The closing date for entries for the London Wine Competition and London Spirits Competition is February 22. Click on the links to find out more and read below to see what difference it could make to your brands if you do enter.
North Uist Distillery Company, Scotland
Downpour Scottish Dry Gin, from the North Uist Distillery Company in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, was the highest scoring spirits brand with 98 points in the 2023 London Spirits Competition. Here’s what it meant to the distillery owners Kate MacDonald and Jonny Ingledew:
“Being a gold medal winner at the London Spirits Competition has had a significant impact on our sales. One of our business goals for the year was to gain more traction in the on-trade. Recognition from London Spirits Competition has acted as a seal of approval in this respect as the competition is judged by some of the world’s leading figures from the hospitality sector. Not only this, judging is undertaken with the end consumer in mind, so you know the judges can genuinely see a space for your products.
“Often it is difficult to identify a tangible link between awards success and specific listings, however, I can point to several new partnerships as a direct result of our London Spirits Competition medals. This includes a listing with a high-end UK-wide department store whose buyer was on the judging panel. This also includes the opening up of a new export market after we were approached by an importer who had seen coverage of our success.
“This is no coincidence. The LSC team did a superb job of promoting the competition and providing a platform for the medal winners. We have won top medals in other competitions and it was a flash in the pan, whereas LSC has sustained the coverage throughout the year. We really appreciate it – thank you!”
Gibson Wines, Australia
Rob Gibson says it was “humbling” to get such success in the London Wine Competition
Gibson Wines in Australia’s Barossa Valley was awarded the best varietal at the London Wine Competition 2022 for its Reserve Shiraz 2019, scoring an impressive 95 points – the first time the winery had entered the London Wine Competition.
Rob Gibson, founder, viticulturist, geologist and winemaker, explains what impact winning the award meant: “Receiving the news that our little winery in the northern reaches of the Barossa had taken the Best Shiraz of the show was incredibly humbling.”
He adds: “South Australia, and particularly the Barossa, is home to some of the world’s most renowned Shiraz expressions, so there is an immediate sense of fulfilment when judged as a standout from within our own viticultural neighbourhood. Add to that the international benchmarking that comes from competition with global wine region representation, and it’s even sweeter.”
Gibson says the fact the London Wine Competition is a rare amongst global wine events in that it judges both for quality of the wine, but also its value for money and packaging and design makes it an even more stand out accolade.
“The combined criteria of quality, value and packaging criteria that the London Wine Competition employs to determine award winners really do frame the assessment of wines through a real-life consumer perspective. That’s a really interesting way to approach wine assessment.”
Tamborine Mountain Distillery, Australia
Tamborine Mountain Distillery won Best Brandy in the 2023 London Spirits Competition
The Tamborine Mountain Distillery in Queensland in Australia won the Best Brandy award in the overall London Spirits Competition 2023 for its Apricot Brandy – which received 96 points.
When asked what impact the award has had, Gordon Chalmers, head distiller and co-owner of Tamborine Mountain Distillery, says: “Only one word needed: fantastic!”
He adds: “It is always rewarding to win any medal when competing against so many great and much bigger brands, but to win the Best Brandy was absolutely brilliant. It was a big news event both for our loyal customers but also for our local community.”
It now has sights set on the 2024 competition and islooking to enter eight products into the London Spirits Competition 2024.
Spirit Hound Distillers, United States
Spirit Hound Distillers won Whisky of the Year in 2022 London Spirits Competition
Colorado-based Spirit Hound Distillers was awarded Whisky of the Year in the 2022 London Spirits Competition for its Straight Malt Whisky. It was also the highest scoring US-based spirit entered the competition.
“It’s a significant step in validating the level of quality of the product that we make here at Spirit Hound Distillers,” says co-founder, co-owner, and head distiller Craig Engelhorn.
“The London Spirits Competition is internationally recognised as one of the most prestigious, top competitions. It is such an honour to be recognised among such a strong representation of spirits from around the world.”
He adds: “We’re just about 10 years old, in a state with no distillery much over 20 years old, so in distillery years, we’re still infants. This is proof that our commitment to using Colorado grain, mashing and distilling on our own handmade equipment, with unconditional love for the craft is paying off.”
“Our Single Malt Whisky was the inspiration for the distillery. We set out with a mission to make a delicious, all-Colorado whisky and we’re proud to be here 10 years later, earning international awards,” says Engelhorn.
