Entries accepted immediately through July 20
Awards Ceremony on Capitol Hill date to be announced
The Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association (ASWA) will hold its 15th Annual Wine Competition Saturday and Sunday, August 10th and 11th, at The Marriott Tysons Corner, Tysons Corner, Virginia. ASWA’s Wine Competition is the largest in the nation focused exclusively on East Coast wines.
The purpose of this year’s competition is to judge the quality and marketability of vinifera, native American, and hybrid grape varietals and blends grown and produced in the Atlantic Seaboard states. Also included are ciders, mead and fruit wines.
The 2018 ASWA Wine Competition issued 72 gold medals, 170 silver medals and 152 Bronze medals. Competition Chairman Dave Barber says, “A panel of well-qualified independent judges from various levels within the industry, and hailing from several east coast states and from as far afield as San Francisco and Alabama, evaluate red and rosé wines on day one, and whites on day two.” In the final round, scores are tallied for all Best of Category entries.
Barber adds, “It is important to understand that all wines entered into this competition will be used in various wine marketing and educational programs in several national venues. All due efforts are given to publicizing and promoting the competition’s winning wines. We encourage all wineries’ participation to further promote the wine producing regions of the East Coast.”
Winning wines are showcased at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento, CA, a leading wine industry conference and trade show typically drawing 15,000 attendees. The wines generally receive coverage on several west coast radio programs while ASWA representatives are in California, and a seminar and tasting at UC Davis are regularly planned. Opportunities for increased exposure continue throughout the year.
ASWA President Grant Crandall states, “We are always excited to have a number of superb wines from the Competition to take around the country to demonstrate that East Coast wines can compete successfully on an international scale.”
For more information and to enter, visit http://aswawines.org/aswa-wine-comp/competition-forms/
The Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association promotes American wine produced in the seventeen eastern states: all those that touch the Atlantic Ocean plus West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Vermont. This trade organization was founded in 1973 as the Vinifera Wine Growers Association, and renamed in 2008 to reflect an expanded regional focus.
ASWA’s mission is to increase awareness of the fine wines of the Atlantic seaboard through trade and consumer education. Members liaise with national, state, and regional wine organizations to identify opportunities to highlight the wines and winemakers working here.
