Recently some classes have been revamped to better reflect stylistic differences or subtleties and to allow those wines to be judged more fairly. It’s why vintage has not been specified; instead, the weight of the wine, its texture, body, acid, tannin and fruit balance, its overall balance are deemed more important than vintage alone. So please consider the descriptions carefully when entering your wine. If you are unsure which class your wine should be entered, please email info@aavws.com for more information.
White
Minimum 25 dozen
1A Viognier lighter bodied, fresh and aromatic
1B Viognier fuller bodied, textural, luscious
2 White Rhone varieties such as marsanne or roussanne but NOT viognier
3 White Rhone dominant blends varieties such as marsanne, roussanne, clairette or viognier
4 Arneis
5 Savagnin
6A Vermentino crisp, fresh, dry
6B Vermentino fuller-bodied, textural, luscious
7A Fiano young, fresh, aromatic
7B Fiano fuller-bodied, textural, luscious
8 Gewürztraminer
9 Grüner Veltliner
10 Petit Manseng
11 Albarino
12A Other white aromatic light to medium-bodied varieties and blends varieties might include, but not limited to, albarino, bianco d’Alessano, friulano, garganega, greco, müller-Thurgau, orange muscat, pinot blanc, sylvaner, verdejo or verdicchio, and blends might include varieties listed in other classes.
12B Other white fuller bodied varieties and blends varieties might include, but not limited to, schönburger or verduzzo and blends might include varieties listed in other classes.
13 Skin-fermented white these wines have extended skin contact post-fermentation often for several weeks or many months. A wine entered in this class cannot be entered into another white varietal or blend class.
14 Prosecco
15 Sparkling white
*Please note most wine made into a frizzante, sweet and low alcohol drink, commonly known as moscato or a moscato-style, are INELIGIBLE. Moscato must be made from a muscat variety and most are NOT alternative varieties in Australia due to extensive plantings and subsequent volumes. Those varieties include muscat gordo blanco also known as muscat of Alexandria, or muscat à petits grains with the words red, white or brown attached, or frontignac. However a wine that is made from an alternative muscat variety, for example moscato giallo, that is sweet and slightly sparkling would be permitted but should be entered into Class 35.
Red
Minimum 25 dozen
16A Sangiovese youthful, fresh, juicy: perhaps fruit driven or savoury, little or no new oak, medium-bodied, vibrant and generally made to be enjoyed as a young wine.
16B Sangiovese more structured: generally fuller bodied and fleshier, maybe distinctly savoury yet still fresh, perhaps some new oak and yet still fresh and might include wines with some bottle aged complexity.
16C Sangiovese dominant blends minimum 51% sangiovese
17 Nebbiolo
18 Barbera
19A Tempranillo youthful, fresh, juicy: perhaps fruit driven or savoury, little or no new oak, medium-bodied, vibrant and generally made to be enjoyed as a young wine.
19B Tempranillo more structured: generally fuller bodied and fleshier, maybe distinctly savoury yet still fresh, perhaps with some new oak yet still fresh and might include wines with some bottle aged complexity.
19C Tempranillo dominant blendsminimum 51% tempranillo
20 Petit Verdot
21 Durif
22 Primitivo/zinfandel
23 Lagrein
24 Mataro/mourvedre/monastrell
25 Malbec
26 Sagrantino
27 Saperavi
28 Aglianico
29 Montepulciano
30 Graciano
31 Nero d’Avola
32A Other red Iberian varieties and blends varieties might include, but not limited to, mencia, sousão, tinta cão or touriga nacional. Blend should be made up of 85% Iberian varieties, otherwise enter the wine in 32C or 32D.
32B Other red Italian varieties and blends varieties might include, but not limited to, dolcetto, teroldego, marzemino, negroamaro or refosco. Blend should be made up of 85% Italian varieties, otherwise enter the wine in 32C or 32D.
32C Other red medium-bodied varieties and blends varieties might include, but not limited to, blaufrankisch, cabernet franc, chambourcin carmenere, cinsault, gamay, pinotage, St Laurent or tarrango and blends might include varieties listed in other classes.
32D Other red full-bodied varieties and blends varieties might include, but not limited to, alicante bouschet, Saint Macaire or tannat, and blends might include varieties listed in other classes.
33 Rosé
34 Sparkling red
Other
35 Sweet style wines
Styles might include late harvest, botrytis, ice-wine, partial drying or appassimento-style and cane-cut but NOT fortifieds, which have their own class (see Class 36 and Class 37). Varieties might include, but not limited to, hárslevelü, malvasia Istriana, orange muscat, picolit, trebbiano and viognier.
*Please note most wine made into a frizzante, sweet and low alcohol drink, commonly known as moscato or a moscato-style, are INELIGIBLE. Moscato must be made from a muscat variety and most are NOT alternative varieties in Australia due to extensive plantings and subsequent volumes. Those ineligible varieties include muscat gordo blanco also known as muscat of Alexandria, or muscat à petits grains with the words red, white or brown attached, or frontignac. However a wine that is made from an alternative muscat variety, for example moscato giallo, that is sweet and slightly sparkling would be permitted in this class.36 Fortifieds styles and varieties might include, but not limited to, pedro ximenez, touriga or vintage and vermouth-styles. Please enter apera in Class 37
37 Apera traditionally made from palomino grapes styles include dry, medium-dry and medium-sweet.