In addition to Spirit Hound’s Straight Malt Whisky winning Whisky of the Year and Best in Show by Country, the distillery also received a silver medal and 78 points for its Barrel-Finished Gin and a bronze medal and 75 points for its Rye Whisky.
Headlands Distilling Company, Australia
Headlands Distilling Company says winning medals in the London Spirits Competition has helped its international distribution
Thomas Simmnadis, director of Australia’s Headlands Distilling Company, says it has been busy promoting the success it had in the London Spirits Competition 2023 with both online and print media campaigns.
He says: “The London Spirits Competition provided us with an independent evaluation of our products and gave us invaluable feedback including the judges’ tasting notes. We were happy with the individualised feedback and care taken by the organisers to ensure products arrived on time and were given the attention they deserve. We will definitely enter again in 2024.”
He adds: “With the increase in international food and spirits awards it can be unclear what the worth of a gold medal is. The London Spirits Competition is an exception, with buyers holding such an award in the highest esteem. This reflects the inherent value of winning gold medals at the London Spirits Competition, which has helped propel us forward as we grow Headlands both locally in Australia and further afield in overseas markets.”
Silverado Vineyards, United States
Silverado’s Russ Weiss says competitions like London Wine Competition are essential in its messaging to consumers about the quality of its wines.
Silverado Vineyards in Napa California, which was founded by the wife and daughter of cartoon pioneer Walt Disney, won Best in Show and Best in Country at the London Wine Competition in 2021. The accolades are thanks to its Estate Cabernet, the producers’s best selling wine, which scored 95 points earning it a gold medal, Best in Show, and Best inCountry.
President Russ Weiss explains what the award meant: “We are very proud of Silverado’s wines, and the quality speaks for itself. All the wines in our portfolio are estate grown, produced, and bottled. There are very few true estate wineries left – especially in Napa Valley. For a small winery like Silverado, not everyone knows who we are outside of California, so competitions are an excellent way to give luxury wine consumers confidence in the selections they make.”
Its 2018 GEO Cabernet Sauvignon, and single-vineyard 2016 SOLO Cabernet Sauvignon also won gold medals in the 2021 competition.
He adds: “We also won medals for our Vineburg Chardonnay and our Miller Ranch Sauvignon Blanc which we are also very proud of. While we are traditionally a Cab house, our Sauvignon Blanc is our second-best-selling wine and one of the fastest-growing varietals in the US.”
Grayln Estate, Australia
Australia’s Gralyn Estate won Best Wine of the Year in 2022 London Wine Competition
The 2022 Best Wine of the Year was awarded to Margaret River’s Gralyn Estate for its Artizan Rare Muscat.
Co-owners Annette and Scott Baxter said they were “thrilled” with the news and “honoured” to receive the accolade.
“It’s always a nice surprise to hear you’ve done well but being awarded ‘Wine of the Year’ is something special. The Artizan Rare Muscat is a special piece of our family history which my parents initiated many years ago for the love of fortified wine,” says Annette.
Founded by Graham and Merilyn Hutton in Wilyabrup in 1975, Gralyn Estate first opened its cellar door in 1978, with their daughter Annette and her winemaker husband Scott taking over the reins two years ago.
“The wine we see today has evolved and developed since our beginnings. We feel these awards will highlight to consumers the outstanding fortified wines produced in the South-West corner of Australia. Our brand has always had a very high reputation for our Chardonnay, Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon and it is lovely to see our aged fortified resonate so well with respected judges and sommeliers,” she says.
CBC BevCo, United States
Medal winning wines from CBC BevCo in California
CBC BevCo’sTwisted Cedar Zinfandel from California won a gold medal and Best Zinfandel award at the 2021 London Wine Competition.
Phillip Anderson, vice president of sales, describes the impact the award has had: “It was incredibly positive for us. Our original reason for entering the competition was to win some sort of medal prior to the London Wine Fair. The hope was to use that to get some recognition at the event and possibly find an importer for the UK. The first part of the plan exceeded our expectations, but of course, the second part fell by the wayside. The London Wine Show went virtual, so we didn’t get the opportunity to present the wines to buyers and sample them on the wine.
He adds: “The response in the U.S. has been very good. I’m not certain that the customers were particularly familiar with the London Wine Competition, but they love that the Zinfandel won best in show there and the general public has been more impressed with this international recognition than with our gold medal wins in US competitions. It has been a great validation for us that what we are doing can succeed in the international marketplace.”
How to enter 2024 Competitions
The entry process for the London Wine, Beer and Spirits Competitions ends on February 22. Here’s how to enter:
