WELCOME TO HARPERS WINE STARS

By buyers, for buyers.

The only tasting competition to engage directly with buyers and consider your wines based on their full offering.

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?


⭐ We are solely dedicated to the trade

⭐ We focus fully on your country and its diverse regions

⭐ We review your wines based on taste, value and design – essential components that all buyers consider

⭐ All our judges are current UK buyers with purchasing power

⭐ We have the ability to offer unrivalled trade media exposure with significant additional trade activities to help promote your results

STATING THE OBVIOUS


Why judge taste, value and design?  Judges make their purchasing decisions based on the whole product offering and the judging format of Harpers Wine Stars is designed specifically to reflect that.


This is why Harpers Wine Stars stands out as the most practical tasting competition out there and truly reflects how UK wine buyers buy.

MEET OUR BUYERS

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WHY YOU SHOULD ENTER

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HOW WINE STARS WORKS

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I wouldn't really compare it to other tastings I've been to as they aren't comparable.

Mike Harrington Operations Director Bar Works

I love this concept, we’re opening up the industry to the front line and have a chance of bringing customer feedback closer to the supplier.

Riaz Syed Director Stonewines

I like the process of moving from blind, to value, to presentation... I did taste a couple of wines that we are going to follow up on for a potential listing.

Ian Cumming Commercial Director Inverarity Morton

I really like tasting blind before knowing the cost.

Peter Horton Group Food & Beverage Director Bourne Capital

I believe it's the only judging panel that takes the commercial aspect into account with the right mix of buyers from all backgrounds.

Collette Whittington-Bower Wine Director Hills Prospect

Taste

Could you even begin to score a wine without any consideration of taste? It is simply unheard of – and for obvious reasons. We chose to conduct tasting blind to ensure that a level playing field exists for all entries and that no other attribute of a wine impacts its tasting score. In a world where consumers are continuously expanding their knowledge, there is an ever-growing demand for quality in each and every bottle. The taste is paramount to ensure that repeat consumer purchase.

Value

An increasingly competitive and global world means that wineries must ensure what’s in the bottle is worth the money.  It also needs to hit the sweet price points within the target market it is aimed at – whether that be a supermarket shelf or a Michelin starred restaurant. Frontline buyers have a duty to offer their customers great value wines at multiple price points and this is what our judges are looking for in the Harpers Wine Stars value round.

Design

With ever-greater choice for consumers, bottle and label design and a clear back label have never been more important. It is therefore vital to recognise not only the effort that has been put into the wine itself, but the messages, design and choice of packaging used to convey this to consumers. Whether the design is an incredible example of innovation or an impressive classical design, the key is giving the drinker the right visual cues and back-label information to choose the wine that suits them, and the occasion. 

NEWS

COVID-19 Update
COVID-19 Update

In response to the global COVID–19 outbreak, the Harpers Wine Stars team has been working hard behind the scenes to ensure that we successfully deliver the competition in the best way possible for our entrants this year.

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