Sommeliers Choice Awards was created with a clear vision to create a wine competition that truly reflects the expertise and preferences of sommeliers, and to reward wines that are a great fit for on-premise channels and wine consumption.

Why are Sommeliers Choice Awards different? 

Wines are judged in five categories: food pairability, typicity, quality, value, and packaging. Judges consider two overarching questions whilst considering these five categories: “Would we stock this?” and "Will the consumer buy the second glass?" In essence, then, the entire focus of the awards is finding wines that are a great fit for wine lists and by the glass programs.

Sommeliers Choice Awards has created a reputation of bringing the on-premise trade buyers wines that are a great fit for wine lists and by the glass programs. Sommeliers can see the winning wines and use them to curate their wine lists.

Who are the judges and how wine brands can benefit?

The judges of Sommeliers Choice Awards are top Restaurant Wine Buyers of USA, Master Sommeliers, National and Regional Restaurant group buyers and leading wine directors of the on-premise channels. The judging panel will also include leading and specialised wine importers and distributors. Each panel has a Master Sommelier which means each wine is also reviewed by one Master Sommelier. The judges are real trade buyers and come with direct buying responsibilities.

One of the main commercial benefits wine producers have is that the wines are also judged by the package and thus the judges can see the wine bottles once the blind tasting is done which gives a brand a solid visibility.

Each brand also gets constructive trade feedback from these top trade professionals is very valuable. Feedback includes market feedback like is your wine a good fit for on-premise channel? is the region or varietal in demand in the US market? Is it a good fit for the glass program? and if the judges are interested in your brand, they also have an option to ask for more details like pricing and sampling. Apart from the feedback, each wine gets a professional tasting note that they can use in custom shelf talkers of SCA.

2025 SCA judging panel will also include importers and distributors specialized in restaurant wines which brings a solid benefit for international and domestic wine brands looking to get attention of state distributors and importers.

If you are looking to sell more of your wines to the on-premise establishments such as restaurants, hotels, pubs, and bars, then you need to enter the Sommeliers Choice Awards.

Here are just few benefits to enter your wines in SCA.

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.

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).

4. Get Market Feedback

Get feedback from judges on questions like is the wine good for on-premise channel or off-premise channel? 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 BTN network. This includes showing in the winners carousel in Sommelier Business, San Francisco Drinks Guide, New York Drinks Guide, Chicago Drinks Guide, Los Angeles Drinks Guide and Beverage Trade Network.

6. Give The Consumer A Sense and Stamp Of Approval.

7. Get professional tasting notes

8. Judges that are interested to learn 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. Option to showcase your extra sample bottle at the USA Trade Tasting show at the Sommeliers Choice Awards pavillion.

11. Special category brands will have product showcase and judges medal winner videos. Brands can use the finished video as testimonial from these top judges.

12. 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.

13. Each brand will get a detailed product listing showing the win and tasting notes in 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.