About
The Los Angeles Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge was established, in conjunction with LA beverage professionals, to highlight the best of the best wine & spirits producers in the world. Our panel of esteemed judges include winemakers, distillers, sommeliers, beverage trade and media.
The mission is to introduce those elite producers to the Southern California market of consumers, one of the largest in the country.
Media Sponsor
2025 Best of the Best Wine
Ledson Winery & Vineyards 2019 Merlot
Reasons to Enter
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the competition take place?
Judging will take place February 18-19, 2026 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.
When is the deadline to enter?
How much does it cost to enter?
How do I submit my entry?
Where do I send my wines?
How many bottles need to be sent per entry?
When will the winners be announced?
Who should I contact if I have more questions?
Official Rules
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Deadline
Early Bird Entry Deadline: January 28th, 2026
Regular Entry Deadline: February 5th, 2026
Delivery Deadline: February 9th, 2026
Judging Dates: February 18th - 19th, 2026 -
Fees
Early Bird Entry Fee: $80 per online entry.
Regular Entry Fee: $90 per online entry.
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Categories
Please review this document for a complete list of all categories. Categories
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Legal
Table, sparkling, fortified, fruit, and specialty wines produced in any wine-producing region of the world that meet the applicable federal legal requirements for sale in the United States are eligible for entry.
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Entries
Entries must be submitted online.
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Advertising Opportunities
For more information about advertising with the Los Angeles Times, please contact Eric Ma, Executive Director, Media and Advertising Sales @ eric.ma@latimes.com or Dustin Erb, Associate, Director Events and Sponsorship @ dustin.erb@latimes.com.
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Entries
An official entry shall consist of four (4) bottles, each bottle no less than 750 ml in volume. For containers larger than 1 liter in volume, an official entry shall consist of two (2) units. An official entry of wines, such as dessert wines, that are bottled only in 375 ml bottles shall consist of six (6) bottles, each no less than 375 ml. If packaged in cans, please send 8 per entry.
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Labels
Any wine that is delivered to the competition without a full and proper label will be disqualified from the judging. Please do not send wines with laboratory, temporary, photocopied, or altered labels. Please specify on the entry form how many gallons of wine were produced. A minimum of 100 gallons is required. This rule is to ensure that wines entered in the competition were produced for purchase by consumers.
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Medals
Please note that Gold and above winners will be receiving medals automatically. Digital awards will be available on the website for all winners to use as they choose for individual award promotion. (websites, social media, advertising, etc.)