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In The Winery
WINE COMPETITIONS:
Are They for You? By: Nan McCreary
E are staged throughout the world. As the The Decanter World Wine Awards
very year, hundreds of wine competitions
The Decanter World Wine Awards, founded in
wine industry becomes more crowded,
winning a medal—especially a gold or a Double 2004, is the world’s biggest and most prestigious
Gold—can attract consumers and build brand rec- wine show. Organized by Decanter—the world’s
ognition. But the option may not be for everyone. leading wine media brand—the London-based com-
It’s up to the winery to decide whether entering petition is recognized by wine lovers globally for its
these events should be part of your marketing world-class judging panels and a rigorous judging
strategy. process. In the 2021 event held in June, entries set
an all-time record of 18,094 wines from 56 coun-
Wine competitions run the gamut from enormous tries. Wines were judged over the course of two
international shows to small local events that only weeks by more than 160 wine experts, including
feature wines from a specific region or appella- 44 Masters of Wine and 11 Master Sommeliers,
tion. Typically, wineries submit entries to various evaluated in flights by country, region, color, grape,
classes. The wines are judged by a diverse group vintage and price point. Categorizing wines by price
of wine experts, who sit in panels of three to five ensures wines are judged against their peers.
people to taste and consider each wine. Judging is
all blind, with the panel only knowing grape variety As in all wine competitions, judging is blind, with
and class. Wines are evaluated on their own mer- the panel knowing nothing about the producers.
its—color, clarity, aroma, taste, finish and overall Entry fees are $230 per entry plus a $21 surcharge
quality—rather than as part of a ranking and, based per order, plus shipping fees. Wineries must pro-
on voting by the judges, are awarded a gold, silver vide four samples of each entry. According to
or bronze medal, or perhaps no medal. DWWA, winning a medal is a “trusted mark of
approval for buyers globally and has been proven
The Decanter World Wine Awards, the world’s to increase wine sales, secure distribution in new
largest and most influential wine competition, markets and improve brand awareness.”
defines a gold medal as “an outstanding and mem- Medal winners may purchase DWWA bottle stick-
orable wine within its category,” a silver as “a ers and receive promotion from Decanter through
high-quality wine of excitement and personality its global digital network, wine tastings, presence
within its category,” and a bronze as “a well-made at major wine trade shows and exposure to leading
and satisfying wine within its category.” Many retailers throughout the world. For more informa-
competitions offer a Double Gold medal, where all tion, visit www.decanter.com
members of the panel unanimously award the wine
a gold rating. In most competitions, wines advance The San Francisco
through a series of rounds: the initial medal round, International Wine Competition
semi-finals, and the super panel or “sweepstakes” The San Francisco International Wine Competition
round, where the overall winners are selected.
is America’s largest international wine competition.
Beyond these basics, each wine show varies in Founded in 1980, the three-day event is one of the
size, entry requirements and benefits. Here are oldest international competitions in the world. In
three wine competitions that offer a broad range 2019, there were 4,500 entries judged by 60 experi-
of what to expect when considering entering your enced and internationally recognized wine experts.
wines. Winners are awarded a gold, silver or bronze medal
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