If you are looking to enter the second edition of the London Wine Competition then you can make big savings by putting your wines in now and take advantage of early bird rates.

New judges this year include Demetri Walters MW, wine educator and presenter for Berry Bros. & Rudd, Rebecca Gibb MW, wine writer and critic and Madeleine Strenweth MW, wine educator and consultant and one of only two MWs in Sweden.

Take advantage of the early bird entry pricing and submit your wines before October 30, 2018. Learn more on how to enter here.

Here are some behind the scene pictures.

White wines being prepared

Mauricio Perez from our team taking pictures of each bottle submitted

Meeting to plan panels

Wine glasses getting delivered

Getting ready for the whites

Our managers' little note board

Double checking the samples before loading into the truck

Printouts of Judges packs getting ready

Get set ready. Table is getting ready.

The London Wine Competition looks to recognise, reward and help promote wine brands that have successfully been created to identify with and target a specific wine drinker. For any wine brand to earn its place on a retailer’s shelf or a restaurant’s wine list - and then vitally stay there - they need to be marketable and consumer driven and not just produced in the general hope it can find enough people willing to sell and buy it.

That is why the London Wine Competition is different. It will single out and shine the spotlight on those wine brands that consumers really want to buy and have a clear market value for trade buyers.

A competition that will judge wines in three key areas:

1.  Their quality.
2.  Their value for money.
3.  What they look like.

To be an award winner you will need to have a top quality wine, that offers both the trade and the consumer great value for money, and you will need to look good and truly stand out on the shelf and on the back bar.

Quality

The London Wine Competition is not about recognising wines that achieve the best scores in terms of just quality, but you would struggle to drink more than a glass of. We want to celebrate wines that are both enjoyable and easy to drink. Wines that are well balanced, where their acidity, tannins and alcohol levels all work seamlessly together. That’s the quality factor.

Value for money

You don't need to be the cheapest wine on the shelf to offer the best value for money. Far from it. A wine may have a high price tag, but can still offer great value providing it delivers the right quality and taste for a wine at that price point. The London Wine Competition will assess each wine for how much value it is offering its customers.

Package and Design

This is arguably the most important part of a wine brand to get right. For, after all, what a wine brand looks like is how every consumer chooses the wine they want to drink. With their eyes first. Up to 65% of consumers will try a new wine just because it looks good and if you can match that with a price and quality of wine that offers great value for money, then you are more than half way home. The London Wine Competition will reward those brands that show they understand their customers, and the price category they are operating in, and have produced a design and package with the right personality to attract and keep their attention. 

Commercially relevant

Crucially all the winners in the London Wine Competition will give future trade wine buyers, be they for a supermarket, specialist wine retailer, casual dining or upmarket restaurant, the re-assurance that these are wines that their customers want to buy.

Cross industry recognition

The London Wine Competition also recognises the huge talent and skills that now exist right through the wine supply chain. From the winemakers, growers and producers that are making the wine; through to the specialist importers and wholesalers that help bring them to market; along with the designers, packaging experts and brand development teams that ensure there is a market and customer base to sell to.

Consumer awareness

Winners in the London Wine Competition will receive either a Gold, Silver or Bronze award and be supported by a strong consumer awareness campaign, particularly through social media channels and wine comparison apps, to promote this new global competition.