IWSC - Club Oenologique

"Growing in tandem with the wellness movement, the ‘no and low’ alcohol category is big business now, with everyone from Moët Hennessy and Diageo to Kylie Minogue and Lewis Hamilton having skin in the game." Lucy Shaw recently caught up with our friends at BevZero about their Essentials Tools for Winemakers in the low & no space. Follow the link below for further insight and watch our recent webinar, featuring BevZero's Irem Eren, which celebrated 10 Years of Low & No - alongside IWSC Judging Committee for this category, Claire Warner and an excellent line up of guest speakers 👀 https://hubs.ly/Q02-Vrv40

Ever wondered how we judge wines? Watch our behind-the-scenes video from the IWSC's Wine Judging in London. 🍷 ⁠ 🔷We use a double-blind tasting process where the samples are poured behind a screen by our team. Unlike at other competitions, the judges don't even see the shape of the bottle - they only see the wine in the glass.⁠ ⁠ 🔶Wines are assessed by active trade experts whose opinions shape the international markets. ⁠ 🔷All gold winners are re-tasted by a member of the independent Wine Judging Committee to give the final seal of approval. The Committee also re-taste all 'borderline' scores.⁠ ⁠ 🔶We are the only competition to limit the number of samples to a maximum of 65 tasted during each judging day. This allows time for panel discussions and prevents palate fatigue.⁠ ⁠ 🔷We are one of the few competitions to provide free constructive feedback to non-winners. Following the results announcement, medal-winning wines are showcased to all judges, giving the wines extra exposure. Find out more on how we judge here: https://hubs.ly/Q02-V9K90 #iwsc #iwsc2025 #iwscwinejudging #wineawards #wineindustry

Jimmy Harris is back for another Expert Review Video 📺️ Join him as he reviews Fr'um's gold-medal-winning dark but fr'iendly Pineapple & Smokey Scotch Bonnet Rum which achieved 95 points in this year's competition 🏆️ Tasting note from our panel of expert judges, including Jimmy Harris, Ian Burrell, Peter Holland & Michael Vachon, below...⁠ ⁠ "Vibrant aromas of smoky pineapple and spice fill the senses, leading to a palate of well-integrated textures surrounded by elegant subtle chilli and a harmonious and soft finish of tropical fruitiness." You can watch the full video by following th️e link below... https://hubs.ly/Q02-yvdw0

Have you met our shipping partner? 📦 Shipping your wines, spirits, or alternative drinks to the IWSC is easy with our delivery partner Hellmann Worldwide Logistics. How to ship in 3 simple steps with Hellmann: 🔸Find your nearest Hellmann depot on the IWSC website 🔹Send your samples to your nearest Hellmann depot 🔸Hellmann handles customs clearance and sample delivery with an all-inclusive fee Head to our website to find out more on how to ship your samples: WINES https://hubs.ly/Q02-w2hf0 SPIRITS https://hubs.ly/Q02-vK5s0 ALTERNATIVE DRINKS https://hubs.ly/Q02-w32T0 #iwsc #iwsc2025 #iwscjudging #iwscwine #iwscspirits #iwscalternativedrinks

Following the IWSC 2025 Wine & Spirits Judging in Georgia, we are thrilled to announce the winner of our 2025 Georgian Wine Producer Trophy. Congratulations to Kotekhi - Gurjaani Wine Factory! 🎉 They were selected by our panel of judges based on their excellent medal performance having secured seven medals including two gold. “I’m delighted to see one of Georgia’s dynamic wineries, which has recently embraced a new vision with cutting-edge winemaking technology, awarded the 2025 Georgian Wine Producer Trophy. This is a remarkable example of how modern techniques can be seamlessly blended with a deep respect for Georgian heritage," said IWSC Wine Judging Committee member Sarah Abbott MW. Find out more here: https://hubs.ly/Q02-jHkk0 Thank you to the partners of our 2025 Wine & Spirits Judging in Georgia, Gurjaani Wine Festival and National wine agency of Georgia. #iwsc #iwsc2025 #iwscgeorgianwine #iwscgeorgia #iwscproducertrophies

The results are in! We are delighted to reveal the medal count of our 2025 Wine and Spirits Judging in Georgia, in partnership with the Gurjaani Wine Festival and the National wine agency of Georgia.🏅 After action-packed days tasting around 400 wines & spirits from Georgia and Armenia, our panel awarded over 350 medals, including an impressive 28 gold medals. Read the full results announcement at the link below: https://hubs.ly/Q02-5XxR0 #iwsc #iwsc2025 #iwscgeorgianwine #iwscgeorgia #iwscarmenianwine #iwscarmenia #georgianwine #armenianwine

"By having trained judges rigorously tasting and evaluating low and no drinks, the IWSC helps set a bar for quality in a space where standards are still being defined," says Millie Gooch. Writer, Low & No advocate and IWSC Judge, Millie shared her insights on how the IWSC helps shape this emerging category. Check out our latest edition of the IWSC Insider to learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q02ZXMcZ0 Through our new Insider series, take sneak peek behind the scenes of the IWSC with exclusive insights straight from the judges. #iwsc #iwsc2025 #iwscinsider #alternativedrinksjudging #iwscalternativedrinksjudging #drinksindustry #lowalcohol

This week we kicked off our 2025 Global Judging events with the IWSC Wine & Spirits Judging in Georgia. The event began with an insightful benchmark tasting led by the IWSC Wine Judging Committee member Sarah Abbott MW, before our panel of international and local experts dived into tasting and evaluating around 400 entries from Georgia and Armenia. We caught up with the judges to hear about the highlights of the tasting so far. Follow the link below to read the judges' deliberations: https://hubs.ly/Q02ZRJFb0 Keep an eye on our social channels for the results reveal on 3 December to see how Georgian and Armenian wines & spirits performed. #iwsc #iwsc2025 #iwscgeorgianwine #iwscgeorgia #iwscarmenianwine #iwscarmenia #georgianwine

"As the industry becomes more diverse and creative, our judging ensures that innovation always serves quality. It's about exciting consumers while maintaining those exact standards that the IWSC has championed since 1969," says Richard Paterson OBE in the second, Spirits edition of the IWSC Insider. 🥃⁠ Richard also delves into the latest whisky trends, reveals his top tips to clinching a gold medal, and explains how the IWSC's judging standards drive quality across the global spirits industry. Read the full interview at the link: https://hubs.ly/Q02ZMZpd0 Our new Insider series takes you behind the scenes of the IWSC, offering exclusive insights straight from the judges: from Master Distillers to Senior Buyers, from Masters of Wine and Head Sommeliers to Bar Directors and top Communicators. 🗞️ #iwsc #iwsc2025 #iwscinsider #spiritsjudging #iwscspiritsjudging #drinksindustry

The IWSC 2024 Wine and Spirits Judging in Georgia has officially kicked off, in partnership with the Gurjaani Wine Festival and the National wine agency of Georgia! 🇬🇪 In Tbilisi, our team of knowledgeable judges, comprised of both Georgian and international industry experts, will be tasting and rating hundreds of Georgian and Armenian wines and spirits. Stay tuned to our social media channels for the latest updates from the judges, and mark your calendars for the big results reveal on 3 December. #iwsc #iwsc2025 #iwscgeorgianwine #iwscgeorgia #iwscarmenianwine #iwscarmenia #georgianwine