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Illinois State Fair Wine Competition
Coordinated by: The Illinois Grape Growers & Vintners Association
Amateur Wine Competition Booklet
Enclosed are:
Amateur Winemaker Rules
Grape/Fruit Class ID
General Entry Form
Wine Entry Forms
Competition June 22-24, 2015
Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield, IL
Competition Entry Deadline
June 16, 2015
Instructions for entering the Illinois State Fair
Wine Competition
1. This booklet has rules and entry forms for Amateur Winemakers.
Each entrant is responsible for observing the rules of the competition in
which they are entering.
2. Amateur Winemakers must fill out the general entry form on page 6.
Below this form on the same page is an example of a wine entry. Follow
this example when filling in the subsequent pages of wine entry forms on
pages 7 to 9. If you enter more than 30 wines, you will need to print the
proper extra pages.
Deadline for entry is June 16, 2015.
Early submission is better for your wine.
Illinois State Fair
Wine Competition
Sponsored by Lincoln Land Community College and the Illinois Grape Growers &
Vintners Association
Amateur Winemaker Judging Rules and Regulations
Competition Deadline for Entries June 16, 2015
Competition Date: June 22-24, 2015 - No Public Allowed
The following guidelines will instruct you on how to successfully enter
your wine into the Illinois State Fair Wine Competition.
If there are any questions please contact the people listed below with any
questions. Avoid disqualification by marking all forms with the proper designation.
For each entry use one entry box on the entry form for each wine.
1. Select the Wine Class from the list. Select the proper class of the wine you
wish to enter by first determining the variety of the grape from those listed. If the
wine is not 75% or more of the variety, you must choose one of the less specific
classes such as class 312 - Blended White Hybrid.
2. Enter the variety of grape or fruit on the form. This is equivalent to Frontenac
or Apple. Then select the proper class. This is a number like 404 which stands
for the Frontenac grape. The 400 Class is for all red hybrid grapes.
3. Indicate the source of the fruit. You may check Illinois, Kit, or write in the
source (i.e. juice from Michigan).
4. Next select the residual sugar level of your wine. Select the level that best
represents the perceived sweetness of the wine. If you have recorded residual
sugar levels: Dry: <1%, Semi Dry: 1-2%, Semi-Sweet: 2-3% Sweet: 3-5%,
Dessert: >5% and/or fortified with spirits. Misidentification of this item can lessen
your chance of a fair assessment.
5. Last, if your wine has its own label with a name on it other than the variety, list
it on the line for Fanciful Name. This will help us keep everything organized, and
the name will appear in the Official Results at the conclusion of the competition.
Eligibility:
Any who is over 21 years old and is not engaged in winemaking for a profit is
eligible to enter wine. This includes individuals who may work in the wine
industry, but who are not commercial winemakers and whose wine is not made
on the premises of any commercial winery.
Entries:
1. Each wine entry shall consist of one 750 mL or two 375/500 mL bottles.
There is no limit to the number of entries that may be submitted.
2. The same wine may not be entered in more than one class.
3. A fee of $15.00 per submission will be charged and is non-refundable. Make
checks payable to:
Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association
4. One entry form and the Wine should be sent to:
Illinois State Fair Wine Competition at LLCC
c/o Jolene Adams
5250 Shepherd Rd
Springfield, IL 62794
5. One entry form and payment should be sent to:
Illinois State Fair Wine Competition at LLCC
c/o Bradley Beam
2900 Greenbriar Dr., Ste. 3
Springfield, IL 62704
6. Wines cannot be shipped through the US Postal Service. They must be
shipped UPS, FedEX or personally delivered. To personally deliver the wine (by
June 16), please first make an appointment with Jolene Adams: 217-786-2355,
or email at [email protected] Scheduled drop-offs must be between the
hours of 8-4, Monday through Thursday.
