REGULATIONS
for the 2026 Australian Inland Wine Show
1. No wine is to be entered more than once in the show.
2. There is no limit to the number of entries per class.
3. An entry fee of $45.00 per entry is payable prior to the commencement of judging. The Australian Inland Wine Show committee reserves the right to remove entries from the show if the fees have not been paid by this date.
4. Entry fees are non refundable.
5. Each entry will consist of four 750ml bottles or six 375ml bottles (Exhibitors please note Trophy and Gold medal award winners will be requested to supply additional bottles for the public tasting we hold at the Swan Hill Food and Wine Festival the following year). Please note that non commercial entrants to supply a minimum of 2 bottles per entry.
6. The Chief Steward reserves the right to transfer entries between classes if he considers they are incorrectly entered in a class. The exhibitor will be advised accordingly if this happens.
7. Upon receipt of entry forms and within seven days, Australian Inland Wine Show labels will be forwarded to exhibitors for each wine entered. Labels must be checked and correctly attached to all entries before sending them to the address shown in the official entry catalogue. Please avoid obscuring your commercial label where possible.
8. All labelled entries must be received no later than 25 September 2026 and all freight costs paid for by the exhibitor. A copy of the entry form must be included with the consignment and attached to the outside of the carton.
9. The Australian Inland Wine Show reserves the right to audit any entry for non compliance with the Regulations applicable to the show. LIP’s may be requested at random for any wine.
10. All decisions of the Australian Inland Wine Show committee are final.
11. All wines will be judged out of 100 points. Entries that are fully dressed and commercially available at the time of judging will be eligible for medals and trophies as follows:-
Gold medal 95 to 100 points
Silver medal 90 to 94 points
Bronze medal 85 to 89 points
12. Gold Medal winning wines are only eligible for Trophies.
13. Wines that are not fully dressed and not commercially available at the time of judging plus tank and barrel samples will be eligible for commendations only, as follows:-
Very highly commended 95 to 100 points
Highly commended 90 to 94 points
Commended 85 to 89 points
14. For the purpose of determining the most successful exhibitor of the show only medal winning wines will be taken into consideration. Points will be given for each medal awarded and tallied to determine the winner. Points scored will be as follows:-
Silver medals 3 points
Bronze medals 1 point
15. All wines entered in the 2026 Australian Inland Wine Show must comply with Wine Australia LIP regulations regarding GI region and variety. 85% of grapes sourced for the wine entry must be from the GI regions included in the Australian Inland Wine Show except for classes 160, 161 and 200 (see regulations 19 and 20 below) and classes 124, 125, 126 and 127 which can be a minimum of 51% and are only eligible for the Best Large Volume Trophy and Chief Judge’s Award). These regions are Murray Darling, Perricoota, Riverina, Riverland and Swan Hill. Details of these regions can be viewed on our website here.
16. In addition to all other regulations, entries in classes 100 and 101 (Organic and Biodynamic wines) must be appropriately certifiable as organic or biodynamic by the relevant bodies governing this type of wine & food production. The Australian Inland Wine Show committee reserves the right to request certification to confirm eligibility.
17. All Exhibits shall conform to the respective Act of the States and Commonwealth of Australia which govern the production and sale of Australian Wine and Australian Brandy, i.e. the Customs and Excise Act and Regulations, the Spirit Act and Regulations, the Health Act and Regulations.
18. It is a prerequisite of entry that exhibitors also agree to comply with the Australian Grape and Wine Codes and Guidelines relating to the display of awards. Copies of the Code of Practice are available from the Australian Grape and Wine Inc website https://www.agw.org.au/about-australian-grape-and-wine/codes-guidelines/
OPEN CLASS
19. Entries in the OPEN Class can be made from 100% grapes sourced outside of the regions of Murray Darling, Perricoota, Riverina, Riverland and Swan Hill but must be made by a winery that is located within the GI’s covered by the Show. This Class is now eligible for the Open Class trophy and still eligible to be medalled and pointed. When entering you will need to check the box declaring that the entry is made by a winery within one of the 5 regions, failure to do so may cause the entry to be disqualified.
THE AUSTRALIAN SPRITZ CLASS
20. Entries in the Australian Spritz Class are open to all wineries Australia-wide and are not restricted by standard GI zones or Open Class requirements. While entries in this class are eligible for medals and its own specific Australian Spritz Class Trophy, they remain ineligible for any other trophy within the Wine Show. Required quantities per entry must comply with Regulation 5 (four 750ml bottles, six 375ml bottles, or eight 250ml bottles/cans). Exhibitors please note that Trophy and Gold Medal winners will be requested to supply additional stock for the public tasting held at the Swan Hill Food and Wine Festival the following year.
ENTRIES CLOSE 14 September 2026
Entry Fees $45 for all Commercial entries
Entry Fees $20 for Amateur entries
Wine is to be delivered no later than 25 September 2026