Following are the eight categories for the 2013 Wine Blog Awards. To be eligible, a blog must have posted consistently and frequently during the preceding year. With two exception to this:

1. Best New Wine Blog award, which is not expected to have been posting for a year and must have been established no earlier than one year prior to the nomination period.
2. Best Blog Post of the Year award, which is focused on a singularly exception piece of work within a blog.

Best Blog Post of the Year

This award is for outstanding examples of feature writing on a wine blog. The award winning post might address industry issues, wine travel, personality profiles or any other aspect of wine. However, the judging criteria will focus on  quality of the writing, the expression of the blogger’s unique voice and insightful expression by the writer.

Criteria:

1. Should be a single post (or single story broken into multiple posts for readability) expresses a unique point of view about wine, life related to wine, or other wine-related experience.
2. Should be considered a distinguished example of quality blog writing that conveys an original and insightful exploration of a wine-related topic

Best Original Photography or Video on a Wine Blog

Criteria:

1. Should present a compelling visual experience for readers using original graphics, photography, or works of art, both throughout the site format and in individual posts.
2. Should demonstrate the potential of the blogging format to convey ideas or subject matter through images.
3. Should have made an extra effort to present its subject matter in a highly visual and graphic manner that is both entertaining, educational, and thought provoking.

Best Industry/Business Wine Blog:

Criteria:

1. Should have a substantial portion of the blog devoted to exploring the business of wine and the wine industry.
2. Should offer insightful analysis and reporting on the business of wine.
3. Should have used a substantial portion of posts to deliver independent and original analysis of the financial, marketing, administrative, marketing, political and technological aspects of the wine industry.

Best Wine Reviews on a Wine Blog:

Criteria:

1. Should have wine reviews as the primary content on their blog.
2. Should consistently deliver insightful and well-presented wine reviews.
3. Should have made an extra effort to use wine reviews to educate their readers.
4. Should heighten the reputation of the wine blogging genre for providing excellent consumer advice.

Best Single Subject Wine Blog:

Criteria:

1. Should have as the focus of the blog a single, relatively narrow subject such as a country, a single appellation, a single varietal or type of wine, retailing, wine tourism, one aspect of the business of wine or any other narrow focus that seeks to consistently illuminate that specific single subject.
2. Should demonstrate a command of, or expertise in, the single subject upon which it focuses.
3. Should be among the best sources of information in any genre for information on the chosen subject matter.

Best Winery Blog:

Criteria:

1. Should have done an outstanding job of using the blog format to convey the unique nature of a living the wine life as someone who owns/works at a winery.
2.  Should have used the blog to create a more intimate connection between consumers and the winery.

Best Writing On a Wine Blog:

Criteria:

1. Should put the English language to great use.
2. Should write with a demonstrably original voice that conveys a personal style.
3. Should consistently demonstrate a command of the English language to convey original, insightful and entertaining messages.

Best New Wine Blog:

Criteria:

1. Should have the first blog entry posted no earlier than one year before the nomination period begins.
2. Should have already made or show potential to make an impact on the worlds of wine or wine blogging via its reporting, writing, number of followers, etc.
3. Should present a credible appearance as a serious new entry in the realm of wine blogging, based on graphics, title, depth of posts, etc.

Best Overall Wine Blog:

Criteria:

1. Should continually produce entertaining and educational information.
2. Should contain well-written prose and well produced posts.
3. Should demonstrate independent and original ideas and insights.
4. Should be of such high quality overall it can compete with any other wine information resources in any other medium.
5. Should be able in its overall form, content and presentation to advance the reputation of the wine blogging genre.