The Home Wine & Beer Trade Association (HWBTA) conducts a yearly wine competition. Gold Medal winners are eligible to have their wines judged in the Best of Show judging which is held in conjunction with the annual HWBTA conference.  In 2009, it will be held in Chicago, Illinois.

ENTRY FORM
        RULES & REGULATIONS

2009 AMATEUR WINE COMPETITION

 U. S. Competition hosted by:  The Grape & Granary, Akron, Ohio               Judging will be held April 18, 2009    

1.  JUDGING.  Entries will be scored using a modified Davis 20-point system.  Multiple gold, silver and bronze medals may be awarded to wines of appropriate merit in each category.  Gold medal winners in each category will advance to the Best of Show round held at the HWBTA annual conference.  Gold medal winners will be notified and encouraged to submit ONE bottle to the Best of Show judging.  (See paragraph 9 for additional details.)    No additional entry fees are required for the Best of Show round.   

2.  ELIGIBILITY.  This competition is open to all amateur winemakers 21 years or older.  All entrants must be sponsored by an HWBTA retail member in good standing.  Judges may enter wines into categories in which they are not judging.

 3.  ENTRY REQUIREMENTS.   Only ONE bottle, free of any label or identifying marks, is required for each entry.  Still wines must be in standard 750ml corked wine bottles and free of labels, capsules or wax.  Sparkling wines must be bottled in 750ml champagne bottles with the proper closure and wire.  Ice wines and late harvest wines may be submitted in 375ml bottles.  All entries become the property of the HWBTA and no wines will be returned.  It is the entrant’s responsibility to select the proper category.  Dry wines should have less than 2% residual sugar (S.G. 1.002 and under) and all other wines are deemed sweet.  Misclassified wines will be judged but will not be eligible for awards.  Improperly completed entry forms or wines arriving after the deadline will be judged, but will not be eligible for awards.  If your entry is awarded a gold medal, you will be requested to send ONE additional bottle to be judged for Best of Show at the annual HWBTA conference.  See paragraph 9. 

 4.  ENTRY FEES.  A fee of $12.00USD/$14.00CAD per entry is required.  Entry fee must be paid by check or money order, payable to HWBTA.  Currency will not be accepted.  PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH!

 5.  REGISTRATION FORMS.  All entries must be accompanied by a fully completed registration form and entry fee.  The registration form should be attached to the bottle with a rubber band.

 6.  DEADLINE.  Wines must be received at the competition site NOT LATER THAN April 11th, 2009. 

 7.  SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS.  Ship only by UPS or FedEx Ground Service.  Label the box “Glass” (simple, but true).   Your local HWBTA shop should be able to help with this.  You must pack the bottles so that they will not break.  Use bubble wrap or foam wrap on each bottle and pack tightly in Styrofoam peanuts.  Again, your local shop should be able to offer help.  Ship your entries to

                 THE GRAPE & GRANARY, INC.
                 915 Home Avenue
                 Akron OH 44310  ph (330-633-7223)

 

8.  CATEGORIES:

 1.   Red Vinifera - Dry (not for kit wines)      
 2.   White Vinifera - Dry (not for kit wines)       
 3.   Native American Grape - Dry
4.    Red French Hybrid - Dry
5.   White French Hybrid - Dry
6.   Concentrate/ Wine Kit - Dry
7.   Fruit - Dry
8.   Berry - Dry
9.   Novelty - Dry
10. Rose - Dry
11. Red Vinifera - Sweet
12. White Vinifera - Sweet
13. Native American Grape - Sweet
14. Red French Hybrid - Sweet
15. White French Hybrid - Sweet
16. Concentrate/ Wine Kit - Sweet
17. Fruit - Sweet
18. Berry - Sweet
19. Novelty - Sweet
20. Rose - Sweet
21. Sparkling - Sweet or Dry
22. Specialty - Sweet or Dry

For the purpose of this judging, the following shall apply:

 Native American Grapes include, but are not limited to: Aestivalis, Lambrusca, Riperia & Rotundfolia.  Novelty shall apply to wines made from an ingredient not covered in other classes; i.e., vegetable, cereal, herb, honey, flower, etc.  Rosé (blush) is usually considered a red wine made in a blush fashion.

 Specialty wine shall apply to 'mist' kits and to wines with special processes such as Nouveau, Sherry, Madeira, Port or other high alcohol or special wine-making methods.  Sparkling wines may be made from any ingredient as long as the wine has effervescence.

 9.  AWARDS.  There will be six Best of Show Awards:

Grand Champion (overall best wine in competition)
Red Wine (includes all red vinifera, native & hybrid, blush & rosé wines)
White Wine (includes all white vinifera, native & hybrid wines)
Country Wine (includes all fruit & berry wines)
Specialty Wine (includes all specialty & novelty wines)
Concentrate/Kit (best wine made from a kit with no added/other ingredients) 

Gold medal winners will be requested to send one bottle for Best of Show judging to:  Renaissance Chicago O'Hare Suites, 8500 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago IL 60631  773-380-9600/fax: 773-380-9601. ATTN:  HWBTA/DEE ROBERSON.  Entry must arrive at the hotel NO LATER THAN  Friday June 5th, 2009. Best of Show results will be announced at the HWBTA conference in Chicago.  All awards are at the discretion of the judges. 

10.  NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS:  Medal winners will be posted at www.hwbta.org within the week following the completion of the first and Best of Show judging.  Score sheets and awards will be sent to the sponsoring shops for distribution.

                                       ENTRY DEADLINE IS APRIL 11, 2009  

 

 ENTRY FORM