Entries are now open for the 20th year of the New World Wine Awards.

The Top 50 Gold medal-winning wines will have the opportunity to be stocked in New World stores nationwide and will receive extensive promotional support.

“The New World Wine Awards have carved out a fantastic opportunity for both local and international wineries looking to boost their brand awareness at the supermarket, where wine-lovers are often on the lookout for trusted recommendations,” says Co-Chair of Judges Sam Kim. 

“We have meticulous judging processes and precise standards in place to ensure every Gold medal wine measures up as a perfect example of its variety or style, while the $25 price cap and minimum volume requirements for entry deliver results that a wide range of consumers can engage with and explore.” 

This year, the minimum volume requirement for niche and emerging variety wines has been reduced to 1,600 bottles (from 1,800) to enable more producers to enter, and the award’s focus on zero alcohol wines continues with a dedicated judging round to help find the best examples from this growing segment of the wine aisle. 

Last year’s Awards attracted more than 1,100 wines. Judging co-chairs Sam Kim and Jen Parr will oversee an independent panel of 15 wine experts who will judge the entries both individually and in panels over three days in Blenheim.

Judging is ‘blind’ and entries are scored using the world-recognised 100-point scale. 

Entries close on Friday 8 July.  All entry details can be found online at newworld.co.nz/topwines.