Winemaker Challenge Award Categories
Judges, tasting blind, will award Silver medals to wines that exhibit above average character for the wine type and place of origin. A Gold medal (90 to 93 points) will be awarded to wines that possess an added dimension or profound characteristics that are recognized by two or more of the judges on a panel. Platinum award winners (94 to 100 points) are wines deemed to be of top quality on the world stage. Gold and Platinum award winners are contenders for "Best of" category or Best of Show.
The Competition Director may, at his discretion, recognize outstanding performances by a winery or importer following tabulation of all results. Awards will be announced at www.WinemakerChallenge.com and winners will be notified by U.S. mail. Entering Winemaker Challenge
The best way to enter is online. If you're ready, click here. A complete wine competition entry is comprised of two (2) bottles. Grape varieties, residual sugar, appellation, vineyard designation, proprietary names, retail price and alcohol level must be given for each entry. When entering information, it is important that you report alcohol and residual sugar content (expressed as percentage of residual sugar, NOT grams per liter) accurately so that your wine can be properly flighted and shown in its best possible light. Accurate winery information (mailing address, telephone number, email address and contact person) is also very important. Winners will be posted on this website soon after the close of judging. Wines entered in the wrong category will be moved to the correct category by the Competition Director.
Enter the wine's name as it appears on the label. The wine's label will determine how the wine is identified to consumers and industry when awards are announced. Please enter carefully so your award certificates will be correct.
Entry Fees
$85 per wine entered and paid by Early Bird entry deadline of February 27, 2026
$100 per wine entered after the Early Bird deadline. Fees are due at time of entry. Entries not paid in full by the start of the competition will not be judged. Visa, Master Card and American Express are accepted as online payment methods. Charges will appear on your credit card statement as "Wine Cellar Productions." If you prefer to pay by check, you may mail a check made payable to Wine Cellar Productions to this address: Wine Cellar Productions, 1121 Britem Court, Vista CA 92083.
Entry Methods
Enter Online: Click Here
Enter by Phone: Call +1 760/522-3167 - please have your wine information ready. Deadlines Early Bird Entry Deadline: February 27, 2026
Final Entry Deadline: March 20, 2026
Product Deadline: April 4, 2026
Ship Wines to -
Winemaker Challenge
Attn: Rich Cook, Competition Director
1121 Britem Court
Vista, California 92083
Deliveries accepted Monday through Friday. Shipping early gives us more time to process the wine, resolve any issues or shipping errors, and gives the wine time to recover from traveling. Ship wine only to the address above to assure it is received and handled properly. Please Note: This location does not have a loading dock. If you ship your wine on a pallet, please specify that your shipper use a truck with a lift gate. If you have any questions about entering the Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition, feel free to contact Competition Director Rich Cook at 760-522-3167 or WinemakerChallenge@yahoo.com. International Entries Entering international wines? If you need import assistance, click here for help with international entries. |
