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Early Bird Deadline Extended — Ends Tonight!

The Sunset International Wine Competition is one of the most influential wine programs in the country — and there’s still time to enter at the discounted rate.

 We’ve extended our Early Bird Deadline Until Midnight Tonight, May 12.

As the leading voice of the Western lifestyle, Sunset is uniquely positioned to help you reach the Western wine drinker. Our competition is judged by some of the most respected professionals in the industry — including Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine — who understand and appreciate the Western palate.

 Winners Receive Year-Long Exposure:

  • The Sunset Wine Awards Special Digital Edition (October release)

  • A dedicated microsite

  • A Featured Sunset Article

  • Promotions across sunset.com, our eNewsletters, and social platforms
    (Available online for 12 months!)


Competition Dates: June 10–12, 2025
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Final Entry Deadline: May 22, 2025




Don’t miss your chance to stand out! 

Sunset Wine Competition: Early Bird Pricing Ends Thursday, May 8th!

Early Bird Pricing Ends Thursday, May 8th!


Entry Fee: $99

Early Bird Pricing until May 8

The Sunset International Wine Competition will take place June 10 - 12, 2025. 

The final deadline for submission is May 22nd, 2025




What Sets Us Apart

Esteemed Judging Panel: The competition boasts a panel of highly respected judges, including Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, seasoned winemakers, and influential wine journalists. This ensures that each wine is evaluated with a high level of expertise and discernment.

Comprehensive Promotion for Winners: Winning wines receive significant exposure through Sunset magazine's digital platforms, including a dedicated Wine Special digital edition, features on Sunset.com, and promotions across Sunset’s social media channels. This extensive coverage helps winners reach a broad audience of wine enthusiasts.

Diverse Categories: The competition recognizes excellence across various categories, from traditional red and white wines to sparkling, rosé, dessert, and even innovative formats like canned and boxed wines.

Influential Audience: Sunset magazine's readership is known for its passion for wine, with a significant portion of readers being regular wine consumers who enjoy exploring new and diverse wine options. This makes the competition an attractive platform for wineries aiming to connect with an engaged and knowledgeable audience.

Sunset Wine Sunset Magazine Sunset International Wine Competition

Meet the Sunset Wine Competition Honorary Chief Judge, Jennifer J.B. Kelly!

Meet Honorary Chief Judge, Jennifer J.B. Kelly!

As a wine and spirits executive, certified sommelier, entrepreneur, and wine judge with 15+ years of industry experience, Jennifer J.B. Kelly is perfectly poised to lend her experience to the Sunset International Wine Competition as Honorary Chief Judge.


Jennifer has represented some of the world’s most prominent wine and spirits organizations working with both domestic and international portfolios.


Jennifer is an aspiring Master of Wine who is currently enrolled in the WSET certification program to earn her diploma.


Meet the Other Judges

Winemakers • Sommeliers • Buyers • Wine Journalists

Professional Wine Judges • Wine Educators


Entry Fee: $99

Early bird pricing until May 8


Enter the Competition

What Sets the Sunset International Wine Competition Apart?

The Sunset International Wine Competition, established in 2012, has rapidly become one of the most esteemed wine competitions, attracting a diverse array of entries from both domestic and international wineries.

What Sets Us Apart

Esteemed Judging Panel: The competition boasts a panel of highly respected judges, including Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, seasoned winemakers, and influential wine journalists. This ensures that each wine is evaluated with a high level of expertise and discernment.


Comprehensive Promotion for Winners: Winning wines receive significant exposure through Sunset magazine's digital platforms, including a dedicated Wine Special digital edition, features on Sunset.com, and promotions across Sunset’s social media channels. This extensive coverage helps winners reach a broad audience of wine enthusiasts.


Diverse Categories: The competition recognizes excellence across various categories, from traditional red and white wines to sparkling, rosé, dessert, and even innovative formats like canned and boxed wines.


Influential Audience: Sunset magazine's readership is known for its passion for wine, with a significant portion of readers being regular wine consumers who enjoy exploring new and diverse wine options. This makes the competition an attractive platform for wineries aiming to connect with an engaged and knowledgeable audience.

