Blue Ribbon Wine Selection Registration

Calling All Texas Wines

To celebrate Texas agriculture, the State Fair of Texas started the annual Blue Ribbon Selection Wine Competition in 2018. Twelve Texas wines selected to be part of this program will be showcased in a dedicated tasting window throughout the 24 days of the Fair.

The concession operator for the State Fair Wine Garden will purchase needed inventory to execute paid daily tastings from the selected wineries at standard wholesale pricing. The concessions staff will execute the pouring program for the dedicated “Blue Ribbon” window.  Wines will be sold in 1 fluid ounce samples, by the glass and by the bottle within the State Fair Wine Garden.

While wineries are not responsible for staffing the window, they are always welcome to come out to the Fair and engage with fans.

About the Competition

  • A blind panel of judges will select 12 wines to be featured as part of the GO TEXAN Blue Ribbon Selection. The 12 wines will represent three categories – Red Wines, White Wines and Rose’ Wines. Five Reds, four Whites and three Rose’ will be selected each year.
  • Online registration for the Blue Ribbon Selection will open on March 25, 2019. Wineries can submit registration through May 24, 2019.
  • State Fair must receive submitted bottles of wines by May 31, 2019 to be eligible for the judging.
  • Judging will take place the second week of June 2019 and selection will be publicly announced in late June.
  • Wineries can submit up to five entries per year (in total) in any of the three categories.
  • Wineries must submit four bottles of each submitted wine for judging.
  • Wines submitted must be Texas wine with 75% of the grapes used to produce the wine are from Texas.

For questions about the Blue Ribbon Selection, contact Melanie Linnear, Vice President Food Service. Email MLinnear@BigTex.com or call 214-421-8712.