2026 Sommelier Judgement: Call for Wine Entries
Submission & Wine Delivery Deadline: September 1, 2026
Date of the 2026 Sommelier Judgement and After the Judgement Event: Monday, September 28 at Garces Trading Company (Philadelphia, PA)
The Pennsylvania Winery Association (PWA), invites wineries from across the state to submit locally grown and produced vinifera wines and select hybrids for blind judgment by a panel of sommeliers, wine buyers, and wine writers in the region.
Sommelier Judgement of PA wines is an opportunity for Pennsylvania wineries to showcase varietals that are known to grow well in PA with wine buyers, restaurateurs, wine writers and sommeliers. Judges are selected after an application process. Selection of judges is based on their credibility and support of local wine within their respective industries.
After the Judgement
Following the Sommelier Judgement of PA Wines on September 28, wineries are invited to pour their submitted wines during an exclusive industry tasting with participating sommeliers, media, and trade, followed by a ticketed public tasting. This new addition is called, After the Judgement: A Toast to Pennsylvania.
After the Judgement is a valuable opportunity for your winemaker and team (two representatives per winery) to share your story, build industry relationships, and engage directly with consumers. Wineries will also have the opportunity to sell bottles to Garces Trading Company for potential placement and sales that evening during the event (and potentially beyond).
The "Best Of" Category winners will be announced during the Harvest Celebration on October 9, 2026 at Stone Gables Estate (Elizabethtown, PA) in front of all the guests and industry professionals. If you haven't applied to join as a winery for this event, please do so here.
Sommelier Judgement Wine Details
The varietals that will be focused on for the 2026 Sommelier Judgement are:
- Chardonnay
- Grüner Veltliner
- Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio
- Riesling
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Vidal Blanc
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Chambourcin
- Lemberger/Blaufränkisch
- Merlot
- Pinot Noir
- Submissions must be >75% of the stated Vinifera variety or Hybrid variety in any wine submission
- Wines MUST be 100% Pennsylvania grown fruit
- Wines MUST be <1% Residual Sugar
- Vinifera: white or red (vinifera blends are also accepted)
- Hybrid:
- Vidal Blanc ONLY
- Chambourcin ONLY
- Vinifera Rosé:
- Direct Press
- Saignée
- Vinifera Sparkling Wines
- Traditional Method
- Charmat Method
- Pet Nat
The "Best Of" winners will be announced during the Harvest Celebration on October 9 2026 at Stone Gables Estate in front of all the guests and industry professionals. If you haven't applied to join as a winery for this event, please do so here.
- Eight (8) entry maximum per winery
- Two (2) bottles of each is required for entry for Sommelier Judgement.
- Wines must be scheduled for delivery Monday through Friday.
- Deliveries cannot be accepted Saturday and Sunday.
- Include [email protected] for wine shipment tracking
- An invoice will be emailed to your winery via Stripe.
- PWA Member: $40 per entry
- Mon-PWA Member: $55 per entry