The Sommeliers Choice Awards is a unique platform where your wines are judged by leading sommeliers, wine directors, and buyers from top restaurants, hotels, and bars. These judges focus on the factors that matter most in the world of on-premise wine service: taste, food pairability, value, and packaging. Winning a medal at this competition means your wine has been recognized as an exceptional choice for wine lists and programs, gaining the attention of key decision-makers across the hospitality industry.

America’s number #1 sommelier Mark Guillaudeu MS on his best wine: Poet's Leap Riesling. Top category winners will get judge's testimonial videos.

What’s in It for Your Wine Brand?

1) Raise the profile of your wines: Winning a Sommeliers Choice Award is a mark of excellence that is recognized across the wine industry.

2) Get in front of a hard-to-reach audience: The judging panel of the Sommeliers Choice Awards will consist entirely of top sommeliers, on-premise wine buyers, and wine directors at U.S. restaurants, bars, pubs, and clubs. The Sommeliers Choice Awards provide an opportunity to reach a large group of these influential trade professionals.

The judging panel includes award-winning sommeliers and wine directors who work at the forefront of the wine industry. These professionals are responsible for curating wine programs at some of the most prestigious establishments, ensuring that each wine they recommend meets the highest standards of quality, value, and food pairability. View 2025 Judges Here.

3) Get Scores Feedback: Get detailed feedback on each judging criteria of the Sommeliers Choice Awards. F (Food Parability Score), T (Typicity Score), Q (Quality Score), Value Score (V) and Package Score (P).

Franz Keller vom Löss Pinot Noir: Wine of the year 2024.

4) Get Market Feedback: Get feedback from judges on questions like whether the wine is good for on-premise channels or off-premise channels. Is the region or varietal in demand right now? Is the wine good for by the glass program?

5) Winners to be listed and showcased in the BTN network. This includes showing in the winner's carousel in Sommelier Business, San Francisco Drinks Guide, New York Drinks Guide, Chicago Drinks Guide, Los Angeles Drinks Guide, and Beverage Trade Network.

6) Special category brands will have product showcases and judge's medal winner videos. Brands can use the finished video as a testimonial from these top judges.

7) Get professional tasting notes.

8) Judges who are interested in learning more about any product, can select send more information option. You will be then contacted by these judges for more information.

9) Global press and media coverage.

10) Special category winners will be invited to participate in the global press call for press and trade where each special category winner will get 5 minutes to pitch in the webinar. Here is an example.

View brand pitches here.

11) Each brand will get a detailed product listing showing the win and tasting notes on product pages where brands can also enter where to buy links.

There is no better way to reach sommeliers at top U.S. hotels, restaurants, bars, and pubs than to win an award that is by and for other sommeliers. All judging is by leading sommeliers and on-premise wine buyers, ensuring that all awards and scores earned within the competition are backed by a guarantee of quality. When wine buyers are looking for wines to add to a wine list, the first place they look is the Sommeliers Choice Awards. Names of award winners will be distributed nationwide to trade buyers within the United States.

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Save $75 with Super Early Bird Pricing—Enter Before October 31!

Why wait until later to enter when you can save $75 by submitting your wines before the Super Early Bird deadline on October 31? This early entry not only reduces your costs but also ensures your wines are among the first tasted and evaluated by the panel of expert judges. It’s a win-win opportunity—enter now to save money and maximize your brand’s exposure.

Key Dates:

Super Early Bird Ends - October 31, 2024
Registration Closes - April 18, 2025
Warehouse Closes - April 25, 2025
Judging Day - May 19, 2025
Winners Announced - June 10, 2025

Pricing:

Super Early Bird Pricing - $80 per wine (now to October 31, 2024)
Early Bird Pricing - $100 per wine (November 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025)
Regular Pricing - $120 per wine (February 1, 2025, to April 18, 2025)

*Instructions if shipping from outside the U.S.

It is best to use your own importer or agent to clear your shipment through U.S. Customs. All beverages shipped from outside the U.S. require import documents that must be obtained from your own importer or through import partners that provide TTB / Cola service.

If you do not currently work with a US Importer, Sommeliers Choice Awards will assist you with TTB and samples via its import partner.

Each winner gets shelf talker templates and a digital certificate. Check the winners and templates here.

Take the Next Step for Your Winery

The 2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards is the perfect opportunity for your wines to earn a spot on the wine lists of top venues around the world. By entering before October 31, you’ll save $75 and give your wines the best chance to impress the industry’s top tasters. Don’t miss this chance to elevate your brand— submit your entries, and let your wines shine in 2025!

Also Read:
Julio Alonso Ducci, Director of Wines of Chile North America Joins The Lets Grow Wine Webinar
Introducing the Second Batch of Ambassadors for the 2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards
Sommeliers Choice Awards 2025 Announces First Round of Esteemed Judges