Who enters?

The IWC Merchant of the Year Awards is entered by a wide variety of companies, including supermarkets, agents, on-trade suppliers, mail order, on-line, independent and high street retailers.

Benefits of entering

Winning an award carries a number of significant benefits.

• It acknowledges the team behind the company
• It builds consumer and trade awareness through an established PR campaign working with both the UK and International media
• It offers huge marketing opportunities for the company
• It establishes the company in the highest regard amongst it's peers

Judging Criteria

Merchants are assessed on the following criteria:

• -Variety of wine list
• -Customer service
• -Store layout (where applicable)
• -Point of sale material (where applicable)
• -Promotional materials
• -Overall marketing campaign
• -On-line promotion & opportunities (where applicable)
• -Promotional fulfillment
• -Innovation
• -IWC results (where applicable)

Judges

In 2008 the IWC co-chairmen Tim Atkin MW, Sam Harrop MW, Charles Metcalfe and Derek Smedley MW were joined by Allan Cheesman, Matthew Dickinson, Sarah Jane Evans MW and Jamie Goode.

Notification of Results

The 2009 winners will be announced at the International Wine Challenge Awards Dinner on Wednesday 2nd September 2009, Grosvenor House, London.

Results will be published in Wine & Spirit magazine and the World's Best Wines.