Spain Food Award Best Wines 2026: the five winners by category

Key data

Five Spanish wineries with designation of origin obtain the most relevant official recognition in the national wine sector in 2026. The Order APA/857/2026, of July 30, published on August 10, 2026, grants the Spain Food Award Best Wines in its five categories. For winning wineries, this recognition has immediate commercial impact: it strengthens their positioning in national and international markets and legitimizes their brand communication with State backing.

For wineries that have not been awarded and believe they should have been, the regulation opens a window for appeal with specific deadlines that should not be missed.

What does this regulation establish?

Order APA/857/2026 resolves the call for the Spain Food Award Best Wines for the year 2026 and declares a single winner in each of the five established categories. Below is the complete list of awarded wines and wineries:

The award has official status and is granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Its recognition distinguishes the quality and excellence of Spanish wines protected by designations of origin, covering the entire national territory and the main types of wine produced in Spain.

Economic and operational impact

The Spain Food Award does not carry direct financial allocation published in this order, but its commercial impact is tangible and measurable for winning wineries:

• Brand positioning: The official award allows wineries to use the award seal on labels, marketing materials, catalogs and commercial communications, increasing quality perception among distributors, importers and end consumers.
• Access to international markets: State institutional backing facilitates opening conversations with foreign importers and participation in international trade shows with a verifiable competitive advantage.
• Public relations and media: The official resolution generates specialized media coverage that no conventional advertising campaign can replicate with the same credibility.
• Impact on sales: Historically, wines awarded with official prizes experience increased demand, especially in the hospitality channel and in exports.

For non-winning wineries, the impact is one of missed opportunity. If a winery believes its candidacy was evaluated incorrectly, it has legal remedies with strict deadlines: one month for administrative review before the Minister and two months for contentious-administrative appeal before the National Court, both counted from August 10, 2026.

Who does it affect?

• Winning wineries: Aires de Garbet (DO Empordà), "Los Altares" winery (DOCa Rioja), Bodegas Inurrieta (DO Navarra), producer of "Cuvée D.S." (DO Cava) and "Fino La Honda" winery (DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry). They must activate their communication and marketing strategy immediately.
• Non-winning candidate wineries: Any winery that participated in the call and was not awarded can explore the appeal option within the established deadlines.
• Spanish wine distributors and exporters: The award updates the map of official quality references they can use in their commercial arguments.
• International importers of Spanish wine: The official award is a verifiable quality indicator that can influence purchasing decisions and product listing.
• HORECA sector: Restaurants, hotels and hospitality establishments working with wine lists can incorporate these references as a value argument to their customers.

Practical example

Inurrieta winery, located in Falces (Navarra), wins the award in the rosé wine category with its "Inurrieta Mediodía Rosado 2025", protected by DO Navarra. From August 10, 2026, this winery can:

1. Incorporate the official seal "Spain Food Award Best Wines 2026" on labels of new product batches.
2. Issue a press release backed by the resolution published in the Official State Gazette, with a link to the official source, for distribution to national and international specialized media.
3. Present the award as a competitive advantage at international trade shows such as Prowein or Vinexpo, where Spanish institutional backing has high perceived value.
4. Negotiate with distributors and hospitality chains more favorable listing conditions, leveraging official recognition as a commercial tool.

On the other hand, a winery that participated in the call and was not awarded has until September 10, 2026 to file an administrative review before the Minister, or until October 10, 2026 to appeal to the National Court.

What should companies do now?

1. Winning wineries — activate communication immediately: Prepare press release, update marketing materials and plan the incorporation of the official seal on labels and digital platforms. Media impact is greater the faster the reaction.
2. Winning wineries — verify correct use of seal: Check with the Ministry of Agriculture the conditions for using the official award logo to avoid unauthorized uses that could cause problems later.
3. Winning wineries — leverage the export channel: Contact the Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX) to incorporate the award into international promotion programs for Spanish wine.
4. Non-winning wineries — evaluate appeal: If the winery participated in the call, review with legal counsel whether there are grounds to appeal. The administrative review deadline expires one month after August 10, 2026.
5. Distributors and HORECA — update arguments: Incorporate awarded wines into product sheets and wine lists with reference to the official 2026 award as a differentiating element.

Official source

View complete regulation at official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-17497