Eligibility
Wines that are currently, or are soon to be, distributed by a licensed wholesale distributor. Wines may only be entered by a winery or its representatives, domestic or international.
Contact Us
Roger Leighton, Coordinator
Sarah Candelaria, Agriculture, Education, & Arts Department
Office (858) 792-4207 - Mon–Fri 10:00am – 4:00pm
Entry Information
All entries must be completed through the Enofile Portal.
Early Bird: $65 per entry
Regular Entry Fee: $90 per entry
There is no limit to the number of entries per producer. No single wine may be entered in more than one (1) class.
Entry fees are payable online, via credit card, and are not refundable.
Delivery
Entries may be delivered or shipped to the Fairgrounds. Each entry shall consist of one of the following:
- Four (4) 750 ml, 375 ml, or 500 ml bottles
- Two (2) 1.5-liter bottles
- Four (4) cans or “alternative packages”
- Two (2) 3-liter or larger boxes
Delivery: A copy of the drop-off map will be emailed to exhibitors prior to the day of delivery.
Shipping: Shipped entries must arrive at the San Diego County Fair Entry office by Thursday, February 13. The Fair is not responsible for lost or delayed shipments.
Ship to:
San Diego County Fair
Ag & Ed Department • Toast of the Coast
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.
Del Mar, CA 92014
Judging & Awards
All judging will be blind and held in a closed session. Entries will be chilled prior to judging as appropriate. Judges and/or coordinators may reassign an entry to a more appropriate division or class as needed or combine divisions or classes to create an adequate judging pool. The decisions of the judges are final. The Danish system of judging will be used, and awards will be made on a merit basis where wines are ranked against an industry standard. Double Gold, Gold, and Silver Awards will be awarded as merited in each class.
Results will be posted on the San Diego County Fair’s website during the second week of March.
Only Double Gold, Gold, Silver, Best of Class, and Toast of the Coast Special Award-winning wines will be published. Select Double Gold and Gold Award winning wines will be offered the opportunity to have their wines purchased by the San Diego County Fair to be featured at the fair’s Wine Experience Bar.
Standard Awards
Double Gold: Finest wines, scoring 94 points or higher on a 100-point scale, as agreed on unanimously by the assigned judging panel.
Gold: Wines that show exceptional complexity and depth of aroma, flavor, and finish receiving a score between 90 and 93 points or higher on a 100-point scale.
Silver: Wines displaying character beyond the norm, reflecting balance and typical qualities of that class and price point; a drinkable wine without obvious flaws.
Best of Class: Selected from all Double Gold and Gold Award winners in each class; top winners advance to Toast of the Coast Award consideration.
Special Awards
Toast of San Diego: The top wine from all Best of Class and Double Gold wines that are produced by wineries located within San Diego County.
Toast of Affordable Elegance: Highlights a Best of Class and/or Double Gold wine that combines sophistication with affordability.
Toast of the Coast: A celebratory award that recognizes the competition’s top wine of all Best of Class Award Winners.
DIVISIONS & CLASSES