Shows and Competitions

Our own Show

We have our own yearly wine-making show every year in November. Should you be interested in entering, contact the Show Secretary. This year it is on the 14th November.

There are 13 classes of wine for you to fit your wines into. Entry is free, with no more than one bottle per class per entrant, but you can enter as many classes as you wish! Bottles must be brought to the Thames Room at Liston Hall between 1:45 pm and 2:15 pm. They may be collected at 4:30 pm..

1. All wines must have been produced solely by the exhibitor by the normal process of fermentation except in classes 7 and 8, which may be fortified by the addition of alcohol.
2. Wine entries must be shown in clear white punted wine bottles of 75 cl capacity, with the exception of classes 7 and 8 where half bottles 37.5 cl will be accepted, and fitted with white flanged stoppers. Bottles must be filled so that the distance between the base of the cork and the level of the wine is between half and three-quarters of an inch.
3. In Class 8 the style must be named - e.g. Fruit, Herb, Coffee.
4. All entries must have a white label size 25mm by 50 mm, rounded corners permitted, the lower edge of which must be fixed one inch from the bottom of the bottle. The label must show the class number. The Competitors number will be added when the entries are received on the day of the competition.
5. In the event of six entries or less in any class , the judge may reduce the number of awards at his, or her, discretion.
6. Whilst every care will be taken, no responsibility can be accepted for any damage, or loss, however sustained.
7. The concentrate class (9 ) must be made solely from grape and/or other fruit concentrates as the ingredients to be fermented. Sugar, oak, yeast, nutrients and necessary fining and stabilizing agents are permitted.
8. Please see rules of the National Association of Wine and Beer Judges for any points not covered by the above.
9. Entry forms may be obtained from the Show Secretary, and must be received not less than 24 hours before the Competition starts.

 The Chairman's Recipe is given below...

Chairman's Recipe    

Add the minced sultanas and marmalade pulp to a bucket or other large vessel such as a stainless steel saucepan with a well fitting lid. Add 2 pints of boiled, cooled water, 1 crushed campden tablet and the pectolase made to slurry with some of the liquid. Stir well.
Leave for 24 hours.
Add the yeast nutrient and made up yeast starter, and leave to ferment on the pulp for 5 days.
Strain into demi-john using the muslin provided – using a large funnel with your muslin helps this procedure. Add the 2 litres of grape juice.
Ferment for another 5 days then add the rest of the sugar in 3 near equal lots blending it with a little of the wine to dissolve it every 5 days until used up.
 Top right up to the top of the demi-john with cooled, boiled water leaving very little air gap. Seal with a piece of plastic freezer bag secured with an elastic band and ferment out to dryness.
Rack off the yeast into another demi-john and fine using standard techniques. Rack again.
Dissolve the sugar in some of the wine – sweetening to SG 1020. 
Add 1 crushed campden tablet, then add the potassium sorbate dissolved in some of the wine, the mixture should be swished gently round once daily for 2-3 days before bottling.
This wine, with about 14% - 15% alcohol, should be ready for drinking after 6 months, but mellows if left longer.
 
Your muslin can be washed gently using no detergent ( please keep ). You will need to sterilize all your utensils before use.

The 'National'

The "National" is held by the ‘National Association of Wine and Beermakers’, or NAWB, and is the world’s premier Annual Show for wine-makers. It is normally held at the end of March or early April. It is a two-day show with the AGM and Conference held on the same weekend. Click here to view the details of the show.

The 51st National Wine Show and Dance takes place on 20th - 22nd of March, 2009, at Scarborough.

Downley Festival Show

Several of our members compete regularly in the annual Downley Festival. The Downley Festival Show takes place at Downley in May, and if you want to compete contact the Show Secretary.

Entry classes include wines and beers, and you can also enter a cake baked to a given recipe.