USA Wine Ratings 2025

Location & Dates

From: 28/07/2025

Up to: 28/07/2025

Location: South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 South Airport Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, United States

About USA Wine Ratings

The USA Wine Ratings is the only Wine Competition in USA that is focused on independents, regional and national retailers. It is designed to recognize and reward wines that are not only high in quality but also deliver value and packaging that appeal to consumers. To ensure a fair and transparent judging process, the competition evaluates entries across three key criteria: Quality, Value and Package.

Judges work in groups to assess wines against the three criteria: Quality, Value, and Packaging. Each wine is scored on a 100-point scale, with points allocated based on the respective weights of the criteria. Judges provide comments to highlight the key attributes of top-scoring wines.

USA Wine Ratings judges are top trade buyers and Masters of Wine. Get key feedback from these top buyers and grow your brand in the off-premise channels of USA.

Judging Process for the USA Wine Ratings

The USA Wine Ratings is the only Wine Competition in USA that is focused on independents, regional and national retailers. It is designed to recognize and reward wines that are not only high in quality but also deliver value and packaging that appeal to wine consumers. To ensure a fair and transparent judging process, the competition evaluates entries across three key criteria:

1. Quality (50%)

Judges assess the wine for its aroma, taste, and finish. Wines are scored based on balance, complexity, and typicity within their style. Each entry undergoes a blind tasting to ensure impartiality, with wines identified only by their region and varietal (not brand or producer). The aim is to reward wines that display excellence in craftsmanship and deliver a memorable drinking experience.

2. Value (25%)

Judges consider the wine’s price point in relation to its quality. Wines offering exceptional drinking experiences at competitive prices are scored highly. This criterion ensures that consumers receive great value for their money when choosing a medal-winning wine.

3. Packaging (25%)

Packaging is judged for its design, functionality, and shelf appeal. Judges evaluate the label clarity, bottle design, and the overall presentation to determine how well the wine captures consumer attention and aligns with market trends. Wines with thoughtful and innovative packaging receive higher scores, as presentation plays a critical role in influencing consumer purchasing decisions. View full judging process and medal definations here.

Key Deadlines

Early Bird Ends - February 20, 2025
International Submission Closes - May 31, 2025
Domestic Submission Closes - June 30, 2025
Warehouse Closes - June 28, 2025
Judging Day - July 28, 2025
Winners Announced - August 12, 2025

Pricing:

Early Bird Pricing - $120 per wine (December 21, 2024, to February 20, 2025)
Regular Pricing - $140 per wine (February 21, 2025, to June 20, 2025)

USA Wine Ratings: Organized By Beverage Trade Network

The USA Wine Ratings has been created exclusively by the Beverage Trade Network, the US drinks events, services, business, and publishing group dedicated to helping drinks producers and brand owners get closer to the buyers, distributors, and retailers that can bring their products to market.

*INSTRUCTIONS IF SHIPPING FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.

It is best to use your own importer or agent to clear your shipment through U.S. Customs. All beverages shipped from outside the U.S. require import documents that must be obtained from your own importer or through import partners that provide TTB / Cola service.

If you do not currently work with a US Importer, you must contact to our partner Importer who can help you prepare the COLA waiver and FDA Permit approval PRIOR to your shipment. DO NOT SHIP OUT TO THE U.S. BEFORE OBTAINING YOUR COLA WAIVER AND FDA APPROVAL. Please note that TTB / Cola waiver charges are usually varying which you can directly pay the service provider that quotes you.

The sender is responsible for shipping costs and any duties, taxes, customs charges, or other fees accessed by your carrier or third parties with whom you contract. Do not ship until the necessary COLA waivers have been obtained from TTB. Please see detailed instructions for sending samples from outside the US on the shipping instructions page.