“The London Wine Competition is evolving to stay ahead of the curve in the wine industry. By expanding our judging panel to include more off-trade retail buyers, importers, and distributors, we’re giving entrants direct access to the feedback of professionals who influence purchasing decisions. This move ensures our awards carry even greater weight in helping producers market and sell their wines.”
That’s how Sid Patel, chief executive of the Beverage Trade Network, the networking and events business behind the London Wine Competition, explains why it has worked so hard for its 2025 awards on expanding its judging base to include so many more off-trade dedicated buyers.
To include those individuals who are every day tasting and assessing wines from all over the world to determine which ones have a chance of success in the increasingly competitive UK wine market.
A cross section of judges for the 2025 London Wine Competition
As costs rise, as duty increases, the pressure to find quality wines that can offer outstanding value for money both to the importer and merchants selling those wines and the consumer buying them is getting harder by the month.
But it is exactly what their years of experience have taught them to do. To be able to taste through 100 plus wines in a day and pick out the handful they believe can compete at the highest level at the most competitive price points on shelf.
It’s why the London Wine Competition has been keen to widen its net and build on the expertise it has built up, particularly with the number of top level sommeliers and on-trade buyers involved in the awards, to also now include a wider talent base from the off-trade too.
Here you can see some of the leading names that have been signed up to take part in the 2025 judging process.
Judges for 2025 London Wine Competition include:
- Frances Bentley Wine Buyer at LWC Drinks
- Valeria Rodriguez AIWS Head of Fine Wine Bibendum Wine
- Carla Bertellotti Managing Director at Vinos Latinos
- Maxence Masurier Director & Founder at Made In Little France Import Limited
- Dafydd Morris Director, Cheers Wine Merchants, UK
- Douglas Blyde Wine Columnist, Evening Standard, UK
- Emily Brighton MW Master of Wine & Head of Technical at North South Wines Ltd
- Joshua Castle Group Head Buyer For Keeling Andrew, Noble Rot and Shrine to the Vine
- Cong Cong Bo Wine Writer, Educator, Sommelier, Retailer and Owner, Amphora Cambridge
- Harry Crowther Wine buyer at Good Pair Days
- Bianca Ford Bianca Ford, Operations Director and Buyer at Yapp Brothers Ltd
- Sunny Hodge Wine Judge and Writer
- Irem Eren DipWSET Regional And Category Ambassador For Low and No Alcohol Category
- David Harvey Wine Importer at Raeburn Fine Wines
- Josh Kelly No and Low Buyer and Brands Relations Manger at Club Soda
- Vidya Narasimhan Wine Consultant and Advisory Board Member at Be Inclusive Hospitality
- Ruchira Neotia Drinks Consultant & Founder, Ruchira’s Table
- Emma Penman, Wine Buyer at Waitrose
- Kirsty Woodgate DipWSET Communications Professional, Wine Judge, Occasional Wine Writer
- Henna Zinzuwadia Award-Winning Sommelier | Ambassador for Diversity in Wine & Hospitality | GQ Sommelier of the Year | Founder of Service | Mentoring the Next Generation of Women
- Emma Jenkinson, Wine Sourcing Manager at Morrisons
- Dan Belmont Director & Wine Buyer at Good Wine Good People & GWGP TRADE
Judging criteria
One of the key reasons, claims Patel, why so many more leading buyers want to take part in the London Competition judging is the criteria it uses to pick out its winners. Like all reputable drinks competitions it first asks its judges to assess the wines blind for quality. But whereas most competitions stop there, the London Wine Competition judges are then asked to taste the wines for their value for money against the recommended price point being asked for them, and then also assess the packaging and design and see if they stand up to the quality in the glass and the price on shelf. Only then can they give an overall score for the wine based on the quality, value and packaging of the wines.
A Growing Benchmark for Success
It’s why the London Wine Competition is now seen by many wine producers as an opportunity to benchmark their wines against the competition and how they are likely to perform in the marketplace. The wines are being judged in the way that consumers buy them - by their quality, value for money, and what they look like.
Benefits to Entrants
It is hoped the enhanced judging panel will also give producers, brand owners and importers who enter wines the chance to get more diverse feedback from leading buyers across the on and off-trades.
New judges also include influential writers, influencers and educators and the chance for them to see the latest wines and pick out upcoming trends from the wines entered.
Dafydd Morris director, Cheers Wine Merchants, will be judging at the 2025 London Wine Competition
All in all it means winning a medal at the London Wine Competition means your wines have been analysed, scored and judged by the very professionals that determine which wines end up on retailer shelves and on restaurant wine lists.
The 2025 London Wine Competition will be held on March 19, with results announced in April. Producers are encouraged to submit their wines early to take advantage of this unique opportunity to be judged by a panel that reflects today’s dynamic and evolving wine trade.
- You can see the full list of judges here which also includes top sommeliers, Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers and other leading wine figures in the UK wine market.
- You can find out how to enter and all the competition details here.
- Registration Ends - February 28.
Judging dates: March 24 & 25.
Winners Announced: April 22.
Fee Schedule:
- £140 per wine up to February 28.
