Leading experts announced for judging panel of IWSC Low & No Awards

While there are some members of our IWSC judging panel who may have referred to the burgeoning low and no category as filled with imposters, thankfully, when it comes to judging the results for our upcoming competition, our Low & No judges are rather more appreciative!

The IWSC’s Low & No Awards is one of our newest categories and the 2021 tasting looks to be our biggest yet. This is hardly surprising given the explosion in the industry. Consumer interest in the low and no category has been gaining pace over recent years, particularly as a result of the wellness movement, and as such is currently worth £94m with expectations to grow a further 34% by 2024.

With consumers demanding better low and no options in both the on- and off-trade, members of the industry have been quick to adapt in order to provide support to businesses. One of these individuals is Christine Parkinson, founder of Brimful Drinks, and member of the IWSC’s Judging Committee.  Christine’s mission is to provide businesses with drinks that taste good, look good and feel good. She has a wealth of experience within the trade, including 18 years at Hakkasan, where she was the company’s Group Head of Wine.



Pioneer in the mindful drinking movement, Laura Willoughby MBE is the second judge to be announced for this year’s awards. Laura is the founder of Club Soda and has made it her mission to create a world where nobody feels out of place not drinking. She is also responsible for the UK's only Mindful Drinking Festival.⁠⁠

The third of our judging panel to be announced is Camille Vidal, founder of the mindful drinking brand and creative consultancy La Maison Wellness. Camille is a self-proclaimed healthy hedonist and with experience as bartender and drinks expert turned yoga teacher and mindfulness and meditation expert, she wants to share her experience to help consumers drink well and live well.

Harry Crowther is the most recently annouced addition to our Low & No judging panel. Harry is the founder of Grain to Grape a consultancy business he founded in 2018 to share engaging wine education for colleagues in the hospitality industry. It’s Harry’s mission to ensure his training is relevant and engaging. Steering clear of the more traditional and romantic approach to wine education, Harry is honest about the fact his style of training is unashamedly commercial. Harry has years of experience in the wine industry, from wine making to selling, across the Northern and SouthernHemispheres. He is knowledgable, passionate and experienced and knows what sells. 

Further judges will be announced soon, however with such a stellar line up of judges, we are already looking forward to sharing the results.

Judging will take place between 4 – 8 October and we will share the results on Friday 15 October.

The deadline for entries is Wednesday 15 September.

To enter register here

NEW Low & No categories:

• Dealcoholised wine
• Dealcoholised wine blends
• Wine Alternatives
• Spirit
• Aperitif/Vermouth
• Liqueurs
• New Blends spirit
• Kombucha
• Other ferments
• Ready to Drink
• Adult Sodas
• Shrub & drinking vinegar
• Switchel
• Syrups
• Cordials
• Other blends
• Concentrated Spirits
• Functional & wellness drinks