The NC Wine Competition – Commercial Submissions

Commercial Competition Rules & Entry

Entry submissions OPEN – May 2026 – July 1, 2026
Judging – July 2026 15 & 16

(Pre-Registration is required)
Deliver or ship entries to:
Windsor Run Cellars
ATTN: NC Wine Competition
6531 Windsor Road
Hamptonville, NC 27020
(336) 468 – 9274

Call before delivery to ensure you arrive during open business hours.

Competition Contact: Nicole.Chesney@ncagr.gov

Wine, Cider, Mead - Competition Registration

GENERAL RULES

ENTRIES

Entrants must be the producer/grower of the wine, cider, or mead.
Please review the categories and category types for the correct placement of your entries.
Residual sugar must be entered in percentages (%) on the entry form. Failure to submit varietals/fruits/honey and/or residual sugar percentages may result in disqualification.
Only federally and NC ABC-permitted producers may enter the NC Wine Competition.
Entrants must submit two (2) 750ml bottles, three (3) 375ml bottles, or four (4) cans of each entry. Faulty wines will be discarded after the competition. Any unopened wine will be used for educational and promotional purposes at the NC Wine and Grape Council’s discretion. Wines sent to the competition incorrectly will not be returned.
Only wines made from at least 75% NC-grown fruit and/or honey are eligible to compete. Each entry is required to list:
*Contents by percentage
*Harvest Date for each component
*Where these components were harvested

Example Entry:
“ABC Wine” from 123 Winery
– Merlot (60%), October 12, 2014, Surry County NC
– Cabernet Franc (40%), October 20, 2014, Yadkin County NC

By submission of your wines, you are verifying the information entered is correct. Winning wines may be subject to verification by the NC Wine and Grape Council prior to the announcement of awards. Wines entered falsely will be disqualified.
Entry fee: $35.00 per wine entered. Entries may be shipped or delivered to Windsor Run Cellars, see address above.
All entries must be registered through the Enofile link – Click on the button above. Please create an account to submit entries. You will need to Enter your wines and enter competition Choose 2026 NC wine Compeition
Please only enter wines that you have in stock. Winning wines must have at least 10 cases available for public purchase after competition dates.

MEDALS / AWARDS

Medals are Double Gold, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. There is no limit to the number of medals awarded in each category. Judges measure wines based on overall quality. Wines entered will not be judged against other entries. Not all entries will receive a medal.
Highest scoring entries will determine the “Best of” winners (see categories) & The NC Wine Cup award in the Vinifera Wine, Muscadine Wine, and Cider and Mead categories.
All wines eligible for “The NC Wine Cup” award will be reviewed and verified to ensure they are made of a minimum of 75% NC fruit/honey prior to judging.
Entrants may visit NCWINE.ORG for competition results. Medals and judges’ notes will be distributed after the competition.

JUDGING

Entries are judged blind. Judges only receive information on content percentages and residual sugar. All categories are eligible to win the following awards: Double Gold, Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

Judges evaluate entries using the American Wine Society 20-point scale:
Appearance 3 points max
Aroma 6 points max
Taste 6 points max
Finish 3 points max
Overall 2 points max
Total Score 20 points max