Rules:

• Entries will be accepted in the Carter House Sunday, July 17 from 3-5:00 p.m. and on Monday, July 18 from 8-11:00 a.m. Judging will be at noon on July 18. Awards can be viewed at 5:00 p.m. Monday through the rest of the fair. Only authorized judges and competition assistants will be permitted in the judging area while the judges are working.

• This is an amateur wine competition only, open to Franklin and surrounding counties. No commercial wines will be accepted. Winemakers may not use the facilities, equipment or products of a commercial winery other than juice containing only sulfite or grapes. No wines will be accepted from the judges or family members.

• Winemakers should bring 2 bottles for each entry - one for judging, one for display

• All wines will be judged according to their merits within their class, and first place winners in each class will be eligible for Best of Show and Best of Franklin County Grown awards, which will be awarded a rosette. The Best of Show winner is the wine that is judged superior to all others in the competition. The Best of Show award and Best of Franklin County Grown award may be given to the same wine, if all criteria are met and the judges agree that only one wine deserves both awards.

• It is important that the winemaker enter their wine in the best possible category, using 2% residual sugar as general threshold guideline for "sweet" or "dry." The primary grapes, fruit or type of concentrate must be identified on the winemaker‘s own label of the bottles submitted for judging. This label could be as simple as a piece of tape or envelope label as labels will not be judged. If the wine is a blend, for example, "Elderberry/Niagra," this needs to be stated on the label on the bottle and on the submission form. The vintage of the grapes, fruit or other will also need to be identified on the label and on the entry form.

• If the winemaker grew their own grapes, fruit or other in Franklin or surrounding counties, this needs to be indicated on the submission form during entry.

• Wines will be judged on a standard 20-point scale. No points will be awarded for labels; the wines will be tasted "blind" and judges will not see any part of the bottle.

Clarity and Color - 3 points

Aroma and Bouquet - 6 points

Taste - 6 points

Aftertaste - 3 points

Overall Impression - 2 points

• Judges notes and helpful comments will be photocopied and returned to the winemaker.

• All wines must have been processed, produced and bottled by the entrant. Wines must be free of artificial color, but flavor (for example, spice or mint) will be allowed if it is noted on the entry form in the correct place.

• Wine must be contained and sealed with new cork closures. All size bottles will be accepted. Leftover wine will be dumped shortly after the official judging ends.

• Entries will be judged by at least one panel of 5 Certified and Qualified Wine Judges, and any wine

can be disqualified at the judge‘s discretion.