Wine Access magazine is proud to deliver the premiere competition for wines produced in Canada.

Before entering your wines:

1. Read the complete Rules for Entry and ensure they qualify for this competition

The Wine Access Canadian Wine Awards (CWA) are open to all wines 100 per cent grown, vinified and bottled in Canada. All entries are assessed by the members of the Wine Access Tasting Panel, together with a select group of Canadian wine commentators who report on wine regularly to the public.

WHO CAN ENTER

Any agent, winery or party who represents any wine that qualifies for entry under the guidelines listed below.

RULES FOR ENTRY

1. Number of Bottles Per Entry*

   3 x 750ml or 4 x 375ml bottles (or similar volume) of each wine must be submitted per entry. This is to allow for wines going through to multiple rounds of tasting and for faulty bottles. Wineries are welcome to submit 4 bottles to avoid risk of a wine being rejected due to flaws with only 3 bottles submitted at their discretion.

2. Cost to Enter

   $100 CDN plus 5 per cent tax (GST) per entry.

   • PLEASE DO NOT send your cheques packed with the wine or sales or technical sheets. The Wine Access 2009 Canadian Wine Awards uses an online registration process which utilizes a secure online payment option by credit card. If you must pay by cheque, please contact Event Manager Tom Firth so that we can ensure registration accuracy.

   • PLEASE DO INDICATE on the cheque which winery/brand the payment is for.

   • PLEASE MAKE CHEQUES PAYABLE TO: RedPoint Media Group Inc.

3. Confirm that the wines you want to submit qualify for entry based on the following guidelines.

To qualify for the Wine Access Canadian Wine Awards all wines submitted must be:

• 100 percent grown, vinified and bottled in Canada. Wines bearing the VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) logo automatically qualify. Likewise for fruit wines bearing the QC designation of Fruit Wines of Canada.
  Wineries submitting non-VQA or non-QC wines must consent to an audit of origin if requested by the Canadian Wine Awards;

• Have a minimum production equal to or greater than 75 cases (12 bottles/case) of 750ml bottles or equivalent volume;

• Available for public retail sale somewhere in Canada during the 2009 calendar year, or scheduled for release by January 31, 2010.
  Please note: As wine results will be released in late November 2009, wines should still be available in the market at this time;

• A current vintage.
  The Canadian Wine Awards is designed to award current releases and provide a forum for discussion of current vintages. As a result, older wines are not eligible, even if they remain commercially available. Remember that tank and barrel samples not ready for this year's competition may be entered next year;

• SPARKLING WINES - all vintage-dated and non-vintage sparkling wines are admissible (if they meet with the guidelines listed above);

• WHITE WINES - all whites must be from the 2007 or 2008 vintage;

• RED WINES - any red wine older than three years (2005 and older) are inadmissible. That means all red entries must come from the 2006, 2007, 2008 or 2009 vintage. Wines from 2006 or earlier are eligible, if the producer by signing the entry form, guarantees it is the first release of the wine vailable for public retail sale somewhere in Canada during the 2009 calendar year, or scheduled for release by January 31, 2010;

• LATE HARVEST/ICEWINES - late harvest and icewine entries must come from the 2006, 2007 or 2008 vintage;

• FRUIT WINES - all fruit wines must be grown and bottled in 2007 or later, whether or not they bear a vintage date;

• NON-VINTAGE ENTRIES - entries failing to display any vintage date may be disqualified and/or have bottling records requested if the judges feel the content is more mature.

NO TANK OR BARREL SAMPLES ARE PERMITTED.

*All wines submitted are for the exclusive use of judging at the Canadian Wine Awards.

If your wines qualify for this competition, please proceed to the next step and read our Shipping Guidelines to confirm that we are able to receive your wine delivery.