The Buyer | London Wine Competition 2022 targets retailers & merchants

Only professional buyers and those with direct commercial responsibility are allowed to judge in the London Wine Competition making it particularly relevant for retailers and merchants and their wines.

Just to get a wine on any retailer’s shelf is the culmination of months, if not years of effort. It is the wine industry’s equivalent of completing an SAS training camp such are the difficulties, challenges and barriers that producers and their customers have to go through to come up with a potentially commercial selling wine.

It has become very much a team effort with producers and brand owners, working hand in hand with their retail customers to make sure they are making the wines they need and their customers want.

The huge rise in private label and exclusive brands on wine shelves in recent years means it is the retailers and supermarkets themselves that are doing so much of the work to ensure they are working with their wine partners to blend, and craft wines that they know are right for their customers.

London Wine Competition is looking to attract entries from major retailers from the UK and around the world for its 2022 awards

It is those wine that the London Wine Competition is so keen to see entered into the competition so that all the effort that goes into making them can be rewarded by its judges and the medals awarded.

As this is also the only major global drinks competitions that judges wines in the same way that retailers do as part of their listing criteria – by their quality, value for money and design – it makes even more sense for them to see this as the right platform to to put those wines up to scrutiny.

Sid Patel, chief executive of the Beverage Trade Network that organises the London Wine Competition as part of the London Drinks events that also includes separate events for spirits and beer, says: “The London Wine Competition is tailor made for supermarkets and specialists drinks retailers as we speak the same language. We only judge wines in the same way that consumers do. Their customers. What makes them decide to pick up a wine from the 100s down a wine aisle and put it in their basket? That is why price, value for money and packaging and design is so important in our judging criteria. We hope to see more retailers put their wines into next year’s competition.”

Scoring system

Wines are judged on a 100-point scale. With different scores out of 100 given by each judge for its quality, value and packaging. Gold medals are given for wines scoring 90 to 100 points; Silver for scoring 76-89 points; and 65-75 points for Bronze.

What makes the LWC different

Every judge has be currently employed in a front line job in the wine industry and where possible have direct buying responsibility or be involved in commercial decision making.
The 2021 judging panel included 15 Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers, with each panel of judges having at least one MW or MS judge and a female judge as part of their judging team.
It attracts entries from all over the world ensuring wines are being assessed against the best in their category with 36 countries taking part in 2021.
The 2021 competition also saw wines entered that covered 135 different varietals of which there were a Super Six made up of: Shiraz; Cabernet Sauvignon; Chardonnay; Merlot; Tempranillo; and Sauvignon Blanc. Wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon made up the most number of Gold medals.

The London Drinks Guide helps to promote award winning wines in the London Wine Competition

Medal winners have the opportunity of being featured and promoted on the London Drinks Guide, a dedicated editorial platform set up to support the producers, importers and distributors that enter the London Wine Competition.
The London Wine Competition is one part of the three London Competitions that also includes the London Beer Competition, the London Spirits Competition, all organised by the Beverage Trade Network.

Entering the 2022 Competition

Any importer, supplier or distributor that enters from now until August 31 can take advantage of super early bird pricing. The awards are also now open for all entries.

Pricing 2022 awards