2019 BRIT Wine Award Blank v4 320 e1525448549131

Come join the competition! The Botanical Research Institute of Texas announces its 2019 sustainable winegrowing competition beginning on May 1 and running through September 30, 2018. Competition applications can be downloaded from BRIT’s web site at www.brit.org/wineaward.

This unique competition, in its ninth year, honours wine organisations that demonstrate a commitment to the three tenets of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social) in winegrowing and winemaking. The competition is based on the continuous improvement of these tenets, plus wine taste.

It is recognised by a growing number of wine organisations such as the International Federation of Wine and Spirits (FIVS), the Italian Wine Union, Winemakers’ Federation of Australia, New Zealand Winegrowers, Wines of South Africa, and the Wine Institute. As such, the competition attracts progressive and passionate wine organisations from around the world.

Past winners have noted that the award serves as a brand differentiator that helps connect the growing environmentally-minded wine buying public with vineyards sharing similar values. The competition application also serves as a metric of the wine organisation’s progress toward its sustainability goals.

The application submission deadline for the competition is September 30, 2018. Winners will be selected and notified in January 2019. Platinum, gold, silver, and bronze-level medals are awarded to top-placing vineyards and wineries.

The competition’s overall winner will be presented with BRIT’s International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing glass sculpture in Fort Worth in April 2019, during a special award presentation and dinner held on the BRIT campus.

The sustainable winegrowing application is comprised of 20 high-level, self-assessment questions focusing on the three tenants of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic aspects, plus a subjective assessment – wine taste. Two bottles of wine are submitted along with the completed application. There is no fee to enter. The application is currently available for download on BRIT’s web site (www.brit.org/wineaward).

International entrants may use their US distributors to forward their wine samples to BRIT or may use BRIT’s consignee, La Cigale Wines of Fort Worth, Texas, to clear shipments and provide COLA Waivers. If wishing to use La Cigale Wines, please contact Edward Proctor, La Cigale Wines, at (817) 923-6747 or email, [email protected] before shipping.

Previous platinum award recipients include: Alexander Valley Vineyards (2018), Yealands Family Wines, (2017), Buzet (2016), LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards (2014), Yalumba (2013), Trefethen Family Vineyards (2012), Parducci Wine Cellars (2011), and HALL Wines (2010).

The 2019 Sustainable Winegrowing application may be downloaded at the BRIT web site, or click here: 2019 International Sustainable Winegrowing Application.

About the Botanical Research Institute of Texas

The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) is a nonprofit, international research and education organisation that collects and safeguards plant specimens, studies and protects living plants, and teaches about the importance of conservation and biodiversity to the world.

BRIT’s scientists and educators work together in achieving the organization’s two-fold mission of conservation and education. Its scientists travel the globe investigating habitats, finding rare and endangered plant species, and documenting biodiversity. BRIT educators create new ways to turn information into knowledge through outdoor discovery, discussion, and experiential learning for both students and teachers.

BRIT’s work impacts our community and the world in several functional areas, including environment, by giving people a local sense of stewardship; society, by training a new generation of thinkers and problem solvers; and conservation, by offering methods for better stewardship of the land.

BRIT is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon. Admission is free. For more information, visit http://www.brit.org.