Grand Harvest Awards
Rules & Procedures
2010 Grand Harvest Awards
Location: Sonoma Mountain Village, Rohnert Park, California
Dates: February 24-25, 2010
OBJECTIVE
To promote the concept of regional typicity in wines and to recognize high quality among wines of entrants.
CLASSES OF ENTRY
In Grand Harvest, there are two principal classes of entry; those with specific geographical appellations (Napa, Finger Lakes, Bordeaux) and those without (California, New York, France). Both are treated with equal emphasis, but terroir discovery is not attempted in classes without geographical specificity.
1. Geographical classes of entry are determined by any viticultural region recognized by the United States government. Wines will be primarily grouped and judged according to their essential viticultural region. Recognition of terroir will be considered a quality factor in the determination of award. Wines of non-geographical specificity, whose labels do not bear the name of a viticultural region, will be tasted to determine quality only.
2. Any and only 100% grape wine may be entered.
Class numbers/names:
Sparkling Wines100 Sparkling White
110 Sparkling Rose
120 Sparkling Red
White
200 Chenin Blanc
210 Reislings
220 Gewurztraminer
240 Muscat Varieties
250 Other White Varietals
255 White Blends
260 Sauvignon Blanc
270 Pinot Gris/Grigio
280 Viognier
290 Chardonnay
Blush and Rosé
320 Varietal Blush/Rose
330 Rosé
Red
400 Pinot Noir
410 Sangiovese
411 Barbera
412 Other Italian Varietals
413 Italian Red Blends
415 Other Red Varietals
420 Syrah/Shiraz
422 Carignane
423 Other Rhone Varietals
424 Rhone Red Blends
430 Zinfandel
440 Merlot
450 Cabernet Franc
460 Other Bordeaux Varietals
470 Cabernet Sauvignon
481 Red Bordeaux Blends
490 Petite Sirah
495 Proprietary (house) Red Blends
Late Harvest & Dessert
500 LH White Varietals
530 LH Red Varietals
540 Ice Wine
"Euro-American Hybrids &
Native American Varieties"
600 Native American White
610 Native American Red
620 Euro-American White Hybrids
630 Euro-American Red Hybrids
Sake
700 Sake
Fruit Wines and Vermouth
710 White Vermouth
720 Red Vermouth
730 Fruit wines
740 Hard Ciders
Fortified
800 Sherry
820 Fortified Wines
Distilled Beverages
900 Brandy/Grappa
3. Entries must have a descriptive label bearing all federally required information. One label for each wine type entered should be mailed with the entry form. In the case of online and faxed entries, please copy your final entry form and mail it with labels and payment. Required information: a) The specific, labeled viticultural or political area for each wine; b) The varietal or proprietary name; c) The vintage (or NV for "no vintage"); d) Residual sweetness if greater than 0.1% (expressed as percentage).
4. Not yet released and unlabeled wines may be entered as long as they are identified with a temporary label specifying their class and contents for award listing.
5. An official entry consists of (4) 750ml bottles or (6) 375 ml bottles of each wine type.
6. Geographically similar wines will be tasted with other wines of the same viticultural area in order of varietal content, vintage and sweetness. Any wine considered by the judging panel to significantly differ from its labeled information may be disadvantaged in the competition.
7. Cases of production must be provided. "Cases" means the entire volume produced after blending of component cuvees. Wine entered must be typical of entire batch produced.
8. Entry fee, to be submitted with entry form, is $85 per wine type.
9. Entrants must specify residual sweetness accurately as a percentage.
10. Entrants must specify their intended retail price per bottle.
11. Any changes to your entry form must be made by January 22, 2010. No refunds for cancellations can be made after January 22, 2009.
12. Any wine remaining at the conclusion of the event becomes the property of Vineyard & Winery Services, Inc.
JUDGING METHODOLOGY AND AWARDS
All wines will be judged in their own regional classes by panels of expert judges from the ranks of wine professionals. A typical panel will include a winemaker, wine writer, wine educator, restaurateur and wine marketer. Tasting no more than 50 wines per half-day. The traditional Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals will be awarded. To earn a Bronze medal or higher, a wine must be voted Bronze or higher by each judge on the panel, with one exception that one judge's Silver or Gold vote will override another judge's no medal vote.
RESULTS AND NOTIFICATION
Results for medal winners only will be posted on vwm-online.com and released to the wine media and industry as soon as possible at the end of judging. Award recipients will be notified by fax or email immediately after the competition. Actual awards are mailed 4-6 weeks after notification of award.
PROMOTIONAL OPTIONS
a) Attractive "Grand Harvest Award" foil-embossed medal-winning wine stickers are available for 50 per thousand. You will have the option to order at time of medal notification. Visit vwm-online.com/gha or call 800-535-5670 for more details. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery after award notification.
b) A one-time fee of $55 may be purchased to link your award result from our web site to yours for a period of six months and covers each winning wine per entry. The link must be purchased at the time of registration and no refunds can be made if no awards are won.
c) Winners will be entitled to display the trademarked Grand Harvest Logo on their web sites on request and in compliance with the event owner's policies.
d) If you may provide the email address of one newspaper (or similar) on your entry form, we will email that publication an official results press release at the end of this competition.
e) You wanted consumer pull through....now you have it! The Grand Harvest Awards will be advertising medal winners for the entire month of March 2010 through a link on foodandwine.com
ENTRY INFORMATION
See Late Entries/Wine Shipments at top of page.
Questions? 707.577.7700