Do you have a ridiculously delicious red? A white that wows? Or a #trending rosé? Entries are now open for the 2023 New World Wine Awards, kicking off the 21st annual search for the top drops under $25. Full entry information is available on the New World website.
Bringing together an international wine show format with a retail opportunity, these awards give winners the benefit of a respected accolade as well as the chance to boost their brand awareness and sales in New World stores nationwide, where customers will be waiting to discover the winning wines.
“Our judging standards and processes are the foundation of this competition,” says Co-Chair of Judges Sam Kim. “It’s all about the quality of the wine in the glass on the day, and delivering results that winemakers can be proud of, and consumers can trust.”
The competition uses the well-recognised 100-point scale and judges blind – meaning no brands or prices are known, with both under and over $25 wines on the tables.
Entrants will also receive feedback reports from the judging, which will share valuable insights including panel comments, scores and where their wines sit against the median for their class.
“But the real prize in the New World Wine Awards comes with earning a spot in the sought-after Top 50,” highlights Kim.
These 50 top-ranked Gold-medal wines will be put front and centre on shelves in more than 140 New World stores across the country for a five-week promotional period, and will be celebrated in extensive marketing and publicity that will help put the winners in the headlines.
No stranger to these headlines is the team at Giesen, who’s 2022 New World Wine Awards Top 50 win for their Giesen Estate Riesling cemented it as the most winning wine in the competition’s history.
“We work hard to make the best wine for our customers, and to have that recognised by the judges in a blind tasting year-after-year gives us a great sense of achievement,” says Giesen’s Chief Winemaker Duncan Shouler.
“Even better, New World shoppers show us they love it too. Last year our winning Giesen Estate Riesling 2021 came in among the five best sellers across the Top 50 wines.
“Of course we already know Riesling is a stellar variety, but it’s great to see it win over new fans through an award that gives people the confidence to try something new during their usual shop.”
With a focus on affordable and available wines, the under $25 price cap and minimum volume requirement (4,000 bottles for popular varieties) are key features of the entry criteria.
However, Kim is quick to note that there are added opportunities for emerging variety wines through a lower volume criteria (1,800 bottles), dedicated classes for zero alcohol wines, and classes for select varieties of over $25 wines.
“The New World Wine Awards are proudly consumer-focused, so the judging panel looks for every chance to ensure our entry classes reflect the ongoing innovation in the industry as well as the latest trends in wine.”
Judging will again be held in Blenheim, with Kim joined by fellow Co-Chair Jen Parr in overseeing an independent panel of 15 of New Zealand wine experts.
Together they will swirl, sniff, sip and asses their way through more than 1,000 entries, tasting and re-tasting to determine the 50 top-ranked wines, and award Champion titles.
Entries close at 5pm Friday 23 June. Entrants do not need be an existing supplier to Foodstuffs and new suppliers are actively encouraged.
