On 11 January 2025, the Cité Internationale in Lyon hosted the 15th International Gamay Competition. It brought together 727 cuvées from 4 different countries (France, Switzerland, Italy and Canada). After recognising a Côte de Brouilly in 2023 and a Moulin-à-Vent the year before, this year a Beaujolais Villages won the title of “World’s Best Gamay”!
Learn more about the 12 Beaujolais appellations.
A panel of experts
This competition is the opportunity for wine experts and informed enthusiasts to take on the role of panellists and judge a wide range of Gamay wines. On 11 January, 150 people came together to blind-taste the 727 cuvées entered in the competition. This first tasting allowed the panellists to award gold and silver medals.
After this first selection process, it was then the turn of the “super jury”, comprising 5 experts (a wine educator, an oenologist, a restaurant owner, a wine merchant, and a sommelier), to carry out a further blind taste test of the gold medallists in order to award the title of “World’s Best Gamay”.
228 Gamay medallists
This year, the experts awarded 228 medals. 92 gold medals and 136 silver medals were given to the best Gamays during this tasting.
View the full list of winners on the official website.
The World’s Best Gamay is a Beaujolais Villages
The trophy for the “World’s Best Gamay” 2025 was awarded to Beaujolais Villages, Cuvée du Relais 2023 from Relais du Colombier.
Located in Marchampt, Relais du Colombier has been in Véronique and Laurent Ducrot’s hands for more than 30 years. The couple cultivates 7 hectares of vines in the Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages appellations. They are the 5th generation of the Ducrot family to do so. Together, they also host tourists in their guesthouses.
A fitting reward for all Beaujolais Villages – Beaujolais wines that are full of surprises!
