Wine Show Entries | International Wine Competitions around the World

International wine competitions often create a judging panel by inviting internationally experienced wine writers, Masters of Wine (MW), Master Sommeliers (MS), even winemakers, wine educators, some senior wine buyers, and respected critics.

Many competitions seem to rotate their judges annually, I imagine to keep results fair, which adds integrity, meaning there is no chance of an accidentally biased panel forming over time.

Of course, having said that, many highly respected professionals certainly appear more regularly across international competitions, adding to the authenticity of the events.

Here is a list of perhaps the world's most respected and indeed influential international wine competitions and some of the judges who are most likely to attend.

1. Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA)

Recognised as the world's largest wine competition, DWWA attracts somewhere around 250 leading wine experts, including numerous Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers.

Frequent Co-Chairs and Senior Judges

Michael Hill Smith MW
Andrew Jefford
Ronan Sayburn MS
Sarah Jane Evans MW
Beth Willard
Caro Maurer MW

Other judges regularly appearing

Dirceu Vianna Junior MW
Tim Atkin MW
Alun Griffiths MW
Justin Howard-Sneyd MW
David Bicknell
Peter McCombie MW

2. International Wine Challenge (IWC)

Every year in London, the IWC assembles just over 500 judges from around 40 countries. All wines qualifying for a medal are carefully re-tasted so as to be confirmed by the senior chairs.

Regular Co-Chairs

Tim Atkin MW
Sam Caporn MW
Oz Clarke
Helen McGinn
Peter McCombie MW
Charles Metcalfe

Typical judge categories

Masters of Wine
Master Sommeliers
Senior supermarket buyers 
Importers
Educators
International wine journalists

3. International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC)

Established in 1969, the IWSC is no doubt one of the oldest and most prestigious global wine competitions to be found. 

The judging panels include professionals from pretty much every single sector of the wine and spirits business.

Examples of Wine Judges

Sarah Abbott MW
Dirceu Vianna Junior MW
Matt Walls
Anne Krebiehl MW
Helen McGinn
Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW

 

4. Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

This is one of Europe's largest ongoing wine competitions.

Typical Judge categories

International sommeliers
Masters of Wine
Oenologists
Wine journalists
Importers and buyers

Frequently invited judges include:

Baudouin Havaux
Thomas Costenoble
Andreas Larsson

 

5. Mundus Vini

Germany's high profile international wine competition.

Judges commonly include

International Masters of Wine
Oenologists
Sommeliers
Wine journalists
Retail buyers

6. Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition

This Wine Challenge is a bit different because the entered wines are judged by critics, wine and spirits journalists, and beverage writers.

Prominent judges include

Robert Whitley
Michael Franz
Christopher Sawyer

My favourite Australian Wine Competition would have to be the Royal Adelaide Wine Show because it's my local and can be quite a good social event, but it's closely followed by the Sydney International Wine Competition because wines can be judged not just technically, but also keeping the real world in mind, wines are judged with food, in order to achieve highly sought after Blue Gold Medal status. 

Typical judges:

Louisa Rose
Matt Harrop
Kate Goodman
Senior Australian winemakers and educators

Royal Melbourne Wine Awards

Regular judges include:

Leading Australian winemakers
Wine educators
Sommeliers
Wine writers
Masters of Wine
Sydney Royal Wine Show

Historically judged by:

Huon Hooke
Nick Stock
Jeni Port
Australia's senior winemakers and judges
Some of the World's Most Recognised Wine Judges

These individuals are regularly invited to judge major international competitions:

Michael Hill Smith MW
Tim Atkin MW
Sarah Jane Evans MW
Andrew Jefford
Ronan Sayburn MS
Oz Clarke
Peter McCombie MW
Dirceu Vianna Junior MW
Anne Krebiehl MW
Andreas Larsson
Sarah Abbott MW
Jancis Robinson MW
Steven Spurrier (historically)
James Halliday (historically)
Huon Hooke

There are plenty more wine shows ranging from tiny regional shows right up to the China Wine and Spirit Awards for the broader Asian market, however results do not always make immediate sense to wine lovers and you can bet that some wines that have never been entered into a competition, are still worthy of medals...

Results sometimes mean nothing to retailers, who may suggest that winning Gold in Asia doesn't mean anything in London or a Canberra Wine winning Gold at the Canberra Wine Show is a bit like winning at back yard cricket; the rest of the world does not celebrate this victory.

Many wine lovers will not understand that a competition receiving over 1000 entries from 50 countries, for example, may well award over 250 wines with gold medals, not just 'The One Medal' on that one bottle that they are thinking of buying.

As for Silver and Bronze status, I would never brag about that result in a sea of competitions; those results are more like safety ratings for motor vehicles... You simply feel a bit better that your friend is driving a safer car, even if it's not the best car on the road.

If you do not know much about wine, seeing a silver or bronze medal (even gold) is a bit like an air bag designed to cushion your purchasing decisions.

Wine competition judging panels can change every year, and event organisers like to vary panel members year to year, in order to keep a general consistency of results from unbiased professionals with regional and global palates.