Wine Competitions and Awards in UK

Sommeliers Choice Awards 2023 Winners

Varied wine competitions are organized in the UK each year. We have sorted a list of top 8 wine competitions and awards in which you can enter your wines.

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Here is a list of 8 Wine Competitions and Awards in UK.

Decanter World Wine Awards

Decanter World Wine Awards, founded in 2004, is the world’s biggest wine competition with more than 15,000 entries every year. All the wines are judged by top wine experts from around the world. Decanter is an unrivalled source of wine recommendations.

Awards

Gold for an excellent wine of great complexity and character Silver for accomplished wine with impressive complexity and Bronze for well-made, enjoyable wine.

Platinum; All gold medal-winning wines are re-tasted and based upon that Best Value Platinum and Platinum Awards are given to the best wines.

Best in Show; All Platinum winners are re-tasted and best from them is entitled as Best in Show Wine.

London Wine Competition

The London Wine Competition recognizes, rewards and helps promote wine brands that have been successfully created to target a specific drinker. The London Wine Competition works on the fundamental that every wine needs to be marketable and consumer driven and not just produced in a hope that it can get enough people willing to sell and buy it.

How are wines judged at London Wine Competition (LWC)?

Every wine is tasted blind by wine experts and then design and packaging are assessed.

Criteria used by LWC to judge wine

Wines are judged in three key areas, their quality, their value for money and what they look like.

Awards

Wine of the Year, Winery of the Year, Best in Show Wine by Price, Best in Show Wine by Varietal and Best in Show Wine by Country.

Sommelier Wine Awards

Sommelier Wine Awards is Britain’s only on-trade wine competition. It is fully focused on wines aimed at the on-trade. This wine competition started in 2007 and it has grown to become the first point of reference for on-trade wine buyers in the UK.

How are wines judged at Sommelier Wine Awards (SWA)?

Wines are tasted blind and by category.

Criteria used by SWA to judge wine

Food-friendliness, Versatility, Typicity, Personality and Value for money

Awards

Food Match Trophy, Critics Choice Trophy, By The Glass and Pub & Bar Trophy, Merchant Awards, Producer of the Year, Best Wine in Show, House Wine of the Year, Fine Wine of the Year, Gastropub Wine of the Year.

International Wine Challenge

International Wine Challenge is now in its 34th year. It is world’s finest and most conscientiously judged wine competition. It is entirely focused on wine producers. Winning a medal in this wine competition is a momentous achievement.

How are wines judged at International Wine Challenge (IWC)?

Every wine is blind tasted on three separate occasions by at least 10 different judges.

Criteria used by IWC to judge wine

Faithfulness to style, region and vintage.

Awards

Sub-Regional, Regional and National Trophies, Sake Trophies and Champion Sake, International Trophies, Champion Wine Trophies, Planet Earth Awards, Winemaker of the Year Awards, Great Value Awards and IWC Own Label Range of the Year.

International Wine and Spirit Competition

International Wine and Spirit Competition is now in its 49th year. It was founded by a wine chemist Anton Massel. It was started as Club Oenologique first and renamed as International Wine and Spirit Competition in 1978. The unique thing about this competition is all entries have to undergo chemical analysis.

How are wines judged at International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC)?

Wines are first tasted blind and then they undergo chemical analysis.

Criteria used by IWSC to judge wine

Wines are tasted by variety, type, region, area and vintage.

Awards

Wine Communicator of the year and The Outstanding Achievement In The Wine Industry Trophy

People’s Choice Wine Awards

The inaugural People’s Choice Wine Awards was launched in 2017. PCWA is run by Janet Harrison, founder of Cracking Wine and The Fizz Festival. Both the companies always organize fun and informal wine tasting events and festivals, and they always involve audience votes. The philosophy behind PCWA is very simple – give the consumer the opportunity to vote for the wines they really love.

Who are the participants in PCWA?

Supermarkets, importers, producers and retailers.

Competition’s Focus

Food friendly wine, easy wine terminologies, organic production, modern and inclusive approach, etc.

Independent English Wine Competition

Independent English Wine Competition is held annually like all other wine competitions and awards. It is a world-class, consumer-focused and independent wine competition.

How are the Wines judged at IEWC?

Like all other competitions, wines are tasted blind. The only information given about wine is the grape variety and vintage.

Awards

Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal

AA Wine Award

AA Wine Award, introduced in 1998, recognizes outstanding wines from around the world. The nominated wines are judged on the quality and ability to inspire consumers.

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