The power behind every IWC medal.
The IWC is where great wines come to be recognised — fairly, consistently, globally.
Founded in 1984, the International Wine Challenge has spent over 40 years setting the world's benchmark for wine quality.
Every year, wines from 50+ countries are judged by 400+ international experts — Masters of Wine, sommeliers, winemakers, buyers, critics and educators — through blind tasting and debate at every stage.
An IWC medal tells the trade, press and consumers: "This wine excelled under the toughest conditions."
Learn More about IWC
Blind tasting. Multi-stage assessment. Real-world feedback.
Every wine is blind-tasted by multiple independent judges.
Our judging process — transparent, multi-stage and cross-checked — is recognised globally for its fairness.
Every wine receives detailed feedback, giving producers technical insight and commercial direction, whether they medal or not.
IWC medals aren't handed out. They're earned.
Winning at the IWC doesn't end with a medal — it begins with one.
If you're already represented in-market, your medal is a proven sales tool for importers, distributors and retailers.
Buyers use medal results in-store, online, and across promotions — and the numbers speak for themselves:
An IWC medal helps your wine win attention — fast.
Direct access to UK importers, distributors and sommeliers – without flying a single bottle across the world.
We handle sample repackaging and shipping
Send two extra bottles when you enter — we take care of the rest.
Your wines get seen by verified UK buyers only
Samples are requested through a secure, invitation-only buyer database.
2,000+ samples requested in 2025 by top retailers
Including Majestic, M&S, Co-op, Naked Wines and more.
Medal winners appear across:
Your results don't disappear after judging week.
We keep your wine in front of global decision-makers year-round.
Lyme Bay (England)
Winning "Best English White and Best English Red (2025)" — Wolf Sieg-Hogg: "This accolade is a testament to our team and the rise of English still wine."
Le Grand Domaine (South Africa)
"An IWC medal opens doors to sommeliers, merchants, and distributors."
We support producers with competitive consolidated shipping rates.
As the wine world evolves as we sleep, so do we.
No & Low
The no- and low-alcohol wine category is growing fast. We judge these wines with specialist-led categories, ensuring they're assessed by experts who understand the unique challenges and opportunities in this space.
Icon Wines
For 2026, we're introducing "Icon Wines" — a dedicated space for flagship, ultra-premium bottlings, judged by elite sommeliers and fine-wine buyers.
You can enter both categories by logging in to your Entrant Account.
Join the world's most prestigious wine competition and gain recognition for your exceptional wines.