7. Wine shipments will be accepted from May 18 – June 16.
Late Entries Will Not Be Accepted
8. The entrant is responsible for all packing and shipping charges. The IGGVA
will not be responsible for lost or damaged wines. There will be no refunds of
entry fees for late arrivals or damaged entries. Write the Entrant Name in
clear, legible letters on the outside of each box and include a copy of the
submission form inside the box.
2015 Illinois State Fair Wine Judging
Judging Rules & Regulations
Information & Instructions
• There is no limit to the number of entries submitted per exhibitor.
• One (1) bottle must be submitted for each entry
• A label must be attached to each bottle, clearly identifying its contents and
producer. Please use the labels included in this booklet, even if you already
have a home-made label on the wine.
• A completed wine entry form must be submitted for each wine entered which
must include information such as: predominant grape or fruit, origin of the grape
or fruit, and a judging class number chosen by the entrant from the official entry
information.
• A duplicate copy of the completed entry form must accompany each entry
shipment.
Judging Process
• The judging will be June 22-24 at Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield
.
• Three panels of judges will evaluate entries using a 20-point scoring system.
• Individual judge scores are submitted by each judging panel for each wine
evaluated. Each panel will assign whether to award a wine with one of the
following: Gold, Silver, Bronze or no award
• Wines will be judged in flights according to the class number and residual sugar
levels supplied by winery.
Medals and Awards
• All wines receiving gold, silver or bronze awards by the judges will receive
medals from the Illinois State Fair.
• A press release announcing award-winning wines/wineries will be available
after the judging.
• A list of all wineries and/or wines entered will not be published nor made
available, only those wines receiving a medal will get public recognition
• A “Best of Show” award and trophy will be awarded for both grape wine and
non-grape wine. All gold medal-winning entries, regardless of fruit type or
appellation, will be eligible for this top prize!
2015 Illinois State Fair Wine Judging Grape/Fruit Class Listing
1. Wines must contain at least 75 percent of designated type to be entered in a varietal class/lot
number.
2. Varietals of less than 75 percent must be entered as blends with the predominant grape listed.
3. Include actual residual sugar, or note as Dry (<1%), Semi-Dry (1-2%), Semi-Sweet (2-3%) or Sweet
(>3%).
4. New Classes may be created by the discretion of the organizer based on the number of entries of a
varietal.
Class # Description
Class # Description
White – Native American
101 Catawba
102 Cayuga
103 Niagara
110 Varietal, Other NA
111 Blends, NA
Red – Native American
201 Concord
204 Norton/Cynthiana
209 Varietal, Other NA
210 Blends, NA
211 Blush/Rosé
White Hybrid
301 Seyval Blanc
302 Vidal Blanc
303 Vignoles
304 Chardonel
305 Traminette
306 St. Pepin
307 Villard blanc
308 LaCrosse
309 Frontenac gris
310 La Crescent
311 Varietal, Other WH
312 Blends, WH
Red Hybrid
401 Chambourcin
402 Chancellor
403 Marechal Foch
404 Frontenac
405 St. Croix
406 Corot noir
407 Marquette
408 Varietal, Other RH
409 Blends, RH
410 Blush/Rosé
White Vinifera
501 Chardonnay
502 Chenin Blanc
503 Gewurztraminer
504 Muscat, all types
505 Riesling
506 Sauvignon blanc
507 Varietal Other WV
508 Blends, WV
Red Vinifera
601 Cabernet Franc
602 Cabernet Sauvignon
603 Merlot
604 Syrah
605 Pinot Noir
607 Zinfandel
610 Varietal, Other RV
611 Blends, RV
612 Blush/Rosé
Inter-Specific Blends – American, Hybrid,
Vinifera
701 White
702 Red
703 Blush
704 Grape/Non-Grape Blend
Non Grape Wines
801 Apple/Pear, Varietal or Blends
802 Peach
803 Cherry
804 Raspberry
805 Blackberry
806 Blueberry
807 Fruit, other
808 Fruit, oak aged
809 Fruit blends
810 Honey/Meads
811 Flower/Vegetable, All Other
812 Flavored Table Wines
Dessert
901 Port Style
902 Sherry Style
903 Late Harvest
904 Ice wine/Iced wine
905 Flavored Dessert Wines
Sparkling
1001 Grape, Bottle Fermented, Dry/Semi-Dry
1002 Grape, Bottle Fermented, Sweet
1003 Grape, Bulk Processed, Semi-Dry
1004 Grape, Bulk Processed, Sweet
1005 Non Grape/Grape Blends
1006 Carbonated, Grape and Non Grape
Please fill out, cut out, and tape 1 of the labels below onto each
bottle you are entering.
