Sommeliers Choice Awards is coming up with the 2024 awards which is its 6th edition and judged by the star-studded judging panel in the USA.

The Sommelier Choice Awards Competition aims to provide a platform for underrated wines to grab a spotlight and recognise what they deserve. The awards showcase exceptional wines from on-premise establishments in the USA that can be added to one’s wine list. The award has been serving a long way for the winners and helping to connect the community for the past 5 years. 

The elite judging panel consists of award-winning sommeliers, Master Sommeliers, and on-premise wine experts from various outlets in the USA. In case one wants to be selected as a judge, the sommeliers have to submit evidence of their experience and expertise within the on-premise industry. Judges can be wine consultants and buyers who are experts in the field with hands-on experience in the industry.

Those wines which meet the set criteria will be honoured with the medals as per the points. The goal of the overall awards is to be listed in restaurants and the criteria are set with respect to the goals. Wines pairing well with food items along with the value for money shall attain the highest score. 

The judging criteria will be on food parability, typicity, quality, value and the last but not the least the packaging. The wines will be tasted blind to determine the food parability, tasting and quality coming down to the the packaging and value. The overall look, design and label will be judged. Wines can also be marked as By Glass if the judges think it is a good fit for it. Food parability and quality will weigh more scores in this process.

Here are some of the judges who will participate in the 2024 Sommeliers Choice Awards.

WAYNE BELDING MS, Master Sommelier and Partner at Preferably, Colorado

PETER GRANOFF MS, Master Sommelier, Wine Educator, Speaker, Entrepreneur, San Francisco

BRIAN KOZIOL MS, Master Sommelier at Maverick Beverage Company, Chicago

RACHEL LOWE, Director of Beverage for Levy Restaurants.

ALEXANDER POWELL MS, Master Sommelier and Senior Wine Manager at Grill 23 & Bar, Boston

LISA SELMAN CSS, Alchemy Room Beverage Director

KYUNGMOON KIM MS, Master Sommelier

VINCENT MORROW MS, Master Sommelier and Wine Director at PRESS Napa Valley, San Francisco

BRANDON TEBBE, MS, Master Sommelier

SERAFIN ALVARADO MSm Master Sommelier and Director of Wine Education at Southern Wine & Spirits

JEREMY SHANKER MS, Corporate Wine Director at Mina Group and Master Sommelier

SCOTT BARBER, President at Green Pin Wines

LARISSA C DUBOSE, National Director Beverages- Dining Division at Paradies Lagardère and Wine Enthusiast Magazine Future 40, Vino Volo National Buyer

BRANDON BIERLEIN, Director of Food & Beverage, Talbott Hotel Chicago

GUILLERMO BRAVO, Beverage Director at Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Chicago

ALLISON CURATOLO, Wine Director RPM Italian Las Vegas

ANIKA ELLISON, Wine Manager, Swift & Sons Steakhouse, Chicago

KRISTIN FRANCESCO, Sommelier at Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, Chicago

JAMIE HARRISON RUBIN, Procurement & Placements at Culinary Conservatory

COLIN HOFER, General Manager of Restaurants, Four Seasons Chicago

JENNIFER KNOTT, Director of Beverage for Levy at Chicago Symphony Orchestra

JOSH KING, Director of Food and Beverage, Virgin Hotels, Chicago

JOHN MARAFFA, Corporate Beverage Manager, Morton's The Steakhouse | Strip House Steakhouse & Cocktail Lounge | Morton's Grille

JON MCDANIEL, Founder & CEO of Ottantadu

TIFFANY TOBEY, Owner and Sommelier, Tiffany's Toast, Dallas, Texas

View the full panel of the 2024 Sommeliers Choice Awards judges here.

The competition’s judging process begins with a blind taste test followed by an effective scoring system and is finally awarded a score out of 100. Each winner at the Sommeliers Choice Awards is decided based on the following judging formula:

A wine that scores 96 points and above is awarded Double Gold, 90-95 points get Gold, 80-89 points get Silver, and 70-79 points get a Bronze award

List of Sommeliers Choice Awards

Double Gold – 96 points and above

Gold – 90-95 points

Silver – 80-89 points

Bronze – 70-79 points

Wine of the Year

White Wine of the Year

Red Wine of the Year

Sparkling Wine of the Year

Rose Wine of the Year

Fortified Wine Of The Year

Wine of the Year - BTG (By The Glass)

White Wine of the Year - BTG (By The Glass)

Red Wine of the Year - BTG (By The Glass)

Sparkling Wine of the Year - BTG (By The Glass)

Rose Wine of the Year - BTG (By The Glass)

Fortified Wine Of The Year - BTG (By The Glass)

Other special awards

Importer of the Year

Distributor of the year

Wine of the Year (By Country) - Only top 10 Countries (USA, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Germany, South Africa)

Wine of the Year (By Varietal) - Only top 10 Varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pino Noir, Merlot, Shiraz/Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Pino Grigio/Gris, Riesling).

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The winners will be celebrated beyond the US on-premise industry and will be provided with digital certificates and medal stickers. The award’s media partners, BTN, Sommelier Business and BevRoute shall provide the media coverage for the award and the medal winners.