Here is a comprehensive list of the most important spirits and wine trade events and tasting competitions for 2013 in (sort of) chronological order.
Events:
Spirits of the Americas
Florida, entry deadline Jan. 18, 2013
IWSC purchased Whiskies of the World Show (formerly in SF) and Spirits of Mexico (formerly in San Diego and NY)
Vinitaly Tour: USA
Jan 28, 2013, NY, Jan. 30, 2013 Miami
Fancy Food Show
Winter show: San Francisco, Jan 20-22, 2013, San Francisco
Summer show Washington DC, June 30-July 2, 2013.
Boston Wine Expo
Feb. 16-17, 2013, Boston, MA
South Beach Wine and Food Festival (SWS)
Feb. 21-24, 2013, Miami, FL
Miami Wine and Spirits Expo
Feb. 21-24, 2013, Miami, FL
NY Wine Expo
Mar. 1-3, 2013 at the Jacob Javits center, New York. Fr/Sat consumer, Sun. trade only
ProWein
March 24-26, 2013, Dusseldorf, Germany
Nightclub & Bar Show:
Las Vegas, March 19-21, 2013
VinItaly
April 7-10, 2013, Verona Italy
Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) and US Beverage Alcohol Forum
April 28-30, 2013 Orlando, FL
American Craft Distilling Conference
April 1-4, 2013, Denver, CO
NRA (National Restaurant Association)
May 5-8, 2013, Chicago
http://www.restaurant.org/show/Manhattan Cocktail Classic:
May 17-21, 2013 in New York.
London International Wine Fair
May 20-22, 2013, London Excel Center
Vinexpo
June 16-20, 2013, Bordeaux
Aspen Food and Wine Classic
June 14-16, 2013, Aspen, CO
North American Wine Bloggers Conference
June. 6-8, 2013 Penticton, BC
Tales of the Cocktail:
Ap. 28-30, 2013, Buenos Aires
San Diego Spirits Festival
Aug. 24-25, 2013, San Diego, CA
New York World Wine and Spirits Competition
2013 TBD
Indy Spirits Expo
2013 TBD
FHC/Wine and Spirits China
Nov.13-15, 2013, Shanghai
Wine Riot US Tour
Consumer event targeting Millennials
Boston Ap. 5,6 and Oct. 25, 26; Chicago May 3,4;San Francisco Jun 7,8; New York Sept. 20,21; DC TBD, LA Nov. 9.
Digital Wine Communications Conference (formerly European Wine Bloggers Conference
2013 TBD, usually in autumn
2013 Holiday Buying Show
Sept 9/10, 2013, NY
Tasting Competitions and Awards
San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Entries due Mar 1, 2013
San Francisco Wine Competition
Entries due May 24, 2013
Ultimate Beverage Challenge:
Ultimate Spirit Challenge
Mar 11-15, 2013
Ultimate Wine Challenge
June 3-7, 2013
Decanter Asia Awards
2013 TBD
Decanter World Wine Awards
Entry deadline Mar. 1 2013
Beverage Testing Institute:
BTI conducts a series of tastings of both wine and spirits by category throughout the year. They also run a value wine competition and packaging competitions for spirits and wine. Rum category deadline May 1, 2012
IWSC (International Wine and Spirits Competition)
Multiple competitions and deadlines by region
International Spirits Challenge:
Put on by Drinks International Magazine. Entry deadlines vary by category
Spirit Masters
Run by Drinks Business/Spirits Business Magazine.
SIP Awards (Spirits International Prestige)
Deadlines by category vary throughout the year.
Mundus Vini: ISW International Spirits Award
2013 dates TBD
Micro Liquor Spirit Awards
Eligibility: Product sells less than 50,000 9-liter cases annually in USA.
2013 TBD
New York International Wine Competition
New York, May 18-19, 2013
Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition
Run by International Wine & Spirit Competition, sponsored by Cathay Pacific
Hong Kong, entry deadline Sept. 7, 2012
Results presented at Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair, Nov 8-10, 2012
China Wine Awards
Hong Kong , 2013 TBD
New York International Spirits Competition
New York, Oct. 21, 2013, entry deadline Oct. 13
Indie Spirits Competition
2013 TBD
