The International Wine Challenge comes to Australia

The inaugural IWC Asia-Pacific will be judged in Adelaide from 30 November 2026. Entries close on 16 November.

For more than 40 years, the International Wine Challenge (IWC) has brought the world's wines to London for judging. In 2026, for the first time, it is taking that judging expertise to the Asia-Pacific region, with Australia hosting the inaugural competition.

The inaugural IWC Asia-Pacific will bring wines from across the region together for blind tasting by expert panels in Adelaide. Australian producers can enter one of the world's most respected wine competitions without shipping their wines halfway around the world, and have them assessed by judges with first-hand knowledge of the region's wines.

Enter locally. Compete globally.

IWC Asia-Pacific is a regional competition within the International Wine Challenge. Wines are assessed in their market and regional context, while the medals retain the recognition and credibility of the IWC name.

And the journey does not end in Adelaide. Gold medal-winning wines will progress to Trophy judging in London in May 2027, where senior international panels will taste them alongside leading wines from more than 100 countries. This gives producers entering in Australia a route to the IWC's highest accolades. The Asia-Pacific judging panel is led by co-chairs Erin Larkin, Cathy van Zyl MW, Yang Lu MS and Ken Ohashi MW. All exceptional talent. 



Why enter?

- Results around six months earlier. Medal results will be announced on 10 December 2026, around six months earlier than previously. Producers will have more time to promote their awards in export markets.

- Judging with regional expertise. Your wines will be assessed alongside regional peers by judges with in-depth knowledge of Asia-Pacific wine styles, markets and conditions.

- Lower shipping costs. Shorter transport distances make entering simpler and more cost-effective.

- A more sustainable approach. Judging wines closer to where they are produced helps reduce transport emissions.

- Access to buyers and industry experts. IWC judges include active trade buyers and other wine professionals.

- Commercial potential. Award-winning wines can benefit from greater visibility in retail and export markets.

- Credibility and prestige. The IWC's rigorous blind-tasting process is respected by the wine trade and consumers.

- Regional recognition on the world stage. An opportunity to showcase the quality of     Australian wines through judging on home soil.

How to enter

Entry costs £180 per wine, plus VAT where applicable. Three bottles are required for each entry.

1. Log in or create an account. If you're new to the IWC, create an account to get starte, creating an account.

2. Complete the wine entry form. Once logged in, you'll find the form in your dashboard.

3. Submit your entry and pay. Save 5% when you pay by credit card.

4. Prepare your samples. Send three bottles for each wine, packed securely for transit.

5. Label and dispatch your wines. Print the IWC barcode delivery label, write the number of bottles on each box and attach the label. [Australian shipping details to be confirmed.

Key dates 

Milestone                                     Date

Entry deadline                                  16 November 2026

Medal judging in Adelaide         30 November – 4 December 2026

Medal results announced          10 December 2026

Trophy judging in London          14 May 2027

Trophy results announced          1 June 2027