About
The Next Gen International Wine Awards is a first-of-its-kind competition created to help wineries understand, reach, and connect with the next generation of wine drinkers.
While most traditional competitions are judged by long-established industry professionals, this program is evaluated exclusively by wine experts under 39 — the winemakers, sommeliers, buyers, writers, and influencers who are actively shaping what younger consumers drink today and what they’ll be drinking tomorrow.
These rising industry leaders offer a fresh perspective on quality, authenticity, and value. They bring lived experience from the restaurants, tasting rooms, retail floors, and digital platforms where the next generation discovers wine. Their voices represent not just where the industry is headed — but where the modern consumer already is.
2026 Best of the Best Wine
What Sets Us Apart
The Awards
The Next Gen International Wine Awards features a modern award structure intentionally designed to reflect real consumer behavior, generational preferences, and clear market realities. Our awards help wineries understand how their wines resonate with younger drinkers while offering meaningful, marketable recognition across multiple dimensions of quality, value, style, and brand experience.
Core Award Levels
The top honor of the competition, Best of the Best— awarded to the single most exceptional wine judged across all categories and tiers. This wine represents the highest expression of next-generation relevance, quality, and appeal.
Equivalent to a “Best of Class” distinction, awarded to standout wines that clearly rise above their peer group in craftsmanship, character, and overall impact.
Awarded to wines that demonstrate outstanding quality, strong judge consensus, and broad generational appeal.
Recognizes wines that perform above category expectations with solid, well-balanced, and compelling profiles.
Honors wines that deliver notable quality and charm, offering strong value and consumer appeal.
Pricing Tier-Based Awards
Reflects the price range where younger consumers most frequently purchase wine. Awards within this tier offer meaningful insight into how your wine resonates in the everyday market.
Celebrates elevated expressions of craftsmanship, innovation, and premium winemaking with a next-generation lens.
Occasion-Based Awards (Classic Tier Only)
These fun, consumer-driven categories highlight how younger audiences actually select wine.
Awarded to the wine that delivers instant appeal and broad crowd-pleasing character. Winners are versatile, approachable, and easy to share — the kind of bottle you can confidently bring anywhere and know it will be enjoyed by a wide range of drinkers.
Recognizes wines that overdeliver on value, balance, and everyday drinkability. These are go-to bottles that pair easily with simple meals, feel effortless to open, and make an ordinary night just a little better.
Celebrates wines that are refreshing, light, and easygoing, perfect for casual daytime occasions. Winners show brightness, restraint, and approachability — ideal for brunch, afternoons with friends, or relaxed outdoor moments.
Packaging & Design Awards
Recognizing the powerful role visual identity plays in discovery, storytelling, and social engagement, these awards honor:
Recognizes the wine package that delivers the strongest combination of design, functionality, and brand storytelling. This award honors packaging that connects instantly with modern consumers while clearly communicating quality, purpose, and personality.
Honors the wine package that stands out for its sophistication, refinement, and visual balance. This award honors thoughtful design that communicates quality through elevated details, cohesive aesthetics, and a polished sense of style.
Celebrates packaging that tells the most compelling and memorable brand story. This award honors design that uses imagery, typography, messaging, and detail to create a distinct sense of place, personality, or purpose.
Recognizes the canned wine package that best combines standout design, functionality, and shelf appeal. This award honors packaging that embraces the format creatively while communicating quality, personality, and relevance to today’s wine consumer.
Entry Fees
Our pricing structure is designed to keep the competition accessible while offering meaningful value, strong partner benefits, and incentives for wineries entering multiple wines.
Standard Entry Pricing
- $80 per wine (Early Bird)
Early Bird Pricing Ends July 24, 2026
- $90 per wine (Regular)
Entry Deadline: August 7, 2026
Wine must be delivered by August 14, 2026 (5 P.M.)
Prices apply to all wines entered in both the Classic Tier ($25 & Under) and the Prestige Collection (Above $25).
Volume Discounts
Refunds & Substitutions
Association Partner Pricing
About the Next Gen Association Partner Program
The Next Gen International Wine Awards is committed to collaborating with every winery
association in the country, large or small. Our goal is simple: ensure that all winery association
members have access to discounted entry fees of $15 per entry and the opportunity to participate
in a competition designed to engage the next generation of wine consumers.
Participation is completely FREE for associations — there is no financial obligation of any kind.
What We Ask from Associations
- Provide a logo so we can recognize your association as a Regional Partner on our website.
- Share your unique promotional code with your members, giving them exclusive discounted entry pricing.
- Share the winning wines with your mailing list when results are announced — especially highlighting winners from your region.
That’s it. A simple, collaborative way to support your members and help showcase their wines to a new
generation of consumers.
For associations interested in participating, please email:
contact@nextgenwineawards.com
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the competition take place?
Judging will take place August 25th at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, CA
When is the deadline to enter?
How much does it cost to enter?
How do I submit my entry?
Where do I send my wines?
How many bottles need to be sent per entry?
When will the winners be announced?
Who should I contact if I have more questions?
