Beverage Trade Network’s Sommeliers Choice Awards is into its 3rd year and is set to raise its standards for its 2021 competition. With their new theme ‘Benchmarking America’s Wine List’ the goal of the competition is to give restaurant owners and sommeliers and wine directors a benchmark to buy wines for their restaurants and wine bars.

The competition is into its 3rd year and focuses exclusively on the needs of on-premise establishments such as bars, restaurants, lounges and clubs.

A sommelier in a top New York City restaurant or a business owner-operator who can't afford a sommelier, for example, will now have a valuable tool for recognizing which wines – especially wines from up-and-coming international wine regions – would make an important addition to that restaurant’s wine list. That is particularly important in today’s competitive marketplace, where on-premise establishments are using their wine lists as an important and valuable way to stand out from the crowd and attract new customers.

View Judging Process

“We really wanted a way to recognize those wines that would be a great addition to wine lists at restaurants, bars and clubs,” said Sid Patel, Founder and CEO of Beverage Trade Network. “Whether sommeliers are looking to plug a very specific gap in their existing wine list, or construct an entirely new wine list from scratch, what better advice could they get than from fellow sommeliers? Wines that win medals at the Sommeliers Choice Awards have received acclaim by the very best in the business.”

The judging panel of the Sommeliers Choice Awards will consist entirely of top sommeliers at U.S. restaurants, bars, pubs, and clubs. In order to be selected as a judge, sommeliers need to provide evidence of their expertise within the on-premise industry. In some cases, these sommeliers may also be wine consultants for on-premise establishments. They may also have a buying role in addition to working on the restaurant floor.

Medals will be awarded to those wines that meet very specific judging criteria, with a goal of identifying wines that should become additions to restaurant wine lists. Wines will be judged according to criteria such as how well they pair with food items in addition to their overall versatility. Highest marks will be awarded to wines that provide value for money at their respective price points. Judges know the trade prices of each wine as they are judging each flight. The number one question that sommeliers will be attempting to answer as they judge wines is: “Would we stock this?”

Submit Wines

Last year's top 100 on-premise list which showcases the top 100 wines from sommeliers choice awards was also marketed to more than 20,000 sommeliers and wine directors of USA. The winners of the 2020 competition are also aimed to be showcased at USA Trade Tasting in New York.

This year Sommeliers Choice Awards have announced a partnership with Get Drinks Delivered to help winners of the competition showcase their profiles and wines to help wineries grow their direct to consumer sales via delivery and curbside pick up. 

This will give more brand awareness to the consumers.

The Sommeliers Choice Awards is currently accepting entries for a variety of different categories.

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)

You can enter your wines before March 31, 2021, to avail the Special Pricing.

About Sommeliers Choice Awards

Sommeliers Choice Awards is the ultimate wine competition which aims to provide on-premise buyers and sommeliers a valuable benchmark for understanding which wines would make a compelling addition to a wine list. An all-star judging panel consisting of leading sommeliers, on-premise wine buyers, wine directors at the U.S. restaurants, bars, pubs, and clubs gather in San Francisco to judge wines coming from across the globe. Wines are judged on the basis of: Food Parability, Typicity, Value, Quality, and Package. Medals are awarded to those wines that meet very specific judging criteria, with a goal of identifying wines that should become additions to restaurant wine lists. SCA is currently accepting entries, Special Pricing closes on March 31, 2021.

About Beverage Trade Network

Beverage Trade Network is the world’s leading B2B beverage networking & media platform, creating global platforms & marketplace for the drinks & cannabis industry to learn, network & grow. Along with IBWSS UK, IBWSS SF, and IBWSS Shanghai, BTN also organizes other trade shows such as Cannabis Food Show & Cannabis Drinks Expo in both San Francisco and Chicago, and USA Trade Tasting in New York. The platform also shines the light on wines, beers, and spirits, by bringing them in front of trade buyers through their competitions like Sommelier’s Choice Awards, Bartender’s Spirits Awards, London Wine Competition, London Spirits Competition, and London Beer Competition. 

To know more, visit www.beveragetradenetwork.com