Wine Class:
Wine Class:
Fruit/variety:
Fruit/variety:
Producer:
Producer:
Wine Class:
Wine Class:
Fruit/variety:
Fruit/variety:
Producer:
Producer:
Wine Class:
Wine Class:
Fruit/variety:
Fruit/variety:
Producer:
Producer:
Wine Class:
Wine Class:
Fruit/variety:
Fruit/variety:
Producer:
Producer:
Wine Class:
Wine Class:
Fruit/variety:
Fruit/variety:
Producer:
Producer:
Please fill out, cut out, and tape 1 of the labels below onto each
bottle you are entering.
Wine Class:
Wine Class:
Fruit/variety:
Fruit/variety:
Producer:
Producer:
Wine Class:
Wine Class:
Fruit/variety:
Fruit/variety:
Producer:
Producer:
Wine Class:
Wine Class:
Fruit/variety:
Fruit/variety:
Producer:
Producer:
Wine Class:
Wine Class:
Fruit/variety:
Fruit/variety:
Producer:
Producer:
Wine Class:
Wine Class:
Fruit/variety:
Fruit/variety:
Producer:
Producer:
Illinois State Fair AMATEUR Wine Competition
Wine Master Entry Form 2015
Wines must be received by June 16, 2015
Winery Name: ___________________________________ Phone: _______________ Fax: ________________
Address 1: ______________________________________ Email: ____________________________________
Address 2: ______________________________________
City: ___________________State: _________ Zip: ______ Number Wine Entries: ____ Fee:($15) Total:______
Entry Example—See Next Page for Actual Entry Form
(use as many forms as necessary)
Submission Amount = one 750 mL bottle or two 375/500 mL bottles.
Fanciful Name = name of wine other than varietal on the bottle.
The class in which you want the wine judged.
Regardless of the wine name, list the fruit that is the greatest
amount.
Check if predominant fruit is > 75%
Lot Number/Class: 601 Predominant Fruit (Varietal): Cabernet Franc
Fruit Source: Illinois:
Kit:
Other: Michigan_______
> 75___<75%___
Vintage:__2012 _____________
Residual Sugar: Dry:__X__ Semi-Dry:
Semi-Sweet:
Fanciful Name: __Sam’s Bootleg Bounty
_________________________________________
The name of the wine on the label if other
than a know varietal name.
Sweet:______Dessert:________
The source from which the
fruit originated.
Perceived sweetness of wine
This entry form is for amateur wineries only.
The entry above is an example of the fields that are needed when supplying a wine for judging. Providing
this information will allow us to flight your wines properly so that the judges can fairly evaluate them.
Omitting or providing incorrect information may reduce your chances of receiving a fair evaluation. For
example, not providing the correct residual sugar may place a wine significantly sweeter than wines on
either side and depending on the class it could materially effect a score. Same applies with appellations
and varietals.
Please print and fill in the entry information on this page of the application and the following forms.
One final piece of advice, the earlier you send your wines the better they will show. Shipping jostles a
wine. So send many and send them early for your best chance to show well in this competition.
Illinois Amateur Wine Competition Entry Forms
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________
Illinois Amateur Wine Competition Entry Forms
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________
Lot Number/Class:
Fruit Type (Varietal):
> 75%____<75%____
Fruit Source Illinois:______Kit:______Other:______________ Vintage:_________________
Residual Sugar: Dry:_____ Semi-Dry:_____ Semi-Sweet:______ Sweet:______Dessert:_____
Fanciful Name: _______________________________________________________________