Submit to Sip Magazine’s 15th Annual Best of the Northwest Wine Awards

by Sip Magazine | Aug 5, 2026

Submissions are now open!

Now celebrating its 15th year, Sip Magazine’s Best of the Northwest Wine Competition has become the region’s benchmark for wine excellence. For more than a decade, the competition has recognized the Northwest’s finest wines through an independent blind tasting judged by the industry’s most respected palates, helping wineries earn recognition while guiding consumers to the region’s best bottles.

Important Dates

Submission Deadline: Friday, October 16, 2026
Product Receiving Deadline: Friday, October 16, 2026
Judging: November 10–11, 2026
Competition Results Announced: December 9, 2026

All entries will be evaluated through a blind tasting by a panel of the Northwest’s top palates, including sommeliers, wine buyers, producers, distributors, wine writers and industry professionals. The top four wines in each category will be awarded Platinum, Double Gold, Gold or Silver medals.
New for 2026: Our previous Judges’ Picks designation has been renamed the Distinction Award designation to better reflect the exceptional quality of these top-scoring wines.

Results will be announced on December 9, 2026 at sipmagazine.com, shared digitally with our audience of more than 55,000 readers, and promoted across Sip Magazine’s social media channels. Medal-winning wines will also be featured in our annual Buyers Guide, providing valuable exposure to consumers and the wine industry alike.

Upon request, tasting notes will be provided for each submitted wine, offering valuable feedback from our judging panel following the blind tasting.

The Best of the Northwest Wine Competition highlights the exceptional wines being produced throughout the region while giving consumers an expertly curated guide to the Northwest’s most outstanding bottles.

Our Wine Panel
Stay tuned! Our 2026 judging panel will be announced in early September.
Meet our 2025 Judges here.

Submission Details

Wine Submission Form CLICK HERE

Complete the online submission form for each wine entered. Entries will not be judged until the submission form and payment has been received.

Entries must be commercially produced in and with fruit from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Montana or British Columbia.

Register & Pay

Entry Fee: Register by September 14 to receive the Early Bird entry rate of $80 per submission. Beginning September 15, the entry fee increases to $90 per submission.

Register & Pay: CLICK HERE

Credit card payments are accepted online. If paying by check please mail payment to:

Sip Magazine
Best of Wine
1335 N. Northlake Way, Suite 101
Seattle, WA 98103

Please do not ship wine samples to this address

Submit your Samples

Submit three (3) 750ml samples for each wine submitted (excluding dessert & fortified wines)

Submit two (2) samples for each dessert & fortified wine submitted

Labeling

No special competition labels are required as long as the wines are clearly marked with winery name, wine name and vintage.

Shipping

Carefully package all glass-format wines as shipping companies are not always gentle.
Please do not use packing peanuts or popcorn.

Ship all entries to the following address:

Seattle Wine Storage
Attn: Sip Magazine Best of WIne
9401 Aurora Ave N., Seattle WA 98103

In person deliveries can be made to Seattle Wine Storage daily from 12-6pm (excluding holidays).

Categories

RED WINE

Single Varietals

Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Carménère
Grenache
Malbec
Merlot
Mourvèdre
Nebbiolo
Petit Verdot
Pinot Noir
Sangiovese
Syrah
Tempranillo
Other Red Single Varietal – Single Varietal wines not included in the list above

Red Blends

Bordeaux Blend – Cabernet Sauvignon Dominant
Bordeaux Blend – Merlot Dominant
Bordeaux Blend – Other Bordeaux Variety Dominant
Rhône Blend
GSM
Proprietary Red Blends

WHITE WINE

Single Varietals

Aligoté
Albariño
Chardonnay – Oaked*
Chardonnay – Unoaked *
Chenin Blanc
Gewürztraminer
Grenache Blanc
Grüner Veltliner
Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio
Riesling
Sauvignon Blanc
Sémillon
Viognier
Other White Single Varietal – Single varietal wines not listed above

*Wineries should enter Chardonnay based on the wine’s production method. Wines with any intentional oak influence (barrel, stave, chip, or similar oak treatment) should be entered in the Oaked Chardonnay category.