Entry Fee: $99

Early bird pricing until May 8

The Sunset International Wine Competition will take place June 10th - 12th, 2025. The final deadline for submission is May 22nd, 2025.


Enter the Competition

Why Wait? It's Easy to Enter the Sunset International Wine Competition


1. Create your Account

Already have an account? Log in instead! Your account will last year after year.

2. Register your Wines

Create a database of your wines to enter into the competition.

3. Enter the Competition

With Enofile's "Easy Enter" you'll enjoy quick and secure competition entry and fee processing



How many bottles need to be sent per entry?

An official entry shall consist of 4 bottles, each bottle no less than 750 ml in volume. For containers larger than 1 liter in volume, an official entry shall consist of 2 units. An official entry of wines, such as dessert wines, that are bottled only in 375ml bottles shall consist of 6 bottles, each no less than 375ml.

Entry Fee: $99

Early bird pricing until May 8

Entry now open for the 2025 competition
The Sunset International Wine Competition will take place June 10th - 12th, 2025. The final deadline for submission is May 22nd, 2025.


Enter the Competition

3 Years of Celebrating the Best in Wine🍷



Though the Sunset International Wine Competition is in it’s 9th year introducing western wine drinkers to best wines in the industry, this will be the 4th year that we’ve had the category “Best of the Best”.


Beyond Gold, Double Gold, Best in Class and Best in Show is the one wine that’s considered the very best of that competition year.


Take a look at the Best of the Best of the past three years.


The Best of the Best


2022

2018 Wapato Point Cellars Cabernet Franc

2023

2022 Brecon Estate Albariño

2024

2022 Trentadue Montepulciano


Entry now open for the 2025 competition
The Sunset International Wine Competition will take place June 10th - 12th, 2025. The final deadline for submission is May 22nd, 2025.




2025 Sunset Magazine International Wine Competition Announces Call for Entries

2025 Sunset Magazine International Wine Competition Announces Call for Entries 

Santa Rosa, Calif., (March 20, 2025) — Sunset Magazine, the leading media brand of the Western lifestyle, announced today its call for entries in the 2025 Sunset International Wine Competition. Established in 2012, the Sunset International Wine Competition was the most successful launch of a wine competition in U.S. history. 

Winning producers will be featured in a Fall release of a Wine Special non-print, digital edition with supporting microsite. Promotions for the Wine Award Special Issue will be placed in sunset.com, Sunset eNewsletters and Sunset social sites. The edition will be promoted and available for 12 months up until the 2026 Wine Competition Awards winners are announced. Wine & Spirit Competitions Management & Productions (WSCM&P) will manage the competition. 

“When you combine the reputation and influence of Sunset with the most experienced wine judging professionals, including award winning winemakers, Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, wine buyers, and key media, this becomes a must-enter competition for any winery looking for exposure to the ideal wine drinking audience,” says Debra Del Fiorentino, founder and president of WSCM&P. 

Participating in the Sunset International Wine Competition provides the opportunity to gain national exposure for your wines. Sunset boasts more than 900,000 monthly online visitors, 1 million social followers and over 500,000 newsletter subscribers. What’s more, 96% of Sunset readers drink wine, and more than 75% of subscribers drink wine every week. 

Enter before May 8, 2025, for early bird pricing. Final entry date is May 22, 2025. Go to sunsetcompetitions.com for more information.

About Sunset 

Sunset is the premier resource for achieving the ultimate Western lifestyle. Our experts focus on travel destinations in the 13 Western states, home design and outdoor living ideas suited to our region, and recipes and menus that celebrate the West. 

About Wine & Spirits Competitions Management & Productions 

Based in Santa Rosa, California, Wine & Spirit Competitions Management & Productions is an independently owned and operated adult beverage competition company with a uniquely designed portfolio to appeal to a niche market based on its regional or otherwise defined style of judging. Its competitions include: The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Harvest Challenge, East Meets West, the International Women’s Wine Competition, Craft Distillers Spirits Competition, Sunset International Wine and Spirits Competition, L.A. Invitational Wine and Spirits Competition and Experience Rosé Wine Competition. 

