Welcome to The IEWA: A fresh + very independent English wine competition.

#IEWA26 Now welcoming entries

Vines with large green leaves growing on a trellis, backlit by the sun, with a partly cloudy sky in the background.

The IEWA is here to discover and lift up the best of English wine.

We’re an independent and consumer-focused wine competition, all about shining light on the best domestic wines and the story behind them.

But it isn’t just about blind tasting wines and awarding medals. We’re here to celebrate innovation, bold ideas, and the people pushing English wine to new heights.

We’re turning up the volume, raising awareness, sparking conversations, and bringing people together over seriously great English wine.

And in November 2025 we held our first ever public tasting event at Averys Wine Cellar in central Bristol. This event will return in 2026…

IEWA Presents Change Your Life Poster 2026

Find Out More

NEXT JUDGING:

16 MAY 2026

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Averys Wine
Merchants

Enter IEWA26

We identify and awarding the best English wines on the market, giving them the attention they deserve.

And through that we can help consumers make informed choices and incredible new wine discoveries.

Possibly the only thing more exciting than finding your new favourite wine, is learning that it’s from just down the road…

independent

adjective; not influenced or controlled by others

IEWA Judges have included Liam Steevenson MW, Susy Atkins, Fiona Beckett, Lee Isaacs, Holly Plumeridge, Ben Franks and more.

Man tasting a glass of whiskey in a bar setting with bottles in the background.

A person pouring a sparkling wine into a glass, with a label attached to the bottle that reads '007'. A glass of water is on the table next to the wine glass.

Two women sitting at a wooden table in a restaurant, smiling and toasting with glasses of white wine.

People socializing at a bar or restaurant, holding wine glasses, with a woman drinking from a glass, and a man in a dark blue shirt pouring a drink.

A man in a red shirt sits at a wooden table holding a glass of white wine, with a laptop and a smartphone on the table, in a cozy setting with a brick wall background and string lights.

Person opening a champagne bottle held with a black protective sleeve.

A woman with curly blonde hair, wearing glasses and a black sweater, is sitting at a table and drinking from a wine glass in a cozy, dimly lit setting with candles and a stone wall in the background.

People sitting at a wooden table in a dimly lit, rustic restaurant or wine bar with brick arches, drinking wine, surrounded by warm lighting and chandeliers.

People sitting around a table in a rustic restaurant or bar, tasting different bottles of wine, with a laptop and a glass of wine on the table. There are string lights hanging from the ceiling and a brick wall in the background.

A man with a bald head and plaid shirt tasting white wine with a wine glass at a restaurant or bar.

Two women sitting at a table in a restaurant, both holding wine glasses, with one woman drinking from her glass and the other looking at her drink, against a brick wall background.

Multiple bottles wrapped in black cloth with question marks and tags with numbers hanging from their necks, set against a brick wall background.

A man with brown hair and a beard is talking to a woman with brown hair, both holding mugs, in a warmly lit, rustic setting with brick walls and string lights.

Bottles wrapped in black fabric with question marks and small tags, lined up on a wooden surface.

A woman in a red dress holding a glass of white wine in a dimly lit setting with string lights and a brick wall in the background.

This year’s IEWA26 is our tenth competition, and once again our panel of brilliant judges will evaluate each entry blind and assess against quality world wine standards - not just as an English wine, to determine the winners across key categories. You can check out the many vineyards and producers who’ve chosen to be part of this groundbreaking wine competition on our results page here.

Find out more

Black and white photo of Alex Taylor, wearing a cap and holding a glass.

Alex Taylor Founder, IEWA

“English wine has a huge opportunity in 2026. Our locally crafted wines enjoy more interest and sales than ever before, but their quality, diversity and thrilling potential put the movement on an even more exciting path.

The IEWA is an indie voice, committed to helping add volume, value and independent spirit to the conversation. After all, English wine is worth shouting about”

We’re very social. Follow us at @the.IEWA