Submit your wines to the competition

PRESENTATION OF THE INDEPENDENT WINE GROWERS COMPETITION

The Independent Winegrowers Competition is a unique event: it is the only wine competition whose jury is composed exclusively of wine lovers. It honors independent winegrowers—whether or not they are members of our movement—to the exclusion of cooperatives and merchants.

Each year, more than 6,000 samples are tasted by over 2,200 enthusiasts, carefully selected from among knowledgeable wine lovers, members of wine clubs, and regular visitors to the Independent Winegrowers' Shows.

This original jury, representative of the end consumer, is what makes the competition so powerful and unique. Thanks to specific training in tasting techniques and criteria, participants acquire a common framework for evaluation and a harmonized vocabulary. The goal is to judge wines with sincerity, using an approach based above all on the pleasure of tasting rather than purely academic expectations.

The Independent Winegrowers' Competition is therefore an unbiased, passionate, and honest look at artisanal wines by those who love and consume them.

3 KEYWORDS: RIGOR, TRACEABILITY, AND QUALITY

Since 2013, the competition has been ISO 9001 certified and is part of the Association des Grands Concours Vinicoles Français (Association of Major French Wine Competitions), a guarantee of professionalism and rigor in its organization.

With its ISO 9001 certification and unique positioning, the competition is of such a high standard that it brings solid recognition of expertise and consistency to consumers and professional buyers alike.

💡 WHY PARTICIPATE IN THE INDEPENDENT WINE GROWERS COMPETITION?

• Increased visibility: A medal won in this competition is a guarantee of quality recognized by consumers and industry professionals.
• Impartial evaluation: The wines are blind tasted by trained judges, ensuring an objective and transparent evaluation.
• Diversity of participants: With more than 6,000 samples from all French wine regions, the competition reflects the richness and diversity of French vineyards.

🍷 WHICH WINES ARE ELIGIBLE TO COMPETE?

NEW FOR 2026: NOLOW CATEGORY
A new category for NOLOW wines and beverages (partially or totally dealcoholized) has been created.

PDOs, PGIs, Vins de France, liqueur wines with or without geographical indication (Cartagène, Ratafia de Bourgogne, Macvin du Jura, Pineau des Charentes, etc.), Cognac PDO and Armagnac PDO brandies, Marc AOR brandies, and AOR brandies, produced in France by independent winegrowers who vinify and/or distill in private cellars.

Any appellation that is not represented by at least three winegrowers will be tasted in a generic category for the region.

📋 HOW TO ENTER YOUR WINES IN THE COMPETITION?

Registration for the competition is open to independent winegrowers who are members or non-members of Vignerons Indépendants de France (excluding cooperatives and merchants). For registration details and deadlines, please check our official website regularly.

WINE COMPETITION RULES

RULES FOR THE WINE BRANDY COMPETITION