The International Wine Challenge (IWC) has announced a major new regional structure that will see the competition evolve into four regional wine competitions across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the United Kingdom.
The new structure will launch from July 2026, with entries opening for both IWC Americas and IWC Asia Pacific, ahead of their first judging events later this year in Mendoza, Argentina and Adelaide, Australia.
Under the new format, wines will continue to be judged blind by expert panels within their regions before Gold medal-winning wines progress to London for International Trophy judging.
The move marks the most significant evolution in the history of the competition and reflects the changing geography of the global wine industry, with a greater focus on regional engagement, accessibility and producer connection.
Under the new structure, IWC Americas will take place in Mendoza, Argentina between 2-6 November 2026; IWC Asia Pacific in Adelaide, Australia (30 November to 4 December 2026); IWC Europe in Montpellier, France (12-16 April 2027); and IWC UK in London, United Kingdom (10-14 May 2027).
Gold medal winning wines from all regional competitions will progress to London for International Trophy judging on 15 May 2027, followed by the IWC Awards in September 2027 at Guildhall, London.
Chris Ashton, chairman of the International Wine Challenge, said: “IWC remains the global benchmark, but closer to home. Wine is global, but wine communities are regional. The new IWC structure has been designed to bring the competition closer to the producers, people and places shaping the future of wine, while protecting the integrity and international benchmark standards that IWC is built on.
“For producers, this means greater regional visibility, stronger local engagement and a more accessible route into one of the wine world’s most recognised competitions. What does not change is the standard. Wines will continue to be judged blind by leading experts, with the very best progressing to International Trophy judging in London.”
