Judging System & Forms

The Judging System

All competition entries are evaluated by members of the BC Guild of Wine Judges (BCGWJ) — trained volunteer judges who have completed a formal certification course. Judging uses a standardised 20-point evaluation scale covering appearance, aroma, taste, and overall impression.

Wines, beers, and ciders are judged blind — judges do not know the entrant’s name or club. Each entry receives written feedback from the judging panel, which is returned to the entrant after the competition.

Scoring System

Score Range	Medal
17.0 – 20.0	? Gold
14.0 – 16.9	? Silver
11.0 – 13.9	? Bronze
Below 11.0	No award

The highest-scoring gold medal entry in each class receives a Best in Class designation. The highest-scoring entry across all classes receives Best in Show. The entrant accumulating the most points overall is named Grand Champion Winemaker.

Wine Judging Forms & References

Wine Evaluation Sheet (rev. 9)

The official 20-point wine evaluation form used by judges at BCAWA competitions.

PDF 138.8 KB

Judges Comment Sheet (blank)

Blank judge comment sheet for recording tasting notes and scores.

PDF 196.3 KB

BCGWJ Wine Tasting Guide

Comprehensive tasting guide used in BC Guild of Wine Judges training and competitions.

PDF 473.4 KB

Wine Color Spectrum & Aroma Wheel

Reference chart for wine colour ranges and the full aroma wheel used in evaluation.

PDF 450.0 KB

Wine Judging Sheet

Supplementary wine judging evaluation sheet.

PDF 56.2 KB

Beer & Cider Judging Forms

Beer Judge Form

Official evaluation form for all beer classes at BCAWA competitions.

PDF 20.5 KB

Cider & Sparkling Judge Form

Official evaluation form for sparkling cider and sparkling wine classes.

PDF 19.4 KB

Administrative Forms

Statistician's Data Sheets

Score compilation sheets used by the competition statistician to tally results.

PDF 117.4 KB

Become a Wine Judge

The BC Guild of Wine Judges runs certification courses across three chapters — Vancouver, Victoria, and Nanaimo. Sessions run from September through June with approximately 10 training evenings per year.

Wine Judge Certification Course Summary 2024

Overview of the BCGWJ judge certification process, curriculum, and chapter contacts.

PDF 95.9 KB

BC Guild of Wine Judges

Learn more about judge training, chapters, and upcoming sessions.

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