Stories
Latest updates
Find out what IWSC is up to and learn about top-rated producers via our news feed
Each week we publish stories about the best wines and spirits, our experts, upcoming events, and beverage industry news. And, don't miss our new IWSC Insights series, where we take an in-depth look into drinks businesses and markets around the world. Looking for recommendations? Visit our consumer website Club Oenologique to read our top 10s and reviews.
IWSC news
New global players use London as launch pad
New players in the global wine market will descend on ExCeL for the London International Wine Fair in May. Russia will exhibit for the first time, with a generic pavilion hosting eight wineries from the country’s largest wine producing region of Krasnodar. In addition, Abrau Durso – Russia’s leading sparkling winery – will return after a successful 2010 launch, on a separate stand. In
Read articleIWSC news
Visit of Corkwise Laboratory – March 10th 2011 (Sabrina Belkadi)
As part of the Waitrose / IWSC sponsored WSET Diploma scholarship, I was given the unique opportunity to visit the Corkwise Laboratory which specialises in the technical analysis of wines. The process of technical analysis not only meets a legal requirement for all wines and spirits being commercialised, but it also helps producers during the winemaking process as well as importers and distributors at every
Read articleIWSC news
SA wines to be judged locally
According to Frances Horder, the IWSC competition director this decision has been coming a long time. “Allowing the first part of the judging process to be held in South Africa expands the market for us but also reduces the financial costs for SA wine producers to ship wines to the UK.” Previously all SA wines have been judged at the homebase near Guildford in
Read articleIWSC news
IWSC Goes Local
Frances Horder, competitions director of the International Wine & Spirits Competition, is currently braving 40°C-plus temperatures in Paarl, South Africa, organising logistics. That’s because – for the first time ever – the IWSC will be judging South African wines in South Africa. “Three years ago we were looking to expand the competition and decided to judge American wines in America – a sort of
Read articleIWSC news
Free shipping for ProWein 2011 IWSC entrants
The International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) is offering FREE shipping of entries back to the competition cellars in the UK to companies exhibiting at ProWein, who enter the 2011 Competition. The offer is open to Northern Hemisphere Wines (Canada, Germany, Austria and Italy only). Four bottles (of wine or spirit) per entry can be dropped off at the Schenker Stand ( Hall
Read articleIWSC news
IWSC Announce new Chairman of Technical and Judging Committee
The International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), the world’s most prestigious wine and spirit competition, is pleased to announce the appointment of Philip Goodband MW as the new Chairman of the Technical and Judging Committee. Philip said of his role “I am delighted to have this opportunity to work with an exceptional team to enhance the already high reputation of the IWSC”. Philip
Read articleIWSC news
IWSC Scholarship and IWSC/Waitrose Scholarship Winners Announced
The winners of the IWSC Scholarship and the Waitrose/IWSC joint Scholarship were announced at the 2011 WSET Awards and Graduation Ceremony . Held at the Guildhall in London on Monday 17th January, Anne van Roode was awarded the IWSC Scholarship which includes a £2,500 study-trip bursary. Sabrina Belkadi was also awarded the jointly sponsored Waitrose/IWSC Scholarship with a prize which includes a study visit to a
Read articleIWSC news
International Wine & Spirit Competition announces tasting changes for 2011
Noted as the world’s most prestigious, independent wine competition, the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), is now accepting entries from all countries for 2011. With an unrivalled reputation for the rigor and validity of its judging process, the IWSC is proud to be the only competition of its kind that conducts a fully blind tasting where judges see only numbered glasses, followed by
Read articleIWSC news
Discover the Roots of Wine
DISCOVER THE ROOTS OF WINE Discover the Roots – Inaugural Wines of Turkey Conference & Tasting 2011 Thursday 24 February 2011 First-ever such event on Turkish wines in London Turkey touted as possible birthplace of wine London, UK, 4th December 2011 – Leading international wine experts, historians, DNA experts and viticulturalists will be at Vinopolis for a special conference and
Read articleIWSC news
IWSC Judge Julian Brind MW dies
"The IWSC were saddened to learn that Julian Brind MW, had passed away following a heart attack on Sunday 19th December. Julian was a long standing and valued supporter of the IWSC both as a Chair judge and member of the Technical and Judging Committee for many years. He had been an active member of the trade since 1964 when he signed up as a
Read article