Inside the world’s biggest wine contest where 67,000 bottles bid to be the best

At the Excel Centre in East London, judges are tasting thousands of wines for the Decanter World Wine Awards, a prestigious event that could elevate ordinary bottles sold in supermarkets to award-winning status. Over a week, 6,000 boxes of wine are evaluated, with judges assessing wines by region and price category, and discussions can become passionate as they defend their preferences. The tasting atmosphere resembles a business meeting rather than a casual wine tasting, with judges employing a systematic approach to evaluation while noting unique descriptors for each wine.