The 3rd edition of the USA Wine Ratings is pleased to announce the 2020 winners. Wines from 30 different countries were submitted with the United States, Spain, Italy being the top 3 entrants. There were new additions like Ireland and Brazil. The top 3 varieties submitted were cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, and pinot noir.

The USA Wine Ratings looks to recognise, reward, and help promote wines that have successfully been created to identify with and target a specific wine drinker. For any wine brand to earn its place on a retailer’s shelf or a restaurant’s wine list -  and then vitally stay there - they need to be marketable and consumer-driven and not just produced in the general hope it can find enough people willing to sell and buy it. That is why the USA wine Ratings are different. It will single out and shine the spotlight on those wine brands that consumers really want to buy and have a clear market value for trade buyers.

This year’s competition was the best as far as the quality of wines entered, according to the judges. 

2019 St Andrews Riesling from Clare Valley, Wakefield Taylors Wines, Australia scored 97 points winning Gold medal, Wine Of The Year, Winery Of The Year, Best In Show By Country, Best In Show By Varietal, and Best Wine By Quality at the 2020 USA Wine Ratings.

There were 162 gold winners, 635 silver winners, and 127 bronze winners at this year’s competition. Here are some of the gold winners and special award winners:

●Wine of the year: 2019 St Andrews Riesling from Wakefield Taylors Wines, Australia.

●Winery of the year: Wakefield Taylors Wines

●Best Wine by Quality: 2019 St Andrews Riesling from Wakefield Taylors Wines, Australia.

●Best Wine by Value: 2018 Villa Bonaga Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce DOC Amabile from Italy by Lidl.

●Best Wine by Packaging: 2019 Unsi Terrazas White from Anecoop Bodegas, Spain.

View winners by country and varietal here

2018 Villa Bonaga Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce DOC Amabile from Italy by Lidl wins Gold Medal, Best In Show By Varietal, and Best Wine By Value in the US market.

2019 Unsi Terrazas White from Anecoop Bodegas, Spain wins the Best Wine By Packaging and Gold Medal.

"Wines that are typically not front and center in our minds were very impressive. Turkey, Moldova, Armenia and Bulgaria showed very well; skillfully made, distinctive, wines of character and depth. Those looking to broaden their horizons should search them out." - said Bob Paulinski MW, one of the judge at the USA Wine Ratings

 

To win a USA wine Ratings award you will need to score highly in all three areas of our judging criteria. You might have an outstanding quality wine, but if the price and packaging is not right, you will not be recognized by the USA wine Ratings.

Scoring system USA wine Ratings score is decided on the following judging formula: Q (Quality Score) + Value Score (V) + Package Score (P) = USA wine Ratings Score. 

Quality Score: was marked out of 100 

Value Score: was marked out of 100 

Package Score: was marked out of 100 

A separate weighted score was given for each of the three parts of the judging process. The scores were calculated to give a final score out of 100 from which individual prizes will be awarded.

Gold: to receive a Gold medal you need to score 90 or over. Silver: you need to score between 80-89. Bronze: you need to score between 70-79.

To view full results, please click here.