great deal from this experience. And if I am fortunate to judge wine again, I’ll take all that I learned at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles with me to be a better taster.

My fellow tasters were from 56 countries––incredible, I know! My tasting table, led by Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW (Master of Wine), did have some disagreements. But we were ultimately able to end up on the same page with most wines we judged. I represented the US at my table, with Switzerland, Russia, Bulgaria and Spain (Pedro) sitting with me each day. The world really does come to the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, and all for one reason: wine.

I judged a cross section of wines from various regions, including Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France, as well as lesser-known regions like Bulgaria. I didn’t know what I was tasting or judging until after the numbers were in.

For all of you wine lovers out there on the hunt for your next great bottle, here are my top ten wines from the 2026 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.

1. Les Ramières 2023–Grand Gold Medal (At least 92 points)

France – Vallée du Rhône – Côtes du Rhône
Still Red Wine
Producer: P&A Gelin SA

Clip from my notes: “Perfectly balanced. Beautiful.”

2. GB Reserve Picpoul 2025–Gold Medal (90-91 points)

France – Languedoc-Roussillon – Picpoul-de-Pinet
Still White Wine
Producer: Gérard Bertrand SPH

Clip from my notes:  “A perfect white.”

3. Monte Santa Ana Reserva 2023–Gold Medal (90-91 points)

Portugal – Alentejo – Vinho Regional Alentejo
Still Red Wine
Producer: WineWalkers, Lda

 Clip from my notes: “Silky finish. Lovely.”

4. In Me Primitivo Susumaniello 2024–Gold Medal (90-91 points)

Italy – Puglia – Puglia IGP
Still Red Wine
Producer: I Viticoltori Felice e Armando Mergè Soc. Agricola a R.L.

Clip from my notes: “A delectable, juicy wine.”

5. Monte Santa Ana Colheita Selecionada Tinto 2023–Gold Medal (90-91 points)

Portugal – Alentejo – Vinho Regional Alentejo
Still Red Wine
Producer: WineWalkers, Lda

Clip from my notes:  “Lingering finish.”

6. Yugo Chardonnay Barrica 2024–Silver Medal (88-89 points)

Spain – Castilla-la-Mancha – La Mancha
Still White Wine
Producer: Sociedad Cooperativa Cristo de la Vega

Clip from my notes:  “Pretty wine to drink alone or with seafood.”

7. Ruota Libera Appassimento 2024–Silver Medal (88-89 points)

Italy – Puglia – Puglia IGP
Still Red Wine
Producer: Progetto Vino SRL

Clip from my notes: “Soft. Happiness in a glass.”

8. Chocolate Tube Primitivo 2024–Gold Medal (90-91  points)

Italy – Puglia – Puglia IGT
Still Red Wine
Producer: Mare Magnum

Clip from my notes: “Unique yet familiar.”

9. Conde de Arraiolos Superior 2023–Gold Medal (90-91 points)

Portugal – Alentejo – Vinho Regional Alentejo
Still Red Wine
Producer: Herdade das Mouras de Arraiolos SA

Clip from my notes: Raspberry jam. Elegant wine.

10. Club des Sommeliers 2025–Gold Medal (90-91 points)

France – Vallée du Rhône – Côtes du Rhône
Still Red Wine
Producer: Les Chais du Sud

Clip from my notes: “Clean-tasting wine.”