Welcome to Wine Enthusiast Importer Connection!
Matching Producers and Importers Just Got Easier
Wine Enthusiast Importer Connection聽is Wine Enthusiast’s new business-to-business portal. Wine Enthusiast is the leading authority on wine, offering expert ratings and reviews of producers’ wines. Importer Connection is the only service of its kind that connects producers and importers. Importer Connection will facilitate commerce by sending monthly emails with the most recent ratings and reviews to importers, distributors, wine shops and restaurants. Ratings and reviews will also be available in a searchable database.
Wine Producers not currently represented in the Unites States are invited to聽submit wines for review by our dedicated Importer Connection tasting experts. Wines receiving a rating of 80 points or higher on our 100-point scale will be listed with the producer’s contact information.
To learn more about the program, contact Jen Cortellini, Manager, Special Projects and Events, Project Manager Importer Connection.
Importers and Distributors are invited to sign up for the monthly newsletter or view ratings and reviews of the wines online, including contact information for each producer, below:
How to Submit:
About Wine Enthusiast Importer Connection
Wine Enthusiast Importer Connection is a program designed to make the connection between importers and producers whose wines are not currently represented in the United States easier. Producers who are not currently represented in the United States are welcome to submit their products for a fee to be reviewed by expert tasters at our office in Mt. Kisco, NY.
Each review contains a score, the full name of the product, its suggested price tier as reflected by a price scale of one to four dollar signs ($-$$$$), its abv as reported to us by the submitter and a tasting note. If price or alcohol content cannot be confirmed, NA (not available) will be printed. Prices are for 750-ml bottles unless otherwise indicated.
Detailed contact information for producers will be available in the searchable Importer Connection database at icguide.www.winemag.com along with their wine rating and review (provided their wine received a score of 80 points or higher). Importers who are interested in the wine are welcome to contact the producers for more information and discuss potential business relationships.
Tasting Methodology and Goals
All tastings are performed blind. Typically, products are tasted in peer-group flights of from 4-8 samples. Pricing tier is not a factor in assigning scores. When possible, products considered flawed or uncustomary are retasted.
About the Scores
Ratings reflect what our reviewers felt about a particular product. Beyond the rating, we encourage you to read the accompanying tasting note to learn about a product鈥檚 special characteristics.
Classic 98-100: The pinnacle of quality.
Superb 94-97: A great achievement.
Excellent 90-93: Highly recommended.
Very Good 87-89: Often good value; well recommended.
Good 83-86: Suitable for everyday consumption; often good value.
Acceptable 80-82: Can be employed in casual, less-critical circumstances.
Products deemed Unacceptable (receiving a rating below 80 points) are not reviewed and will not appear in our searchable database.
Submitting Products for Review
Producers who are completely devoid of U.S. representation (excluding Puerto Rico) may submit products for review. Products submitted by producers that have any current U.S. representation will be deemed ineligible for tasting, and the submission fee will not be reimbursed. Products reviewed in the Importer Connection program are not eligible for review in Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Barrel samples are not eligible for review; only final/finished wines are eligible for submission. Prior to shipping wines for review, all submitters must complete an online application for participation at icguide.www.winemag.com.
There is a $370 charge per wine for submitting products. In addition to the $370 entry fee, producers will be responsible for any international shipping costs, import taxes, and US customs filing and handling fees incurred, which will be billed separately by our partner, The American Spirits Exchange Ltd.
Once cleared and received, all products will be reviewed and published in a monthly newsletter as well as online in the searchable Importer Connection review database. Submissions received without authorization and a completed online application will not be reviewed. Additional inquiries should be addressed to IC@wineenthusiast.net.
Find all Importer Connection reviews on our fully searchable database