Visit www.SunsetCompetitions.com for more information

Sunset Magazine Wine Competition Sunset International Wine Competition Wine & Spirits Competition Management & Productions

Wine in the West - Meet the Sunset Audience


Wine in the West

Learn more about the Sunset Reader


The West is the top region for wine and Sunset is the dominant media brand of Western lifestyle. Westerners drink over 60 million glasses of wine each week and are 35% more likely to spend $3,000+ on wine in the past year than the average affluent adult.

WINE & THE SUNSET AUDIENCE

  • 900,000 monthly online visitors

  • 1 million social followers

  • Over 500,000 newsletter subscribers.

  • 96% of Sunset readers drink wine and more than 3 out of 4 subscribers drink wine every week.

  • Sunset readers are 106% more likely to be enthusiastic consumers of wine.

  • Sunset readers are 54% more likely to try new and different wines

  • 96% say they enjoy exploring new wines.


The Sunset Magazine International Wine Competition will take place June 10th - 12th, 2025. The final deadline for submission is May 22nd, 2025.


Enter the Competition



Entry Closes Tonight at 11:59pm!

Entry Closes Tonight at 11:59pm!

Are you as anxious as we are to find out this year's best of the best? Tonight is the final night to submit entries for the Sunset International Wine Competition!


Once all of the entries are collected and prepared, we'll begin 3 straight days of thoughtful consideration, concentrated tasting, and precise glass swirls so that the judges can announce who takes the gold. 


Don't miss your chance to be in the running! 

 


  The Sunset Audience

The Sunset International Wine Competition is designed to attract all wineries interested in reaching the Western wine drinker and is juried by the best judges in the industry, who understand and appreciate the Western palate and lifestyle



The Categories

Whether you specialize in bold reds, delicate whites, or innovative blends, the Sunset International Wine Competition offers a platform to showcase the distinct qualities of your creations.



It's Easy To Enter!

With Enofile's "Easy Enter" you'll enjoy quick and secure competition entry and fee processing.
1. Create your Account

2. Register your Wines
3. Enter the Competition



The Winning Campaign

Winning producers will be featured in the October release of a Wine Special non-print, digital edition with supporting microsite.The edition will be promoted and available for 12 months or until the 2025 Wine Competition Awards winners are announced.



The Judges

Honorary Chief Judge Jennifer Kelly is joined by Winemakers, Sommeliers, Buyers, Wine Writers, Professional Wine Judges and Wine Educators.




Enter the Competition


Sunset International Wine Competition sunset magazine Enter Now Wine Challenge Wine Campaign Western Wine Drinker

The Entry Doors Are Closing!

Entry Deadline is May 7


If you missed the early bird deadline last week, don't worry! There's one week left to enter your wines in the 2024 Sunset International Wine Competition!

Winning producers will be featured in the October release of a Wine Special non-print, digital edition with supporting microsite. Promotions for the Wine Award Special Issue will be placed in sunset.com, Sunset eNewsletters and Sunset social sites. The edition will be promoted and available for 12 months or until the 2025 Wine Competition Awards winners are announced.


Enter the Competition



sunset magazine sunset international wine competition enter now

About

SUNSET is the leading media brand of the Western lifestyle. Its International Wine Competition makes its winning wines part of the most influential wine program in the country. Its judges are some of the most experienced wine professionals in the West, including many Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine. The magazine is committed to promoting its winners in ways that no other competition can.

The competition is designed to attract all wineries interested in reaching the Western wine drinker and is juried by the best judges in the industry, who understand and appreciate the Western palate and lifestyle.

Learn More

Contact

Contact List

Title Name Email Phone Extension
Founder Debra Del Fiorentino debra@winecompetitions.com 415.640.6337

Location List

Locations Address State Country Zip Code
Sunset Intl. Wine Comp. 30 Palomino Court, Petaluma California United States of America 94945

List of Locations