Decanter

What Decanter does

Decanter is a wine media brand operating as part of Future plc's publishing portfolio through its subsidiary Future US Inc, with editorial roots dating to 1961 and the brand formally founded in 1975. The company provides expert wine reviews, ratings, news, travel guides, and educational content to wine consumers, collectors, trade professionals, and wineries through its flagship Decanter.com digital platform, a print magazine (Decanter Magazine), the Know Your Wine mobile application, email newsletters, and the Decanter Wine Club. Its core proprietary asset is an independent blind-tasting methodology paired with a globally recognized 100-point scoring system, operationalized through the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) — now in its 23rd year as the world's largest wine competition, evaluating nearly 17,000 entries from 58 countries with 245 international expert panelists.

Name

Decanter

Legal name

Future US Inc

Website

https://decanter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Decanter is a global wine media brand publishing expert reviews, ratings, and editorial content through Decanter.com, print magazine, the DWWA wine competition, and Fine Wine Encounter events, serving wine consumers, collectors, trade professionals, and wineries worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Media and Publishing

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)

Keywords

• Wine reviews
• Wine magazine
• Wine ratings
• Wine competitions
• Wine events

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: Decanter Premium subscription providing exclusive access to in-depth wine insights, collector's guides, vintage guides, and premium articles
2. Magazine Subscriptions: Print magazine subscription available (UK and international), with digital access included
3. Events & Experiences: Fine Wine Encounter events in London, New York, and Singapore where wine lovers taste premium wines; tickets and sponsorships generate revenue
4. Advertising & Sponsorships: Partner Spotlight sponsored content, advertising opportunities, and directory listings for wine brands and regions
5. Wine Club: Decanter Wine Club offering curated wine selections to subscribers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Decanter is a wine media brand that publishes expert wine reviews, ratings, region guides, and editorial content through its print magazine, Decanter.com website, and Decanter Premium subscription. It operates the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), the world's largest wine competition, and runs premium Fine Wine Encounter tasting events in London, New York, and Singapore. Revenue is generated through digital and print subscriptions, advertising, sponsorships, event tickets, and the wine club.

Product overview

Decanter operates as a multi-platform wine media brand offering both print and digital products. The core offerings include Decanter Magazine (print/digital publication), Decanter.com (digital platform with reviews and news), and Decanter Premium (subscription add-on for exclusive content). Key branded products include the annual Decanter World Wine Awards competition and Decanter Fine Wine Encounter events. Additional offerings include the Know Your Wine learning app, email newsletters, collector investment guides, and regional vintage guides. The portfolio also includes licensed editions such as Decanter China.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA): The world's largest wine competition, now in its 23rd year, evaluating nearly 17,000 entries from 58 countries with a panel of 245 international experts.
• Decanter Fine Wine Encounter
• Decanter Presents: A Guide for Wine and Travel Lovers

Products and services

• Decanter Magazine Premium wine publication delivered in print and digital formats featuring expert wine reviews, region guides, producer profiles, and wine ratings from Decanter's panel of experts.
• Decanter.com Flagship digital platform offering wine reviews, latest wine news, region guides, expert columns, wine tasting notes, and educational content for wine enthusiasts.
• Decanter Premium

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 17,000 wines evaluated per year across 58 countries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Wiltshire Distilling CominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 June 2026Wiltshire Distilling Co partnered with English Heritage to create a collection of gins inspired by historic estates, with Decanter covering the partnership announcement and cocktail content. Each gin (Blackberry & Rosehip, Pomelo & Grapefruit, London Dry) is priced at £40/70cl and sold through English Heritage retail stores.
• Willamette Valley Wineries AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Decanter critics participate in the Willamette Valley Wine Auction, providing ratings and tasting notes to nearly every lot. The auction has raised over $5 million over the past decade to support the association's marketing, education, and brand-building programs.
• International Pinot Noir CelebrationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Decanter magazine partners with the International Pinot Noir Celebration, bringing together Pinot Noir producers and enthusiasts for educational tasting events.
• Future plccoreOthers · 1 January 2026Decanter is published by Future plc, a British media company. Decanter is part of Future US Inc, operating from New York with global digital publishing operations.
• BAR NSWminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 November 2017BAR NSW in Australia promoted DWWA 2017 winners including Piper-Heidsieck, De Bortoli, and Pepper Tree wines during November-December 2017. Located at Echo Point, Sydney with views of the Blue Mountains Jamison Valley.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wine Spectator: Wine Spectator is the dominant U.S. wine publication with ratings, reviews, and a long-running print magazine. It is the most direct peer to Decanter in editorial authority, target audience (wine enthusiasts and trade), and subscription business model — Decanter's new North America Regional Editor joined from Wine Spectator, underscoring direct talent competition.
• Wine Enthusiast: Wine Enthusiast is a major U.S. wine media brand combining editorial content, ratings, and a retail commerce business. It overlaps with Decanter on wine reviews, education content, and consumer subscription models, and competes for the same wine enthusiast and trade audiences.
• Robert Parker Wine Advocate: Wine Advocate (founded by Robert Parker) is one of the most influential global wine review platforms with a 100-point scoring system. It competes directly with Decanter on premium wine ratings, fine wine investment content, and credibility with collectors and trade professionals.
• Vinous Media: Vinous Media is a digital wine review and rating platform with strong coverage of Italian, Argentine, and other fine wine regions. It directly competes with Decanter on premium reviews, scores, and serving collectors and trade professionals, particularly in markets where Decanter has historically been weaker.
• The Drinks Business: The Drinks Business is a global trade-facing drinks media title covering wine, spirits, and beer. It overlaps with Decanter on trade audience, editorial coverage of producers and regions, and event/news reporting, and competes for the same wine trade advertising and sponsorship budgets.
• Imbibe: Imbibe is a drinks industry magazine covering wine, spirits, beer, and cocktails with a strong trade and hospitality audience. Several Decanter team members previously worked at Imbibe, demonstrating direct talent overlap and similar target audiences (sommeliers, bartenders, hospitality buyers).

Emerging players

• Wine Folly: Wine Folly is a digital-native wine education and review platform focused on visual learning, infographics, and approachable content for newer wine drinkers. It competes with Decanter at the entry-level education segment and complements (rather than directly replaces) Decanter's premium collector focus.
• VinePair: VinePair is a digital-first wine, beer, and spirits media brand producing daily editorial content and podcasts for consumers. It overlaps with Decanter on wine news, reviews, and lifestyle content, but with a younger-skewing consumer audience and a digital-native cost structure.
• GuildSomm: GuildSomm is an international wine education community for sommeliers and trade professionals, offering study tools, articles, and tasting content. It overlaps with Decanter on the trade/professional wine education segment, particularly for sommelier credentialing and technical content.
• Wine-Searcher: Wine-Searcher is a global wine price comparison and discovery platform used heavily by collectors and trade. It overlaps with Decanter on the fine wine collector audience and complements Decanter's investment and collector content with actionable pricing and availability data.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Decanter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Decanter