Super Early Bird Ends
October 31, 2024
Judging
Date
May 19, 2025
Winners Announcement
June 10, 2025
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.
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
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)
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).
[[relatedPurchasesItems-41]]
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.
2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards submissions is now open for domestic and international wines. Enter your Wines to get the super early bird pricing before October 31, 2024